Welcome to Freethought! FREETHOUGHT IS DEFINED AS THOUGHT UNRESTRAINED BY DEFERENCE TO AUTHORITY, especially in matters of government and religion. Its two subjects are intellectual liberation and civil liberties. FREETHOUGHT IS NOT ATHEISM PER SE. While many atheists are freethinkers, many freethinkers are not atheists. Many freethinkers are humanists - putting man first in their quest for understanding life and the nature of the universe. Many freethinkers prefer to believe in their own personally defined "God" while searching for rational meaning. Some, such as a large number of the Founding Fathers of the United States, were deists, who found a spiritual nature in all living things ("nature and nature's God"). There are many factions of freethinkers, but the common thread is the elimination of coercion, both political and religious. Thus the issue of separation of church and state is a critical motivator in the beliefs and actions of freethinkers. THE TRUTH SEEKER HAS A RICH HISTORY OF PROMOTING REASON OVER SUPERSTITION and has provided a platform where freethinkers can present their concepts of self-reliance. If you are new to Freethought and seek an overview, we suggest the writings of Voltaire, Thomas Paine, Thomas Jefferson, Robert G. Ingersoll, Voltairine de Cleyre, Mark Twain, Bertrand Russell and Ayn Rand. They will open the doors to many more. SOME WELL-KNOWN CONTEMPORARY FREETHINKERS ARE: Steve Allen, Carl Sagan, Rachel Carson, Betty Friedan, Francis Crick, Stanley Kubrick, Norman Lear, Katharine Hepburn, and Peter Ustinov. Their work is found on best-seller lists and in bookstores and newsstands, as well as in the cinema and on television throughout the world. WE WILL PRESENT YOU WITH MANY IDEAS, both current and historical, so that you can develop your own beliefs and conclusions. We recognize that knowledge is never stagnant. We are always learning. We invite you to open your mind, think and enjoy! WE WELCOME YOUR THOUGHTS. As stated in 1873 in Vol. 1 No. 1 of The Truth Seeker: "Our columns will be open to all who feel disposed to favour us with communications and correspondence whether they are with us or opposed to us; and the same are respectfully solicited." TRUTH SEEKER EXISTS IN CYBERSPACE. You can find our articles as text files online on America Online (AOL) and CompuServe (CIS), and soon we'll have a home page on the World Wide Web. On America Online we host The Freethought Forum located in the Capital Connection area (keyword: Capital). For some IBM platforms the Freethought Forum is in the PAC, Lobbies, Think Tanks folder. On CompuServe you'll find our files in the Politics and Religion section of the Issues Forum. ASK FOR THE TRUTH SEEKER AT YOUR LOCAL BOOKSTORE OR LIBRARY. Fine Print is our distributor and they service most major bookstores and newsstands. BECOME A SUBSCRIBER. You'll notice we run virtually no advertisements. While our endowment helps us to publish Truth Seeker, your support will help us increase circulation, particularly to policy makers and educational institutions that can benefit from considering a rational approach to the subjects we cover. Annual U. S. subscription is $20, or be a committed freethinker and get a two-year subscription for $35.   Table of Contents | 1995 Issues | Subscribe Truth Seeker | Feedback | Freethought.com Webmaster Credit card Orders call: 800-321-9054 or fax: (619)676-0433 Or send check or money order to: Truth Seeker / 16935 W. Bernardo Drive, Suite 103 / San Diego, CA 92127 $20.00 annual U.S. subscription ($35.00 international). Individual issues—$10.00 + $2.50 postage and handling Or be a committed freethinker and send $35.00 for a two year subscription. Truth Seeker is published by Truth Seeker Co., Inc. (ISSN 0041-3712) © 1996