Is the word "freethinkers" a better nick name for Atheists or Christians?

Answer 1

Atheists, simply because the term is already commonly associated with atheism.

Answer 2

I am neither, but I would say the question is difficult. Why? because I have seen both faiths or lack of, seem to deal with absolutes, which I do not think that when it comes to a subject as complicated as someones faith, or god it cannot be perceived only in black or white. Athesits beliefs are "if you cant prove there is god, then there must not be one" and christians or any other orthodox religion based on god they say in reaction to your statement "well you cant prove that there isnt so you have no right to say there isnt one" I think so many times we look for the answers in books, philosoply examples of man, and we do not find the answers but more contradictions. The answers are not meant to be viewed in an objective way for all to understand, so therefore not all will understand and agree on what that understanding is. I have seen just as close minded atheists as I have with christians and I think that both of you believe the same way, but are on opposite ends of the spectrum.
I would hope you have to agree at least that there is the unexplained. Heightened awarness, whatever you wish to label it, The word god just means to define what is more beyond our comprehension, to feel something that your hands cannot touch.
Unfortunately so many negative connotations has been placed on the essence of the word, that the word itself has lost it's meaning. So Black Acre I have read many of your comments and believe you to be an intellegent man, but methodical thinking cannot interpret the heart.
So I cannot answer this question with a simple answer I apologize, and I wish you well

Answer 3

Oh boy this will get ugly...

I think its hard to label either Christians or Atheists as freethinkers. A more correct term for each would be close-minded. They are both set and dug in on their views. So by definition the Agnostic is the true free thinker. He accepts both sides as a possibility.

However, being a free thinker or close-minded doesn't make you right or wrong. They are both simply labels that carry weighty connotations in battles over semantics.

In the end, there's no real use for name calling

Peace, Love, and Christ

Answer 4

possibly as a results of fact theist is pronounced in yet differently to atheist. The atheist makes the ei sound like "e" rather of "a" yet i'm no longer completely advantageous that it somewhat is the rationalization. possibly it somewhat is real, as creatrix shows, that atheists are for some reason extra beneficial spellers. If it have been it may certainly bring about atheist being spelt incorrectly extra often as atheists use the word theist maximum often on a similar time as all of us makes use of the word atheist.

Answer 5

It could never be applied to Christians, they are completely closed minded. No Christian I know will ever have a factual discussion of religions. As soon as something intelligent is said that goes against their belief structure, they bail out.

Contrarily, by very definition, atheists are freethinkers. They have broken the chains of the religious thought police and are able to think freely.

Answer 6

Atheists

Answer 7

you can be a free thinker who is an Atheist or a free thinker who is a Christian...an atheist who thinks he is a free thinker, is only deceiving himself because in search of the so called "objectivity", he becomes dependant on whatever happens outside him, everything is on the outside, hence he has a finite, materialistic view of life and tends to rely on his logic since that to him seems objective...and so he becomes devoid of subjectiveness...he seeks whatever will satisfy his search for objectivity and empirical proof...he lives on the outside and has no inner richness...his only god is his intellect. In the end he does not realise that his truth is just as relative as a beleivers truth, but his truth is relative to the finite whereas the beleivers truth is subjective and relative to an infinite, superior Creator. The atheists truth is a truth of the world, but the beleivers truth transcends the world. Objectivity leads to nothingness, or some or other school of thought(science)....in the end the objective truth is nothing more than an illusion of truth.

Answer 8

How much "freethinking" do Christians do? They have a book that supposedly holds all the answers to everything. What's there to think about?

Answer 9

As freethinker seems to indicate doing things on your own, thinking for yourself, and not following along with a pack..... atheist.

Answer 10

It isn't better for either. Being an Athiest or a Christian does not automatically mean one is a free thinker, and at the same time being an Athiest or a Christian does not automatically mean one is not a free thinker. Only a non-free thinker would need to pigeonhole Athiests/Christians as such.

Answer 11

Atheists.