The Kingdom Come

As I become more and more disenchanted with the "leadership" within current Christianity, I've been looking for other organizations with which I can interact. Note, that this doesn't mean I am losing my faith, I just have no desire to interact with FRAUDS that claim to be "pastors" and "seminary presidents". These people are often liars and compromisers. So anyhow, I took a look at the American Freethinkers. I mean, if I am moving away from being manipulated by frauds, wouldn't I be thinking "free"?

But something struck me ironic about the definition of "free thought" offered by the American Freethinkers site. The definition is as follows:

There’s no need to completely reinvent the wheel, so let’s start with the definition on wikipedia’s page on freethought:

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 other dogma. The cognitive application of freethought is known as freethinking, and practitioners of freethought are known as freethinkers. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freethought)

That sums it up nicely. Basically, freethought holds that there are superior methods for arriving at your conclusions: science, logic and reason. Freethought is not a set of conclusions or beliefs. It is a belief in a method of inquiry and discovery.

So, a freethinkers websites which claims to promote freethinking and shuns "tradition" doesn't want to "reinvent the wheel"? Instead they want to use a canned definition from Wikipedia????? That isn't too much freethinking. Further, the idea that science, logic and reason AREN'T influenced by authority and tradition is shortsighted. Science by definition is established by repeatable experiments, which by definition become "dogmatic" and authority and "tradition" of that scientific theory.

If this doesn't turn a person off, the Freethinkers have a long history of atheistic, socialistic, and communistic influences. That hardly seems like "free thought". Even more, on the Introduction page we read this:

"we want to help you see that you are not alone! Not only are you part of a sizable and growing percentage of Americans, you’re also following in a tradition of great American thinkers and patriots." (underline emphasis mine)

HUH? Seems like "tradition" is only a bad thing if it isn't supporting the vague concept of free thought.

I might still interact with the freethinkers but I will work to hold them to their own "logic" and definitions.