Freethinker is a popular term thrown around atheists and agnostic circles. I use it myself to describe my spiritual belief. I posted on the subject of “Peace Tools for Atheists, Agnostics and Believers” to the ‘alt.atheist’ discussion group to open up some dialogue on what tools are available for the atheist or agnostic to use to generate inner peace in place of organized religion. All the tools and concepts I discussed were available for any person to use without the belief in God.
In my post I covered many tools from simplicity, compassion, classical philosophical studies, ethics, mindfulness, reciprocity, charity, accepting impermanence, developing gratitude and contentment, cutting back on craving and desires, working with natural law, balanced living, etc. I illustrated how I use freethinking to take tools for peace wherever I find them without prejudice and evaluate the tool on it own and not under guilt by association. All the tools I discussed were available to use without the belief in God.
I received the following 8 replies out of a membership of 1611 atheists ‘freethinkers’ subscribers from this post: http://www.agnosticforums.com/morality-laws/224-peace-tools-atheists-agnostics-believers.html
All replies below are from ‘alt.atheist’ usenet group:
“I’ve never been not at peace. What you offer makes me physically ill. It’s like a nasty man come round to tell little kiddees he has candy for them if they touch his pee pee. You know, most of the atheists I know are as good as children are at discerning misrepresentation. You aren’t trying to help anyone but your own self. Go away, we have no interest in touching your pee pee.”
“First of all, this is a newsgroup, not the freaking public library. Keep it short and to the point. Second, you’re full of s**t.”
“Stop posting your vile polemic deliberately nasty, lying Christian? Please go away. No-one is buying your poisonous diatribe. Are you really this stupid, or just pretending?”
“We know this deliberately nasty, slandering liar is a Christian by his fruits. A liar as well as an idiot. Don’t be so f**king stupid.”
“What the f**k has philosophy got to do with your in-your-face psychopathy?”
“You wouldn’t know “virtuous behaviour” if it hit you over the head, whining hypocrite who needs to get the log out of his own eye before accusing us of a projection of his own deficiencies.”
“So fking what? Keep it to yourself and nobody will know what an ahole you are.”
“Why would any atheist need tools for peace?”
All these replies came from non-freethinking atheists. How do I know they are non-freethinking atheist? Because of their replies. I do not expect for anyone to agree with any or all of my tools. But if we disagree with a concept, we must have another concept to replace what we have torn down in our minds as wrong. How do we know what is wrong unless we know what is right? With this group, all they could offer to replace my tools were ‘ad hominem’ arguments to destroy me and not destroy the concepts. Such non-freethinkers are characterized not by sound judgment, rationality and wisdom, but by a prejudiced insobriety of opinion that roots itself of egoistic pride. Through a life based in condemnation prior to investigation, they do not see that as they go to extreme measures to have no connection with spirituality, their actions also causes a lose of connection with any humanity.
Sure tearing others down appeals to ones ego and pride, but so did torturing insects when we were kids. When we grow up we need a different way to find self worth. As you instill seeds of peace within others you plant the same seeds and water these seeds within you as well. As you give so you receive. Is that from the bible or karma? No, it is just universal law. Do we like to be beaten down? Whenever we take it upon ourselves to beat down others, we are headed in a direction of destroying peace. We destroy our own peace as well as others peace. It takes no energy from me to pass something by and leave it alone in peace. But it takes my energy as well as my peace to pick something up to destroy it.
That is the beauty of being a freethinker. We can think for ourselves. As such, when we get a toolbox we can decide which tools to use for the job. Some tools are used a lot, other tools are left alone for the time being, and still others are trashed when we see they are broken and useless. Again, a freethinker is ‘free to decide’ how they wish to proceed. Just be careful of falling into the trap of ‘mind manacled freethinker’ as many ego based people fall into. And this especially applies to atheists who are notorious for falling into this trap.
Psychologist William James once said, “A great many people believe they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices.” When we limit prejudice we can open our minds to truth and peace. And realize that “All Deities reside within the human breast,” ~ Blake
V (male)