Welcome
Freethinking
Freethinking is a term that contains a multitude of postulates and beliefs. It is an attitude to life, based on some common principles. Each individual gives a personal interpretation to these principles and experiences them in his own way. In practice this means that freethinkers often have different opinions about actual and moral problems. This diversity stimulates dialogue that makes for an interesting and dynamic ideology.
The multitude of beliefs and visions reflects the complexity of man and his way of thinking. The confrontation between different ideas and visions leads to new perceptions. Which are the guiding principles of the freethinker's attitude to life? Freethinkers honor the principle of free inquiry. They reject dogma and authoritative arguments in forming their convictions. They only recognize man as the creator and bearer of moral values. The ultimate goal of the freethinking community is the separation of Church and State.
Free inquiry
Free inquiry means that man tries to understand and study reality by means of using common sense, without submitting to superstition and prejudice. The enormous leap in science is partly due to the free inquiry of world and nature. Free inquiry is a method that leads to reliable knowledge.
What does this abstract principle mean for freethinkers, who are not professionally involved in scientific research? Free inquiry refers to a personal attitude of constructive doubt. Freethinkers are prepared to test their beliefs, convictions and views about man and the world by reality. They never avoid an open discussion. Personal beliefs and attitudes are always subject to revision and 'certainties' can always be questioned...
No dogma
A dogma is a manifest truth, part of a religious doctrine. The clear-cut content cannot be questioned because it is a message from the Supreme Being (God). Dogmas are irreconcilable with the principle of free inquiry. They are firmly rejected by freethinkers. Freethinkers also reject authoritarian arguments in building their vision of man and world. This implies that statements are critically judged by their content and are not accepted undisputed.
Man gives meaning
Freethinkers are convinced that rules and norms flow from human experience, resulting from the effort to create a livable community. As a result, convictions about good and evil will differ from culture to culture, and change, depending on time and space. A supernatural (divine) origin of rules about good and evil is not acceptable for freethinkers. Man himself is the creator and bearer of his morality. This is why freethinkers consciously choose not to practice a religion. They do not subscribe to any religious belief whatsoever. They reject any morals based on revelation and they do not belong to any religious community. The term 'non-confessional' fits in this context. The term refers to an ideological community - in the broad sense of the word - which does not belong to any existing religion, because it rejects any divine origin.
Separation of church and state
The separation of Church and State, or in other words, the separation of ideology and state, remains the ultimate goal for the non-confessional community. Belgian society should be based solely on respect for human rights and the constitutional state. According to these principles the State guarantees the private atmosphere of the citizen and treats every individual, and community, equally. The pluralism of this society is grafted on the States’ respect for all ideologies.
The principle of the separation of Church and State implies:
- No intervention from the Church in matters of State. Religious authorities are not recognized as State authorities. Therefore, they cannot enact laws to be incorporated in the Belgian Constitution.
- No intervention from the State in matters that concern the Church. The state does not intervene in the internal organization of the Church, the congregation, the appointment of representatives or ethical views.
- Respect for the freedom of religious practice for every citizen and the community. The freedom of religious practice in Belgium coexists with the strict respect for the individual conviction of the citizen that results from the acceptance of the community in which the ideology develops.
- A transparent policy of subsidies