Maybe I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed. I say this because I just today discovered the movement known as "Freethought". Now, I've heard people say that they consider themselves "free thinkers", but I never knew it was an actual movement.

In principle, I agree with the concept of Freethinkers (please note the capitalization and lack of a space between the two words, which I do to differentiate those of the movement and those about whom I will write shortly). I like the idea that they practice Science without any interference from dogma or culturally accepted prepositions. However, I think there is a fine line between this legitimate movement and a purely anti-religious stance ("free thinkers"). So fine, in fact, that the "movement for the purpose of being anti-religious" has even crept into the definition on Wikipedia. To quote: "freethought by definition involves a rejection of Christian dogmas." Why is this? Why does it "by definition" reject Christian dogmas? Why doesn't it "by definition" reject Judaic, or Islamic (etc) dogmas? Also, where in the definition does it actually state that Christian dogmas are rejected? The definition I read (the first line on Wikipedia) says "Freethought is scientific inquiry unrestricted by tradition, authority, established belief, preconception, prejudice or any agenda that might compromise the free exercise of thought and the reliability and validity of one's conclusions." I don't see any reference to Christian dogma or any other religion there.

This actually makes me a little bit angry. Just as our friend Pat Robertson (and our new friend Rev. O'Neal Dozier) makes a mockery of Christianity, so do these lug-heads make a mockery of a legitimate movement such as Freethinking! As long as Freethinking stays in it's own realm (that is, the realm of "it", or matter, or - more broadly - Science) then I think it is not only an acceptable movement but one that should be encouraged!

But when you get people with their own agendas who have a bone to pick with Religion and think they've found a movement they can latch onto, they will dirty the waters of the basic principles of that movement. They force Science out of its realm and into the realm of Religion.

I'll go so far as to say that these anti-religion people who feel they have found a home in Freethinking have the same desire for belonging that religious people do. But since they turned away from Religion altogether, they supplant Religion with its exact opposite in order to fill the hole that was left.

Science is a good thing. Freethought is a good thing. Religion is a good thing. They can all co-exist if they remember their boundaries and limitations.

I applaud you, Freethinkers, and I condemn you ,"free thinkers"!