The other day, I was browsing the Cause Channels out of boredom. Via this, I stumbled across a quote by MattHunt, which reads:

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I've noticed that the “participants” in most religions are following their religion based on a blind faith that their parents taught them from a young age. It would be nice to see people break away from what their parents have taught them and think about what life and death is all about based on their own life experiences, thus making each individual have his or her own process of independent and free thought.”

Seemingly blatant anti-organized-religion aside, his post made me think of a few things, namely: What, exactly, is free-thought? See, the problem with his post is that I have met people who were raised sans any real religious influence, yet would be considered a “blind” believer. Even if they are a blind believer, they started out with “free-thought” and ended up, quite happily it seems, in the religion they are in today. Some people will be convinced that they were coerced into it, into following religion documents completely without resistance, without what seems to be little thought. This leads me to ask another question: When it comes to free-thought, who are we tolerant of? Everyone, or only those who do what we want?

All this aside, upon further thought, another question concerning free-thought came into my head. Can those who believe in the free-thought movement be blind followers? Can they actually be following others who believe in free-thought and believe what the others believe, all the while thinking that they are freely thinking everything through? Basically, how free is free -thought?

I think it really goes back to what MagicKiss said: it's a built-in paradox. We try to escape from our outside influences and find our "true selves," but we ARE our influences. All we can do is free ourselves from the influences that don't "feel right" to us, and that feeling is probably the result of other influences. I guess it's sort of a nature vs nurture thing to some extent, and we do have a true self in that two people would probably react somewhat differently even to the exact same influences as they grew up.

But it does kind of annoy me when people say things like what Matt Hunt said. What annoys me much more are the bumper stickers that say things like "Forget God: What do YOU think?" You can't just ask people to put their influences aside and "think for themselves" on such matters.

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I just think what I believe suits me better, just like others believe theirs to be.

Then we're arguing in circles slightly because that was my general point as well.

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like all you on youthnoise are so convinced I am.

You make yourself appear to be close minded and biting said heads by constituting organised faith as "bullshit" and generally being abrasive to said belivers. which appears to show that you think other belief systems are beneath your own. Personally I'm not convinced about anything concerning you because I haven't really paided attention

I don't regard everyone who disagrees with me as a fanatic. Frankly, I respect those who question their faith. If after that they still deem it true, then so be it. I have studied theology for over 2 years now. I wouldn't take a second glance if I'm as close minded as you propose. I don't think there is a right or wrong way. I just think what I believe suits me better, just like others believe theirs to be. I'm not out seeking rebels. Or biting off the heads of christians or believers, like all you on youthnoise are so convinced I am.

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that they don't question it for fear of discovering that it is indeed false.

heh you really never have met alot of real christians or people who really have faith have you? People who truly bealive aren't the zealots that don't question, those with true faith question it deeply and searchingly every day of their lives. I walked away from the "bullshit" as you so provincially put it for about 3 years myself after carefully going through what my issues were with the church. I came back on my own after that time after more reflection and careful consideration because I decided what I thought was false in the end was true.

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makes you open minded

If your our sterling example of free thought making one open minded either your mind isn't very free or your break away didn't work as well as you think it did. As you are one of the more closed, narrow minds I've spoken to in recent years. Being "Open Minded" means the exact opposite of what your doing which is clinging to your system of beliefs as tightly as possible, The only difference between you and one of the zealots you despise is that your faith revolves around religion being wrong where their faith revolves around religion itself.

I'm not encouraging anyone to do anything. I was merely reflecting upon my past. Clinging to beliefs set neatly infront of you is pathetic. It's only been about a year since I realized that what I was made to swallow was bullshit. I'm not out seeking religious people and telling them to lay off and check out the recent witchcraft books. I know it's becoming more of a trend now. Most regard christians as fags and atheists as bigger fags.
I'm not picking on all the people who followed their parents footsteps. If they believe it's true, props to them. It just seems to me that they don't question it for fear of discovering that it is indeed false.
But hey, just my thoughts.

_WHATyouth:

I don't disagree with you; I just question your focus. If you encourage others to think freely, are they truly thinking for themselves or are they just latching on to another, perhaps more attractive, ideology without any real reflection?

My main concern is that free thought, if framed only in the context of opposition to popular ideology, becomes just reflexive rebellion. You broke away from the bullshit, as you put it, and I'm assuming that was the result of a fair bit of personal reflection. If you just said "Fuck your religion mom and dad!" because all the cool kids were doing it, it ceases to be meaningful act of rebellion and just becomes the sort of stereotypical teenage rebellion that serves to undermine the legitimacy of genuine, reasoned dissent.

I agree that everyone should question their preconceived beliefs. However, "breaking away" isn't the inevitable consequence of that. It worked for you, and that's great, but an individual who carefully considered his/her own beliefs and chose to retain them is no less a free thinker.

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organized faith

It's organized because it was MADE to be so. But hey, if you're happy skipping behind bigger crowds, props to you.
And yes, I think that breaking away from bullshit makes you open minded. But let's not delve you into new territory.

Kharybdis: To attempt to rebel against the majority, you go head to head. It makes no sense to stand behind a wall and go "uh, excuse me, uh, I was just thinkin...thinkin that...well, I disagree, 'k? Thanks. Bye."

I think what I want. How's that for dogmatic?

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If you're brought up to believe something, you will swear on everything to honor it

like having blind faith that following in your parents foot steps and "breaking away" from organized faith frees your mind?

You seem pretty dogmatic about being non-dogmatic.

I don't see the complication.
I've been raised as Matthunt described.
Break away, goddammit.
If you're brought up to believe something, you will swear on everything to honor it.
You call that living?
It's fucking sick.

This is a complicated situation. If you think about it, everyone is influenced by something at some point of their life. We are not born knowing, so we are taught. Depending on what has been taught to you, you form your opinions and beliefs. But there has to be a base to these thoughts and beliefs whether one wants to admit it or not. You are either against them or for them, but in the end, they are not free from some type of influence.

Real free thought is something that must be open to all things and avoid the rampant preachings of any one as core to their ideology with out viewing others. Free thinking is a state of mind that needs to be achieved by the individual alone. If you follow someone else's path to free thought, it isn't free thought

The issue, I think, is to find a way in which one might foster independent inquiry while avoiding the ideological overbearingness that you condemn. How do you encourage someone to think independently without imposing the idea that they should think independently in the first place? It seems as though the only way to win in this case is to not play. If one is to become a free thinker, let them do it on their own terms, otherwise "free-thought" is just another intellectually coercive ideology.