Are you free from any belief-label? Can a religious person be a free-thinker?
2007-01-18 08:51:50 · 25 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I get paid to think. No free-thinking for me.
2007-01-18 08:56:53 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I believe I'm a free thinker, simply because I am always ready and eager for new information to adjust my world view. I label myself a Buddhist/Wiccan today because I hold to the principles these philosophies espouse, but that could change tomorrow, as for what I believe, who knows? I sure don't. It tends to change every time I assimilate new information.
I would say that labeling yourself in your own mind is a bad idea, because it casts you in a specific mould, which its hard to break out of. The only reason I label myself for others is because it's good shorthand for explaining my current set of beliefs.
And finally, I think the majority of both religious and non-religious people are not free thinkers. Many atheists are as dogmatic about their beliefs as most theists are.
2007-01-18 09:06:07 · answer #2 · answered by dead_elves 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't believe a religious person can call himself a free thinker because he/she will always have that bit of doubt in the back of their mind telling them that if they believe in such things as, say for example evolution, then they cannot believe in the bible and other religious clap trap. I consider myself a free thinking and a follower of science. I gave up on religion quite a few years back when I realized that this 2000 year old fairy tale has gone on long enough. And to tell you the truth, I have never been happier or more content since.
2007-01-18 09:04:09 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think I am I am religious in the sense I believe in a variety of religions but I myself am not set on a specific religion, so yea I guess I'm a free thinker.
2007-01-18 09:08:41 · answer #4 · answered by black_lightning 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If I had to label myself, I'd call myself a Bright. Otherwise yeah, I'm free from belief-labels.
To be honest, I'm not sure if a religious person could ever be truly free thinking... by definition, they're bogged down by faith. Faith is blind dogmatic certainty in the absence of evidence, reason and rationality.
So... I just don't know.
2007-01-18 08:55:15 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
A truly religous and god-fearing person can be free from any labels. It is in God's nature not to judge anyone. If you can be open to all types and creeds, then you can be a true child of God.
I think that is the most religious thought I've had all month . . .
2007-01-18 08:57:52 · answer #6 · answered by quatrapiller 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Being a free-thinker doesn't mean you can't arrive at or maintian beliefs. Don't assume that all religious people were raised to believe without examining their faith for themselves.
P.S. Great contribution, Ed.
2007-01-18 08:58:43 · answer #7 · answered by Jim 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
hell, yeah! But, FYI, a religious person can be a free-thinker. Robert Darwin was a free thinker, and he agreed that baby darwin could be baptized in the Anglican church
2007-01-18 08:56:24 · answer #8 · answered by FAUUFDDaa 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
That in itself is a label.
Religious people can be free-thinkers by investigating and questioning their religion and being true to their beliefs.
2007-01-18 09:12:15 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes I am a free thinker. I define my own beliefs, even though I am wiccan, wicca is not strict about how anyone worships. It accepts anybody that is doing no harm, even catholic and jews. I have a friend that is a catholic wiccan.
2007-01-18 08:57:32 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, I believe I am freed from any belief labels. Even if my of my beliefs are very taboo, I still stand by them.
Not sure about the second part (and I don't mean that in an insulting way either).
2007-01-18 08:57:10 · answer #11 · answered by Ievianty 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