Andrespetmonkey said: osamanobama said: wow...this poll is retardedly offensive. so only atheists are free thinkers, so i didnt think on my own, when i decided Christianity was by far the most logical believe system their is. in my experience, almost all atheist i have come across are the least free thinking people there are, instead functioning as a hive mind. Firstly, YOU are the one trying to be offensive in that last sentence and secondly, I've never really met any atheists like that, since most atheists come to atheism as a conclusion. If you think that's offensive to a religious person, you don't know what the term "free thinker" means. Argument stops here please, like I said at the start of the thread, no arguing.  Definition: Freethought is a philosophical viewpoint that holds that opinions should be formed on the basis of science, logic, and reason, and should not be influenced by authority, tradition, or any dogma. For example: Someone may reject the belief of the Adam and Eve story based on science, logic, and reason, however if they were influence by authority, tradition or any form of dogma the only science, reason and logic they may accept will be what fits with said story, while rejecting any evidence agaisnst it.

No need to only associate the term with athiests/agnostics when thiests can be free thinkers as well. One can choose a religion based on science, logic, & reason. Such doings are not limited to athiests or agnostics.

Im just saying...

I guess I'm an agnostic. There is no proof for the existence of god, while there is also no proof for his inexistence, although due to the nature of God, one can't actually disprove it's existence anyway. Therefore, I have no beliefs or disbeliefs.

Jay520 said: No need to only associate the term with athiests/agnostics when thiests can be free thinkers as well. One can choose a religion based on science, logic, & reason. Such doings are not limited to athiests or agnostics. Im just saying... I guess I'm an agnostic. There is no proof for the existence of god, while there is also no proof for his inexistence, although due to the nature of God, one can't actually disprove it's existence anyway. Therefore, I have no beliefs or disbeliefs.

you mean you have no faith, nor are you not faithless. 

Saying you have no beliefs or disbeliefs just opens up a weak point for theists to exploit.  "You don't believe in anything! you're a lesser human!" 

Runa216 said: Jay520 said: No need to only associate the term with athiests/agnostics when thiests can be free thinkers as well. One can choose a religion based on science, logic, & reason. Such doings are not limited to athiests or agnostics. Im just saying... I guess I'm an agnostic. There is no proof for the existence of god, while there is also no proof for his inexistence, although due to the nature of God, one can't actually disprove it's existence anyway. Therefore, I have no beliefs or disbeliefs. you mean you have no faith, nor are you not faithless.  Saying you have no beliefs or disbeliefs just opens up a weak point for theists to exploit.  "You don't believe in anything! you're a lesser human!"

I don't understand how that translates to being a lesser human being, but okay.

Jay520 said: Runa216 said: Jay520 said: No need to only associate the term with athiests/agnostics when thiests can be free thinkers as well. One can choose a religion based on science, logic, & reason. Such doings are not limited to athiests or agnostics. Im just saying... I guess I'm an agnostic. There is no proof for the existence of god, while there is also no proof for his inexistence, although due to the nature of God, one can't actually disprove it's existence anyway. Therefore, I have no beliefs or disbeliefs. you mean you have no faith, nor are you not faithless.  Saying you have no beliefs or disbeliefs just opens up a weak point for theists to exploit.  "You don't believe in anything! you're a lesser human!"  I don't understand how that translates to being a lesser human being, but okay.

Ask a hate group known as the Boyscouts. Maybe they can fill you in.

Jay520 said: No need to only associate the term with athiests/agnostics when thiests can be free thinkers as well. One can choose a religion based on science, logic, & reason. Such doings are not limited to athiests or agnostics. Im just saying...

This - was like wtf when I read it

Jay520 said: Andrespetmonkey said: osamanobama said: wow...this poll is retardedly offensive. so only atheists are free thinkers, so i didnt think on my own, when i decided Christianity was by far the most logical believe system their is. in my experience, almost all atheist i have come across are the least free thinking people there are, instead functioning as a hive mind. Firstly, YOU are the one trying to be offensive in that last sentence and secondly, I've never really met any atheists like that, since most atheists come to atheism as a conclusion. If you think that's offensive to a religious person, you don't know what the term "free thinker" means. Argument stops here please, like I said at the start of the thread, no arguing.  Definition: Freethought is a philosophical viewpoint that holds that opinions should be formed on the basis of science, logic, and reason, and should not be influenced by authority, tradition, or any dogma. For example: Someone may reject the belief of the Adam and Eve story based on science, logic, and reason, however if they were influence by authority, tradition or any form of dogma the only science, reason and logic they may accept will be what fits with said story, while rejecting any evidence agaisnst it.   No need to only associate the term with athiests/agnostics when thiests can be free thinkers as well. One can choose a religion based on science, logic, & reason. Such doings are not limited to athiests or agnostics. Im just saying... I guess I'm an agnostic. There is no proof for the existence of god, while there is also no proof for his inexistence, although due to the nature of God, one can't actually disprove it's existence anyway. Therefore, I have no beliefs or disbeliefs.

I highlighted the part that shows how it's incredibly difficult to be religious and a free-thinker (in my post), you will be influenced by dogma. 
Correct me if I'm wrong, but if you lack a belief in something, doesn't that automatically leave you disbelieving in it? It doesn't mean that you are sure it doesn't exist, it just means you lack a belief in it, which would be disbelieving. 

sapphi_snake said: These threads are getting out of hand. OP, are you conducting some sort of research with all these religious-themed threads?   On-topic: I'm an atheist.

