Christians are called close minded by atheists all the time, and to me that seems so backwards. So please clarify, how your mind is open? And how you mind is not 'dictated' by anything.
Let's not act like two year olds by name calling or anything please!
2007-03-06 14:21:28 · 31 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
some of you seem quite hypocritical. You're saying christians are close minded to a point, and you are close minded up to a point(you need evidence). It seems alot of you are alot LESS open-minded than christians.
2007-03-06 14:28:58 · update #1
oh gosh, if i hear the unicorn debate again from an atheists i think i might scream!! lol...no offence to the original people here!
2007-03-06 14:37:38 · update #2
My definition of an open mind is willingness to listen and make rational judgements. I try very hard to maintain that state of mind. Now, I will admit I dont always succeed. Nobody is capable of being totally objective. All of our lives are colored by our upbringing, the circumstanstances of our lives and even our genetics, but I do think we can overcome a lot of that. I don't believe you can be open-minded if you say "God said it, so there can be no discussion or investigation". Yes, I have seen people say that on this site.
2007-03-06 14:27:33 · answer #1 · answered by sngcanary 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Open mindedness is usually defined as accepting and absorbing new ideas and then reformulating ones beliefs or opinions based on evidence.
Close mindedness is usually defined by rejection of new ideas and stubbornly (subjective term, I know) holding onto ones ideas or beliefs in the face of the evidence.
A mind is only not "'dictated' by anything" on the supposition that you follow your own decisions and freedom to make those decisions. But we are taking this exceptionally in a black or white context, either you are open minded or you are not. But we have to remember that religious peoples often follow a set of laws dictated by their church (non-adherence is often viewed as heresy or evil) as well as secular laws and the social conscience. All lives are dictated by secular and the social conscience but religious adherents have this extra rule book they strive to follow, therefore are atheists less dictated to than their religious counterparts? You do the math...
But there are many external and internal forces working on a decisions to accept the viability of new information. Popular media, parental approval, friends' approval or opinions, religious dogma, literature, hunger, desire, bad mood, good mood, scientific journals, gut feelings, logic, the list is endless. So the question is just how open minded are we as a species?
Perhaps we can adapt a quotation from George Orwell, "all animals are equal, but some are more equal than others".
So it would become:
"all humans are close minded, but some are more close minded than others."
And that applies to the religious and non-religious alike...
2007-03-06 14:53:06 · answer #2 · answered by psicatt 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Aethiests are very open minded. Obviously, unlike many Christians, we observed many religions and realized, 'y'know, this doesn't make any sense and it has ZERO evidence, why should I waste my time with it?'
Many Christians were born into Christian families and refuse anything, ANYTHING that might suggest God wasn't real. Aethiests research, and always consider that a religion might be possible before choosing to take the road that has hard evidence and makes sense. Christians almost never even consider for on second that there might be no god.
Aethiests are almost always, if always, open minded, independent, and successful because we don't let the fear that a god controls us do anything, because we know he doesn't exist.
2007-03-06 14:32:31 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Well, technically, Christians (and most followers of religions with common creeds, for that matter) are close-minded, because what they believe is dictated by what is said by some pastors and an old book! I personally am a Unitarian Universalist, which means I'm open-minded in nature. So what I believe is dictated by what I find to be true based on what I find, am told, and discover.
2007-03-06 14:27:07 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Open to any evidence that there is. The problem that the religious have with that is that they don't have any.
Go look at the Jesus Tomb questions. The Christians are all just saying no. Most of us are saying maybe. Mine is a skeptical maybe, but I want to see more evidence one way or the other. Just saying no, without any refuting evidence is close minded.
2007-03-06 14:32:36 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
I ask questions, even about things I think I know. I can incorporate new information into what I have already learned. I can admit when I know I was wrong. I call that open-minded. Christians (in general) refuse to even consider questioning what they think they know. They seem unwilling to incorporate any new information, especially about their beliefs. They constantly insist that they are right, despite having nothing to back it up. I call that closed-minded.
2007-03-06 14:42:08 · answer #6 · answered by Phoenix, Wise Guru 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i don't get why SOME atheists call christians close minded. i am very open minded. there are a lot of things i do not agree with in the bible, but i am a very open minded person.
2007-03-06 14:28:23 · answer #7 · answered by lauren 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I am an atheist and I am open-minded. I am open to any evidence that supports the existence of any god(s). Yes, I ask for evidence because it is only rational. You would not believe in the invisible pink unicorn that lives in my garage without evidence, would you?
Open minds are open to accept different positions. I am open to accept a different position, just show me the evidence.
2007-03-06 14:35:49 · answer #8 · answered by CC 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋
I'm open to any proof you want to show me that a god...ANY god...exists. Are YOU open to the fact that your god, whoever that may be, could not be the *real* god??? Or that a god might not exist at all? All any atheist asks for is definitive proof. Not something written in a 2000+ year old book.
The only difference between an atheist and a christian is that an atheist believes in one less god.
Joy - "pot meet kettle"
2007-03-06 14:27:49 · answer #9 · answered by Stormilutionist Chasealogist 6 · 4⤊ 1⤋
Of course not. Christians feel if they don't stay tightly wrapped in their cocoon of ignorance they will be in danger of loosing their little piece of la la fantasy land of eternity. They are so afraid their Boogie Man Satan will jump out and take a bite of their butt if they dare to reason.
I love the way they threaten Atheists with that Every knee will bow and every tongue will wag. No no every tongue will acknowledge. If they knew how pathetic that sounded to Atheists they would just shut up.
2007-03-06 14:25:25 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