Is it true that atheists are more open-minded than those who are religious?

Question

Or...is it about even?
I say there are some religious people who tend to be more open-minded than some atheists, and vice versa.
Thoughts on this?
As a bonus question, what does "open-minded" mean to YOU?

Answer 1

Atheists tend to be more accepting. Atheist, because they do not have the rigid concept of "right vs. wrong" set forth in the Bible, do tend to approach issues with more of an open mind.

Being "open-minded" is to be able to consider all options, unbound by religious or societal norms. I like to think that it is possible to be "open-minded" and Christian, because part of being a Christian is to not judge others. Many prefer to impose the strict tenets of their faith on others. I prefer to follow those tenets myself.

Answer 2

To me, "open-minded" is when someone does not rule out new, modern ideas or takes on subjects just because they're different and new. Open-minded people actually consider them before deciding whether or not they agree, unlike close-minded people who just toss it out in favour of an older belief.

I'd say that atheists are open-minded as a whole, but only because they don't have older religious texts to tell them what is "right" and what is "wrong." Because homosexuality is portrayed as a sin and a reason to kill someone in the Bible, many Christians oppose it. However, atheists do not have a conservative (old) text to inform them on the "morals" of life, and they can actually think about the subject in question for themselves.

Of course, there are open-minded religious people and close-minded atheists. I just think that it's much more likely for an atheist to be more liberal-minded than conservative.

Answer 3

I agree with you. There are open and closed minded people on both sides of the fence.
What does open-minded mean?
It means being able to listen to the other point of view without jumping to judgement. It doesn't mean weak-minded (changing your mind every time some new convincing argument comes along), but it does mean that you don't assume that everybody who has a differing point of view from you is an enemy, or a bad person. It also means that you can learn something form someone with a different point of view.
Example (an I'm far from th emost open-minded person, but I'm working on it) - here on Answers someone made some strong statements on stem-cell research (pro) and on Christian believers (against). I made a comment wondering if he even knew anything about stem-cell research, or was he just shooting his mouth off.
He wrote me an email, first givng his credentials (he knew what he was talking about!).. Then, in an exchange of emails he explained what stem cell research was all about, and why it was necessary. Why other proposals don't work. Well, I have kept his emails. I came out a lot more educated, and a lot more open to stem-cell research, even though I am still very much against abortion. (For him, that owuld be contradictory, but not for me. There are many fetuses that were not volontarily aborted. Also, since abortion is happening anyway, might as well get something out of it).
So I didn't change my basic convictions, but I did learn a lot from my correspondent. Probably a few years ago, I wouldn't have paid any attention to what he had to say. I was more "closed minded".
I don't know if that answers your question a bit.

Answer 4

I think open-minded means being open to changing your views in the light of new evidence. It means not committing 100% to some hypothesis if there is not sufficient evidence.

Note that I say "evidence", not "proof". There is no hard proof in the natural world -- absolute proof only exists in mathematics.

I call myself an atheist because I think the Bible is myth. But I am quite willing to consider the possibility of a supernatural creator. I just don't see any evidence that such a creator is still interacting in the world. It seems very likely that if there is a creator, the creator defined the laws of physics, started the universe, and then hasn't interfered. People talk about "miracles", and "feeling god's presence", and "god answered my prayers", but none of these claims can be substantiated in any way, and normally there are alternate explanations that don't require invoking a god. So, I think the probability that we'll ever have solid evidence of a god is very low, but not absolutely nil.

Answer 5

In practice, I'd have to say that most of the atheists I know are much more open-minded (i.e. non judgmental) than Christians about letting other people live their lives the way they want so long as they don't hurt anyone else. I do know a few open-minded Christians as well, however.

For the most part, though, a heterosexual atheist is much more likely than a heterosexual Christian to allow a homosexual the right to choose his own partner to share life with. Neither the atheist nor the Christian may "understand" the attraction a homosexual has for another man, but the atheist will say "live and let live," while the Christian will start screaming, "you're going to Hell!" Hence, atheists are generally more open-minded than Christians are.

