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Saturday, August 13, 2011

Freethinkers



When my friend asked me if I wanted to go to a meeting of the Pioneer Valley Freethinkers, of course I had to attend, if only to see what is considered a free thinker. I mean, is there anyone who does NOT consider themselves a free thinker?

"Excuse me, but are you a free thinker?"

"No, I'm rigid in my thoughts, close minded and I hate new ideas."

It's sort of like a sense of humor, no one will admit to not having one, yet at the same time we all know people who are humorless. In the same way everyone is a free thinker - until the thoughts get a little too free.

So I went out of curiosity, but also because it was being held at a place with a great reputation, Shelburne Falls Roasters Coffee Shop on Route Nine.



As you can see it has won numerous Valley Advocate awards.



A little late, I entered the room where the free thinkers had already gathered.



They were a friendly enough bunch, these free thinkers. They were also primarily atheists, and I soon realized that this was the topic they mostly talk about. At points when the discussion drifted to other topics, the conversation was pretty much orthodox lefty Valley talk.

However, atheism is indeed a radical concept in this country where about 90% of people in public opinion polls say they believe in God. It would have been helpful however had some hapless Christian wandered into the discussion to spice things up with some opposition. Frankly, a radical idea loses a bit of its punch in a room where everyone agrees with it.

Oh well, it was still a fun and interesting time, and if this sounds like a group you'd like to join (or challenge) click here.

Hey, next time you're zooting around on the Norwottock Trail, don't forget to stop in at Grey Matter Books. It's good for your grey matter.



Then go next door and check out Troubador Books.



There's some ducks living around there too, as you can see in this video.



Advice scrawled on the Norwottock Trail.



Around about 1979 everyone used to get stoned and go to Bart's Ice Cream, at that time located in Northampton. We could never have imagined that there would one day be solar powered Bart's Ice Cream stands like this one in Amherst.



Daniel Platt has an article in the Valley Advocate on this year's Western Mass Republican picnic, the most publicity that affair has received since Dan Yorke broadcast live from the event back in 1995. (click to enlarge)



Things were much weirder at the Big Fruity Picnic in Easthampton.


An orange resident of Ashfield, Massachusetts by Tony Mateus.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

You would still be living in Springfield if people in the early 1960's were rigid in their thoughts and tuned out the "tune in, turn on, drop out" mentality.

You know...The Charlie Ryan types from the early 1960's who railed against the liberals and the destructive consequences of their selfish, greedy activism.

I saw a house is for sale on Maplewood Terrace in Springfield.
If that same house were for sale in Switzerland, it would sell for ten times the Springfield price-- make that 15 times, given the currency exchange rates. And that same house would sell for three times the Springfield price in Longmeadow.

But, if that house were for sale in Zimbabwe it would never sell for any price.

Anonymous said...

All those people will get out of their "free thinking" is to be thrown into a lake of eternal hell-fire.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, there are a lot of free thinkers in this area. And they all think the same thing.

It's interesting that "free thinking" turned out to be a a synonym for atheism.

Here's what my life experience has taught me. If someone goes around telling people how open-minded he is, you can bet he's close minded. If he goes around telling people how tolerant he is, you can bet he's intolerant. If he goes around telling people how he has freed his mind from all forms of prejudice, you can bet he harbors deep prejudice against non-protected classes.

It's kind of like the guy who so often brags about how big his dick is. Guys who really have big dicks don't brag about it. They just know and that's enough. It's always the guys with the small peckers who blab about how well hung they are.

Carlito

Mike Newell said...

I’ve just produced this controversial book
“NO GOD! 400 FAMOUS ATHEISTS AND AGNOSTICS
PLUS 60 INFAMOUS THEISTS!”
AN ANTIDOTE FOR AMERICA’S RELIGIOSITY!
What 460 famous thinkers think about religions!
Comedians, philosophers, priests, scientists, etc
"Enjoyable, interesting, infuriating and fun!"!
I would like to let your people know about it. See
http://www.driftwoodbeachbooks.com/
for info on this and my other books.
I would greatly appreciate your help with this.
Many thanks
Mike Newell
MikeNewell@NetHere.com