Wondrin2012

I'm wondering if there's a Free-Thinkers group at USNA.

nurseypoo

Free-thinker?

Is this the belief that all is based on evidence and reason?

Wondrin2012

Not exactly. Freethinkers acknowledge that we all have beliefs, but as a freethinker I try to form my beliefs based on evidence and sound reason rather than dogma or authority. There is a Freethinker group at USAFA, that's why I asked.

GreatAmerican

Atheists consider themselves to be "freethinkers." They consider Christians to be the complete opposite in that their beliefs are not based on "free thinking." Christians should base their beliefs on revelation, reason, and then experience in that order. Freethinkers on the other hand, want to base their beliefs on experiences and then reason in that order. The atheists have essentially flipped the order in which ones faith should be based.

Wondrin2012

To clarify just a little what GreatAmerican wrote, being a freethinker does not automatically exclude Christians, Muslims, Jews, or any other person who believes in a deity. In the group I've been in for the last 4 years about half the people are agnostic or theistic. We just strive to look for basing our beliefs on evidence and reason, instead of dogma or authority. We believe that if we base our beliefs (about anything) on dogma or authority, then who's to say my dogma's better than yours? Some of our founding fathers were both Christian and of the freethinker spirit, true Renaissance men like Paine and Jefferson, who looked for evidence and reason to strengthen the great Republic they helped create. I believe that as a Naval officer, I will be obligated to obey all lawful orders of my superior officers, whether I like them or not. But our country needs people who can think, who can sift through the high pitch of emotion, and I believe that basing my actions and beliefs on reason and evidence will make both me and my country and my fellow human being the better for it.

Just like when I wrote before I am not trying to pick a fight at all. I just wondered whether there is a freethinkers group at USNA, that's all.

nurseypoo

Hmmmm. I don't know. I know they have Christians and Jews, there. As for the rest, I'm at a loss.

Whistle Pig

It's interesting to note that the author has titled this thread about presumably free and rational thinking and that which we experience is "religious and spiritual groups." What might Freud wonder of that?

Wondrin2012

Even Freud said, sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. I posted it that way because that's how the USAFA Freethinkers group is categorized.

Zaphod

When I was there, we were all free thinkers.

Has something changed?

GreatAmerican

^^^^^
Different definition.

Zaphod

Whatever.