Answer 6

im gonna have to say SOME athiests are alittle more open minded because like we will give a chance to listen to theorys thats different then what the bible says and if it makes sense then we will say well its vary possible that it is fact instead of assume that its all wrong because the bible says this is how it happend... but i think some athiests arent open-minded as much either... so i guess its mostly equal because they try and be ******* by saying EVERYTHING in the bible is false... i may be a athiest but i wont go around and say that everything in the bible is false. i mean they got a few things right.. plus we still live by some of the commandements.

Edit: well now that i think about it alittle more maybe its pretty close to a tie...

Edit: i remember writing Rest In Peace Deputy Steve Cox on a card (well ofcourse i remember it because it happend a few days ago) and 1 person in the class made a big dead because so many people said that... and he said he just put his name on the card because Rest In Peace has something to do with religion.... im not really sure what it has to do with religion because im just basically saying that his spirit or sole whatever you wanna call it rest in peace. i dont really see that in a religious way but i suppose it can be both... he's a vary close minded person he wont listen to anything.. anyway if u cant tell i am a athiest

Answer 7

Open-minded to me means. Willing to listen to the other sides idea and dialog with that person. If you are only asking questions or making accusations and never answering any, then I would say your not open minded. If the structure of your conversation is not to learn more and make a better educated decision on your understanding of what is being discussed, you are closed minded. With that being said. I would say for the most part religious people are just as closed minded at the atheist that I have personally met. I have however met with a few on both sides that were willing to learn and understand the views and opinions of other people.

Answer 8

i might say fake. Atheists have closed their concepts to the possibility that God purely might exist while a Christian desires to hold that guy or woman to the top that God is real, in actuality as Christians that's our accountability to attempt and assemble human beings to God. Now i understand that a brilliant number of Atheists have study the Bible, they only can not seem to soak up what they have study and are available to a end that God does exist and it in all likelihood does not help that we've had the tooth fairy, the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus and not a unmarried considered one of them have been real. because of the fact that guy does not think of ways that God thinks and we don't do issues the way that God does, i will see how that's troubling for some human beings to undertake a faith. rather it rather not lots that those human beings do not have confidence, that's greater a rely that they don not prefer to alter the way that they are residing their existence, or they are afraid that their acquaintances will chortle at them for starting to be a Christian. maximum Christians that i understand, while asked what if when you die you hit upon out that God does not exist. Their answer is often alongside the strains of "properly i understand he exists, yet while for some reason he does not then I even have lost not something, I lived a very good and honest existence" Now if an Atheist dies and shows out that God does exist, whether he led a very good honest existence, he has no possibility at salvation. i might prefer to have confidence that no person is going to Hell yet that purely isn't actual. i might ask any Atheist to discover a homeless drug person and ask him if he believes in devil, a brilliant number of the drug clientele will inform you that they have got considered devil many circumstances.

Answer 9

I think it's about even.
I don't think anyone who calls him or herself open minded shows very much open mindedness in that statement.Open minded to me means accepting that you might be wrong,seeing that you do have prejudices,some you're aware of and maybe some you're even not aware of and trying to look further as them when evaluating a situation or determining what to think.Understanding that everything you believe and even the things you hold self evident can be different to other people and not automatically judging them for that but being prepared to look at yourself critically.
A great mind once said "some people mistake thinking with rearranging their prejudices

Answer 10

I believe it is around 50/50. There are atheists that jump down religious people's throats for believing and religious people that jump down atheists' throats for not believing. Maybe we should start thinking the way Zoroastrians do at least when it comes to a person's religious background, that you are born into your faith and that there is no converting if you convert you are betraying your true faith. Then again that's not so open-minded. Open-mindedness means being able to accept all possibilities but being able to express your opinion without hurting someone.