freethought

A secular intellectual and cultural movement that extends back to the writings of the founding fathers of America, the philosophers of the French and German Enlightenment, and secular populists of the 19th century. The movement opposes old-fashioned dogmatic religion, but favors freedom of religion and freedom of thought.

The freethought movement has already had a significant influence, but its continuing importance is reinforced by modern religious extremism.
John Locke and Daniel Defoe were early freethinkers.

George W. Bush, Ossama B. and Stalin are all antitheses of the freethought movement.
by JoeBloggs April 10, 2005
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freethinker

A follower of the freethought movement. Not to be confused with a free thinker.
"A believer is a bird in a cage, a Freethinker is an eagle parting the clouds with tireless wing"
-- Robert Green Ingersoll (1833 - 1899)
by JoeBloggs April 10, 2005
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