Huh? Out of like 15 threads I've made only 2 or 3 were religiously themed.

miz1q2w3e said: Jay520 said: No need to only associate the term with athiests/agnostics when thiests can be free thinkers as well. One can choose a religion based on science, logic, & reason. Such doings are not limited to athiests or agnostics. Im just saying... This - was like wtf when I read it

Freethought is a philosophical viewpoint that holds that opinions should be formed on the basis of science, logic, and reason, and should not be influenced by authority, tradition, or any dogma.

It's incredibly hard to be a religious person without being influenced by your religion. Also, I've never heard a theist describe themself as a free-thinker instead of a theist, but I've heard countless atheists and agnostics describe themselves as free thinkers instead of atheist and agnostic.

Andrespetmonkey said: Jay520 said: Andrespetmonkey said: osamanobama said: wow...this poll is retardedly offensive. so only atheists are free thinkers, so i didnt think on my own, when i decided Christianity was by far the most logical believe system their is. in my experience, almost all atheist i have come across are the least free thinking people there are, instead functioning as a hive mind. Firstly, YOU are the one trying to be offensive in that last sentence and secondly, I've never really met any atheists like that, since most atheists come to atheism as a conclusion. If you think that's offensive to a religious person, you don't know what the term "free thinker" means. Argument stops here please, like I said at the start of the thread, no arguing.  Definition: Freethought is a philosophical viewpoint that holds that opinions should be formed on the basis of science, logic, and reason, and should not be influenced by authority, tradition, or any dogma. For example: Someone may reject the belief of the Adam and Eve story based on science, logic, and reason, however if they were influence by authority, tradition or any form of dogma the only science, reason and logic they may accept will be what fits with said story, while rejecting any evidence agaisnst it.   No need to only associate the term with athiests/agnostics when thiests can be free thinkers as well. One can choose a religion based on science, logic, & reason. Such doings are not limited to athiests or agnostics. Im just saying... I guess I'm an agnostic. There is no proof for the existence of god, while there is also no proof for his inexistence, although due to the nature of God, one can't actually disprove it's existence anyway. Therefore, I have no beliefs or disbeliefs. I highlighted the part that shows how it's incredibly difficult to be religious and a free-thinker (in my post), you will be influenced by dogma.  Correct me if I'm wrong, but if you lack a belief in something, doesn't that automatically leave you disbelieving in it? It doesn't mean that you are sure it doesn't exist, it just means you lack a belief in it, which would be disbelieving.

Put it this way: I don't believe in any dieties; I also don't disbelieve. Both of the aforementioned are due to lack of evidence. Both can be possible, but due to my own ignorance, I have no reason to believe in either.

This may be a bad analogy, but here goes nothing. Imagine someone presents their clenched hands before you, one with a coin & one without. This person then asks you "which hand do you believe the coin is in?". You would have no answer. You have no evidence to believe which hand holds the coin. You simply have no beliefs.

Probably a bad analogy, but I tried my best.

Jay520 said: Andrespetmonkey said: Jay520 said: Andrespetmonkey said: osamanobama said: wow...this poll is retardedly offensive. so only atheists are free thinkers, so i didnt think on my own, when i decided Christianity was by far the most logical believe system their is. in my experience, almost all atheist i have come across are the least free thinking people there are, instead functioning as a hive mind. Firstly, YOU are the one trying to be offensive in that last sentence and secondly, I've never really met any atheists like that, since most atheists come to atheism as a conclusion. If you think that's offensive to a religious person, you don't know what the term "free thinker" means. Argument stops here please, like I said at the start of the thread, no arguing.  Definition: Freethought is a philosophical viewpoint that holds that opinions should be formed on the basis of science, logic, and reason, and should not be influenced by authority, tradition, or any dogma. For example: Someone may reject the belief of the Adam and Eve story based on science, logic, and reason, however if they were influence by authority, tradition or any form of dogma the only science, reason and logic they may accept will be what fits with said story, while rejecting any evidence agaisnst it.   No need to only associate the term with athiests/agnostics when thiests can be free thinkers as well. One can choose a religion based on science, logic, & reason. Such doings are not limited to athiests or agnostics. Im just saying... I guess I'm an agnostic. There is no proof for the existence of god, while there is also no proof for his inexistence, although due to the nature of God, one can't actually disprove it's existence anyway. Therefore, I have no beliefs or disbeliefs. I highlighted the part that shows how it's incredibly difficult to be religious and a free-thinker (in my post), you will be influenced by dogma.  Correct me if I'm wrong, but if you lack a belief in something, doesn't that automatically leave you disbelieving in it? It doesn't mean that you are sure it doesn't exist, it just means you lack a belief in it, which would be disbelieving.  Put it this way: I don't believe in any dieties; I also don't disbelieve. Both of the aforementioned are due to lack of evidence. Both can be possible, but due to my own ignorance, I have no reason to believe in either. This may be a bad analogy, but here goes nothing. Imagine someone presents their clenched hands before you, one with a coin & one without. This person then asks you "which hand do you believe the coin is in?". You would have no answer. You have no evidence to believe which hand holds the coin. You simply have no beliefs. Probably a bad analogy, but I tried my best.

But with that analogy, you know there is a 50/50 chance of a coin being in whatever hand you believe to have the coin. Whereas with the idea of gods, I have no reason to have any belief in a god, so my default stance is disbelief - if I ever do get reason to believe, my stance will change, but until then it's disbelief.

But I do understand what you mean, and I know it's hard to make a good analogy for it.