Insights

After reading the book The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins, I was not sure if I can agree with all the points it raised or understand all the scientific terminology but it did spark my curiosity to try define what my current beliefs are ...

- I will not impose on my children my beliefs cox they should be given the freedom to decide when they are old enough.

- I am not sure if I am an atheist ... based on current beliefs, I should be a agnostic theist.

- Tried to double check the meaning of freethinker in Wiki but think I don't exactly belong there either since it says that
"Freethought is a philosophical viewpoint that holds that beliefs should be formed on the basis of science and logic and should not be influenced by emotion, authority, tradition, or any dogma."

- Yet when I read on ... I can identify with it as well....

In philosophical Buddhism, freethought was advocated by the Buddha, such as in the text Kalama Sutta:

"It is proper for you, Kalamas [the people of the village of Kesaputta], to doubt, to be uncertain; uncertainty has arisen in you about what is doubtful. Come, Kalamas. Do not go upon what has been acquired by repeated hearing; nor upon tradition; nor upon rumor; nor upon what is in a scripture; nor upon surmise; nor upon an axiom; nor upon specious reasoning; nor upon a bias towards a notion that has been pondered over; nor upon another's seeming ability; nor upon the consideration, 'The monk is our teacher.' Kalamas, when you yourselves know: 'These things are bad; these things are blameable; these things are censured by the wise; undertaken and observed, these things lead to harm and ill, abandon them.

"...Do not accept anything by mere tradition... Do not accept anything just because it accords with your scriptures... Do not accept anything merely because it agrees with your pre-conceived notions... But when you know for yourselves—these things are moral, these things are blameless, these things are praised by the wise, these things, when performed and undertaken, conduce to well-being and happiness—then do you live acting accordingly."

- Conclusion (or before reaching one) : Simply do things that harm no one, make you happy and try help others when you can ... regardless of race, language or religion and perhaps then, the exact definition ain't so important.