2 definitions by quietmedic
Someone who comes to their own conclusions about the nature of existence and the world, based not on the notions of others nor by adhering strictly to any particular dogma, but rather through their own senses and thought processes.
Also a term hijacked by the Militant New atheist Media Machine to be essentially synonymous with "atheist", with the not-so-subtle implication that self-generated thought and personal common sense MUST lead EVERYONE to conclude that there is no god, and that no one who comes to believe in a god of any sort, religious-based or abstract, may truly be a freethinker.
Also a term hijacked by the Militant New atheist Media Machine to be essentially synonymous with "atheist", with the not-so-subtle implication that self-generated thought and personal common sense MUST lead EVERYONE to conclude that there is no god, and that no one who comes to believe in a god of any sort, religious-based or abstract, may truly be a freethinker.
Joe: "I'm a freethinker".
Militant atheist: "Congrats! When did you free yourself from the delusion of the fairy tale god?"
Joe: "Well, umm...I believe in god. Not the god of any religion, but a creator."
Militant Atheist: "Oh, so you're not a freethinker. You don't go strictly by logic and science. You believe in fairy tales. Your just a lazy atheist."
Joe: "Um...no. I actually came to this conclusion on my own. Using just science would mean I'm bound by a system, and that wouldn't be free thought. I base my belief on my perception of the world, and I don't stricly adhere to science nor religion. I freely think my way through the issues based on all the information available. I'm a freethinker!"
Militant atheist: "Congrats! When did you free yourself from the delusion of the fairy tale god?"
Joe: "Well, umm...I believe in god. Not the god of any religion, but a creator."
Militant Atheist: "Oh, so you're not a freethinker. You don't go strictly by logic and science. You believe in fairy tales. Your just a lazy atheist."
Joe: "Um...no. I actually came to this conclusion on my own. Using just science would mean I'm bound by a system, and that wouldn't be free thought. I base my belief on my perception of the world, and I don't stricly adhere to science nor religion. I freely think my way through the issues based on all the information available. I'm a freethinker!"
by quietmedic March 31, 2016
A word meaning someone who doesn't necessarily base their opinions on any particular creed or system of ideas, but based on their own intuition and perception of reality.
Also, a word hijacked by the Militant Atheist movement to mean, well, an atheist, with the obvious (but baseless) implication that free thought would never bring anyone to believe in a higher power.
Also, a word hijacked by the Militant Atheist movement to mean, well, an atheist, with the obvious (but baseless) implication that free thought would never bring anyone to believe in a higher power.
Joe didn't believe in any organized religion, but believed in his own form of God. Joe is a free thinker.
by quietmedic April 21, 2016