Freethought

"Freethought is the keystone of freedom, creativity and independence. With it, we think for ourselves and come up with new beliefs, theories and ideas without religious or political discrimination, and we can all contribute our thoughts and feelings on issues, important and unimportant. So whatever you do, don't let anyone tell you what to do. Just trust in the Force, and you will know what to believe in and how to live your lives."

- Mina Bonteri

Freethought was a philosophical/religious belief in the known galaxy far, far away, involving independent thinking. It was not to be confused with atheism, the belief in no god or gods.

Description
Freethought was the practice of people deciding for themselves what was the truth about various subjects, important and unimportant, like religion, science, politics, philosophy, and just about any other subjects that came up in life. Within the Galactic Republic, and even the Confederacy of Independent Systems, all citizens were encouraged to trust in the Force to help them decide what was their own truth, because while the Jedi and Sith always insisted there were some absolute truths, most people, even many Jedi, saw most truths as relative, and thus different truths were fitting to each individual sentient.

History
Freethought was commonplace all throughout the galaxy. Almost all ordinary beings (neither Jedi nor Sith) believed in whatever religion they thought was right for them, chose their own valid political side, and made their own life philosophy.

Galactic Republic
The Republic, being a mighty democracy, always encouraged diversity among its many citizens, and freethought, combined with faith in the Force, was very compatible with it. For thousands of years, the Republic lived this way, with little trouble from without or within. However, in the last decades of the Republic's existence, the Sith influence over the government caused more people, especially the corrupt senators, to give up freethinking and go with the crowd of complacency. The Jedi had become a lot less freethinking, too, uniting under the falsehood of old man-made rules that were not verified by the will of the Force.

Separatist Crisis and Clone Wars
Jedi Masters Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi, Knight Anakin Skywalker, and Padawan Ahsoka Tano, were a few examples of Jedi who thought for themselves during this time period, rejecting the norms of the Jedi Order and following the voice of the Living Force with their feelings and instincts. Jedi Padawan-turned-Knight Barriss Offee was also, to a certain extent, a freethinker. Though a by-the-book type of Jedi like most other Jedi, she believed in following feelings when using the Force, and that there was no true "light side" or "dark side" of the Force, just the Unifying Force.

Others who thought freely in the Republic included Duchess Satine Kryze, a pacifist who thought that all war was intolerable, and that even extremists in a war could be reasoned with if they were willing to listen to negotiations. Others were senators Padme Amidala, Bail Organa, Mon Mothma, Riyo Chuchi, and Garm Bel Iblis, along with several other allies. They refused to be taken in by the hawkish corruption of most of the other senators, and dared to stand up to Chancellor Palpatine, even as they were unaware of his Sith identity and his hidden agenda. The Jedi and some officials in the Republic also allowed the more mentally capable clone troopers to form their own opinions and beliefs about things, too.

Confederacy of Independent Systems
Jedi Master Dooku was a freethinker as well, seeing the corruption in the Republic and charismatically defying it with his Confederacy of Independent Systems, intending to start over with it. After declaring himself Count of Serenno and Head of State of the CIS, Count Dooku encouraged freethought in his government just like the Republic had done, saying that if worlds were to run their own affairs, they must decide for themselves how best to do it. Indeed, freethought was very popular in the Confederacy, inspiring many Separatists to become even more passionate about their desire to be free from Jedi and Republic oppression than they were before.

Galactic Empire
Under Emperor Palpatine's Empire, freethought was almost unheard of. Only the Emperor, Darth Vader, the Emperor's advisors and Hands, and the highest ranking military officers, like the Moffs, the Grand Moffs, and the Grand Admirals, we're allowed to form their own imaginative ideas. All lower ranking Imperial officers, other servants, slaves, stormtroopers, and even citizens were required to keep their mouths shut about their own thoughts, beliefs, and even personal feelings, and conform fully to the sentiments of the Imperial hierarchy, under penalty of prison or execution, depending on the mood of the Imperial authorities. Faith in the Force was also discouraged, and even most religions were frowned upon, making the Empire not so much "freethinking" as it was anti-theistic and dictatorial.

Alliance to Restore the Republic
In the Rebel Alliance, belief in the Force and thinking freely were entirely allowed in its ranks. Although it was, to some extent, a dictatorship, too, Chief of State Mon Mothma gave every Rebel permission to have his/her voice heard when necessary, because she was always open to new ideas on how to win the war against the Empire. Because of this, and because of the introduction of Luke Skywalker to the Rebellion, the Force was finally with the forces of good again instead of with the Empire.

New Republic and beyond
After the Rebel victory at Endor, trust in the Force and the freedom for galactic citizens to think for themselves returned, and it endured throughout the reign of the New Republic, and afterwards, the Galactic Alliance. After Admiral Gilad Pellaeon reformed the Imperial Remnant, many Imperials no longer had to worry about keeping their own thoughts shut up. Most of the Yuuzhan Vong, however, rejected freethought because of their fanatical devotion to their merciless gods. Under Darth Caedus, the Galactic Alliance briefly lost its right to freethought, but Natasi Daala restored it when she became its next Chief of State. The Fel Empire gave its people partial permission to be freethinkers, Darth Krayt's Sith Empire had none, and the Galactic Federation Triumvirate fully reinstated it yet again.

Confederacy of Heaven
In the Star Wars fanon government, the Confederacy of Heaven, Head of State Mina Bonteri greatly encouraged freethinking, saying it was the keystone of all freedom, creativity, and independence, and helped to contribute to a good society where people could thrive together and live peacefully.

Behind the scenes
Freethought in Star Wars is basically the same as in the real world, except it can apply to any Star Wars religion, canon or fanon, as well as atheism, and religion is not the only freethinking issue there.