What is your name? (Real or pseudo)

Miguel Dickson

What is your date of birth?

(no reply)

What is your gender?

Male

What is your race?

(no reply)

What is your e-mail address? (optional)

MLucient@usa.net

What is the name and URL of your homepage? (optional)

N/A

Where do you live? (City, State, Country)

Kentucky, USA

How would you best describe your form of freethought? (Atheist, Agnostic, Humanist, etc.)

Atheistic Realist

Were you raised as a freethinker or to be religious?

I was raised by my highly non-religious father and my mother, who was of very indivualistic thought on religion.

What originally set you on the path to freethought?

Events too numerous to mention throughout my conscious life.

When did you "come out" as a freethinker to family/friends/public, and how did it go over?

I've never "come out" as a freethinker, because I've never hid before.

Do you feel it necessary to continue to hide your beliefs in any circumstances, and if so, why?

I suppose, for the twenty seconds in which I realize the person near me has a weapon, I don't, and won't take kindly to learning I'm a freethinker, I suppose, but those circumstances are fairly unlikely. As for hiding my beliefs for social acceptance or somesuch: HA!

Have you ever been the victim of discrimination or abuse because of your beliefs?

Of course. I live in Kentucky, which is solid Bible belt. I've gotten everything from pity 'cause I'm going to Hell, disbelief 'cause I'm goin' to Hell (excuse the hick-sounding speech, but I'm trying to recreate these cirumstances realistically), sudden notoriety 'cause "Ohmigosh ! He doesn't believe in the Bible." (Other hicks join in "whispering" to each other, "Aww he's going to hell...")

In what types of freethought activism, if any, do you participate?

Not much due to my current circumstances, but I expect I will be quite an activist later. However, I do try to propogate intelligent thought for those seeking some intelligent conversations, especially via Internet.

What do you feel is the best part of being a freethinker?

It's not a state of being, but a mental attitude, and thus really wouldn't have a best part.

What do you feel is the worst part of being a freethinker?

See above =-)

What is the societal atmosphere for freethinkers where you live?

I get annoyances from people who might have "liked" me if I wasn't an atheist, and who try their best to convert me, as if they could. Generally, it's disbelief, but people haven't gotten violent yet. Which I see as amazing, considering I live in KY.

How do you define "freedom of religion" and do you think your country attempts to grant this?

Freedom to share my religion with like thinkers, and not to have to deal with non-like thinkers if I so choose... My country's not doing too hot on this (like ridiculous attempts to get the 10 Commandments posted in high schools and such...more Republican nonsense...)

If you could share one thought with whoever might read this profile of you, what would it be?

It's really your choice. Everything really is. It's just some people prefer to think other people affect their lives. The only effect people can have on your life eventually turns out to be due to an action of yours...in a very unlimited physical, emotional, and mental sense...