Free-thought

The free-thought or freethinking (expression used by Victor Hugo in a speech in 1850, with a hyphen (?), whereas free-thinker is trained according to the English free-thought ) is the philosophic attitude consisting in refusing all dogmatism, religious or other, and to trust only with its reason (Rationalisme).

Among the free-thinkers one finds atheistic, agnostic and rationalist.

There are close links between the word free-thought and the terms atheism , Hérétique , skeptic , rationalist , humanistic and humanistic secular , but these terms are not synonymous. A precise definition is in best difficult case, because the free-thought is differently defined by different people. For example, in theory, a free-thinker could believe in the existence of God, since the base of this belief is a rational argument, rather than an argument based on an authority or a tradition. However certain free-thinkers atheistic, which considers that there is no rational argument in favor of the belief in God, will have evil to accept that such believers say free-thinkers. Contrary, the dogmatism of certain atheists can be felt by others like incompatible with the free-thought (skepticism, Agnosticisme…).

Free-thought in Germany

In 1881, Ludwig Büchner founded with Frankfurt the German Ligue of the free thinkers ( Deutsche Freidenkerbund ), making it possible to the atheists of this country to publicly declare itself for the first time.

Free-thought in Spain

Free-thought in the United States

The Athées Americans ( American Atheists ) form one of the first associations in North America militant for the strict separation of the Church and the State. It was founded in 1963 by Madalyn Murray O' Hair and supports its claims on the principles of the Déclaration of Independence and on the Constitution. It engages of many lawsuits against the public institutions which violate secularity. Approximately 2.200 members take part regularly in the national convention of association and the many regional meetings. Ellen Johnson is the president since 1995. The seat of association is in the New Jersey with Cranford.

The November 2nd 2002, during the walk of the American atheists on Washington ( Godless Americans March one Washington in English), Ellen Johnson announced the creation of the Committee of political action of the American atheists ( Godless Americans Political Action Committee , GAMPAC), in order to make pressure on the candidates with the elections. It was officially launched the March 9th 2004 and supported the candidate John Kerry with presidential of 2004.

Free-thought in France

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