Is it possible to be religious and open minded at the same time?

Question

I'm so fed up with seeing people of various religions post stuff here about how they are right and everyone else is wrong.

In my own view, the world would be a much better place if people didn't cling to the ancient and out-of-date belief that we are all ruled and governed and owned by a GOD.

Answer 1

The concept of God got warped by earthly rulers, which are a similar concept. I'm thinking God is not interested in ruling, per se, or else God would come and take over. Rather, God is the Creator, and that God remains in everything (or everything remains in God). Like a good Father or Mother, God is more interested in our personal growth as persons than in ruling heavy-handedly.

Religion in its literal sense means "rebinding" or "reconnecting." The word comes from the same Latin root as ligament. The "rebinding" involved is two-fold: communal religion brings the community together, and personal religion is a reconnection to God.

Unfortunately, the meaning of religion has been distorted by church leaders and political leaders throughout the millenia.

Answer 2

Your question is dripping with hypocracy! You complain that others say how they are right and others are wrong, and in the next sentence put down those who believe in God saying the world would be a better place if they didn't! Hello?

I believe that religion is causes the most negative feelings about God that were ever created. God did not make up religion, Man did, and it is horribly flawed.

I use my spirituality and beliefs as a moral compass which are bible based.. Where does your sense of right and wrong come from? What you feel like is right? What's against the law or not? What's popular in society? What the president says is ok? What a school teacher says is ok? What some guy in the newspaper says is ok?

I believe that humans are far to amazing to have been an 'accident' of life or evolution. I believe there are things about this universe and life that are totally incomprehendable to my human brain, so belief in a being that created life is not hard for me. I know He knows how we work and function best as humans and with relationships. In the Bible He layed down basic human laws, like gravity, as well as moral suggestions.

Just becuase it's thousands of years later does not mean He is out of date. We are still human, and He still has the answers for being the best we can be.

Answer 3

It is best to be open minded and not religious when following the teachings of Jesus. First of all Jesus came to fulfill the law. The law still exists if you need to be religious. Once you have been saved and born again, it is best to be open minded and not attached to some mans doctrine. God is going to always be trying to give you your inheritance and you must be in the right mind to receive it. If your mind is closed by some doc tern of men then you will miss it. At the same time you need to have discernment in operation to know what is truth and what isn't. It is part of the gift that comes with the Holy Spirit. Too many people that believe they are on the right trip based on the teaching of some man and are totally off target. Letting the Holy Spirit be your teacher and only accept what He is telling you. If you hear it from elsewhere, other then from within, then that is when discernment will come in play. Even the 5 fold ministry is all God doing the teaching through ministering saints. When they are in ministry their only job is to keep their own ideals and doctrine out of it and let God use their bodies for ministering and confirming what the Spirit of God utters.
amen

Answer 4

Your last sentence is ABSOLUTELY true!!! I think there are some open minded religious people though. I've been around people of all religions and I have to say probably the pagans & Buddhists are by far the most open minded. However, I have met Christians, Jews & Muslims that were somewhat open minded. If they would all just believe what they want to believe and leave others alone it would be great!! Nobody is 100% right on anything, let alone religion!!

Answer 5

>>>the world would be a much better place if people didn't cling to the ancient and out-of-date belief that we are all ruled and governed and owned by a GOD<<<

You're kidding, right?

The world is bad enough sometimes as it is. Don't you think that without God, it would be a whole lot worse?

I know this from my own personal life. With God in my life, I'm still bad enough as it is sometimes.

But I know that previously, without God, I was a whole lot worse.

That's the way it is with people. With the world at large, it works the same way.

Communism tried to remove God from society, sir. That wasn't exactly a smashing success -- not with the blood of 100 million people (and counting) on its hands.

Communism was by far the most murderous form of government ever known to humanity. It was also officially atheist. That's NOT a coincidence!

Answer 6

How can you be open minded if you follow someone elses mind.
Religion is based on rules and regulations that you must abide by, whether you agree with them or not. Being open minded is the essence of learning beautiful and new lessons, where we are able to learn within ourselves, right from wrong. How we deal with our lessons is what really makes the difference. Love others as we would like to be loved. The answer is so simple "LOVE" yet so hard to master for mankind.

Answer 7

Yes, I have faith in Jesus Christ but I also have respect for others and their beliefs and views. I wasn't brought up in church and for most of my life I wasn't religious so I totally understand where others are coming from when they express their doubts and way of thinking. It was my way of thinking for most of my life. I never believed anyone when they told me about Jesus. I sat home on Sunday morning and read the newspaper. I had an experience that changed me forever. I have felt the love of Jesus and it is the most powerful love I have ever known. The same time the year before I would have laughed if someone told me what was in my future. I now give him my heart and soul everyday. I pray to him as I go about my day. I don't know why he changed me but I am glad he did. So to answer your question I know many people who don't believe in him including people in my family. I still love and respect them. I see people as human beings and that is how I want them to see me. If they never know another christian in their life I want them to know me as a person who was kind and loving and respectful. I don't go in for all this judgement for everyone who doesn't think like me. Jesus stated many times in the New Testament not to judge people. To look at ourself and what we are doing instead of watching everyone else and telling them what to do. Plus I am very proud to be an American. I think it is great to live in a country that lets you worship the way you want. Freedom is precious! We should all respect each others beliefs if for no other reason then we are free to do so. Hope I made sense to you. Peace.

Answer 8

I think it is possible to be religious and open minded

The way I see it is that most religions are way past their sell-by date resulting in bigotry

I subscribe to the idea of continuous revelation - we have to keep up with the unfolding universal truth - like Bob Dylan says ; "the times they are a changin."

Answer 9

being religious means that you've been brainwashed by a religion.

Therefore, you can't be religious and open minded at the same time.

However, you can believe in god and be open minded. IF and only if you accept that you can't be sure of anything. (therefore only atheists and agnostics can really be open minded about religion)

If someone has a religion and is open minded, then he is agnostic without knowing it.

Answer 10

I say yes if we could all learn tolerance but i dont see that happening soon I mean look at this world we are about to enter a third world war of something is not done to create peace and I personally dont want to even think about another world war!