2008 Woodie Awards
Freethinkers provide open environment for discussion of nontraditional beliefs, ideas
Tracey Rector
Issue date: 2/6/08 Section: College News
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The Web site for the IUPUI Freethinkers (www.iupuifreethinkers.org ) defines the group as freethinkers, skeptics, humanists, non-believers, atheists, agnostics, anyone without traditional viewpoints or base their beliefs on scientific facts and inquiry. The group holds weekly meetings on Wednesday nights and has around 15 core members.
"Topics vary from current events to philosophical discussions, science, anthropology, veganism, you name it," President Sarah Stone said. "Our weekly meetings tend to be informal and engaging."
Members in the group tend to be active volunteers and sometimes they also volunteer together as a whole.
Stone said their group is more like a social or support group than anything else.
"It's nice to have a group," David Brokaw said. "When I was an undergrad, there were lots of campus crusades, but nothing for me. We think and question beyond the average person."
The Jan. 23 meeting, in Campus Center Room 264, had 12 members in attendance.
Before the discussion began, Stone distributed green flyers to everyone about the third Annual Darwin Day Conference taking place on March 8 in the Campus Center.
The evening's topic for discussion was the word "secular" and asked whether it was a dirty word. The topic forced the meeting to be filled with very in-depth feelings and viewpoints.
Right away, they used Conservapedia, a non-liberal Web site that serves as an alternative to Google or Wikipidea, to define the word secular. Conservapedia defines the word secular as generally used to mean "worldly, as differentiated from ecclesiastical." Their definition goes on to explain the term secular has changed drastically over time.
Everyone in the room held very similar views on meanings of the Bible from when it was written and what it means today.
As the discussion moved along to literal meanings of the Bible, several of the members strongly believed definitions, commandments and directions for every day living could not be taken word for word for modern day life.
Group members did quote exact points from the Bible from certain chapters to even specific verses to back up their statements.
When the discussion moved to religion and government, many members asked the question "Is one born with a religion?" and came to an agreement that one's background, family and country plays a large role in their religious beliefs.
One member brought up the point that many people are taught what to think, not how to think.
The upcoming presidential elections also played a large role towards the end of the discussion.
The group spent a lot of time analyzing Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney's quote from a past speech about "purpose driven lives" that people have.
They asked themselves if everyone had a purpose driven life. Some agreed, some disagreed.
As the discussion ended, they came to the conclusion that secular can be a dirty word for politicians.
Despite several different viewpoints in their meeting, everyone was welcoming of each other's opinions.
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