jcooke36
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| | Close Minded vs. Open Minded (9th Jan 09 at 4:49am UTC) | | | I was reading some Rob Bell the other day in the form of Velvet Elvis (wicked awesome book) who is an incredible author and the topic of atheists referring to Christians as close minded was brought up. Rob made an incredibly interesting point that i thought id share. We Christians are accused of being close minded yet who is it that believes in more then simply this life, who know that we surely aren't everything and there truly is a higher power and Savior. We believe in that which cannot be physically comprehended or understood. Then to look at the basis of atheist understandings is to state that only what is right in front of us is real, when we die we die, there is no higher power, no Savior. To think that each life has no purpose we live to live and to eventually die. Now after reading this who seems more close minded, it sure doesn't appear to be the Christian. This isn't so much my writing as Rob Bells its re-worded but yet i don't take credit for his genius. | |
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Colin
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| | Re: Close Minded vs. Open Minded (9th Jan 09 at 6:13am UTC) | | | Ah definitely, I agree I don't think anyone can say someone who believes that life goes on is close-minded. and just cause you believe in something else doesn't exactly make you close-minded, only if you believe so hard that you won't even consider that it could be any other way. | |
Veni, Vidi, Vici |
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lyndsaymina
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| | Re: Close Minded vs. Open Minded (11th Jan 09 at 2:48am UTC) | | My definition of close-minded is someone saying, "You don't believe in what I believe, there is something wrong with you. You don't have the same style I think is cool, you are a loser. You have green eyes, you are the lowest creature that crawls this earth." Or in other words, judging before knowing all the facts.
It's closeminded to judge a group as a whole, and not individually. It's even close-minded to judge an individual, as you are not that individual, you can't see their justification for that action. The only one that can judge is the Lord. Jesus didn't judge, he was open-minded. Open-minded people will accept you and try to get to know you before they make a personal opinion.
Not all atheists staunchly say, "There is no heaven, there is no God." Some simply choose to not to attempt to explain everything and just leave it at that. The open-minded ones just accept that you don't believe the same thing and move on with their lives.
So someone can say that someone who believes life goes on CAN be closeminded.
I think Colin's right, just because you beilieve something doesn't make you close-minded, but you are narrow when you can't accept that someone else could be right, or that someone else simply believes in something else. | |
Knowledge is power, and power corrupts, therefore learn and be evil xD |
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jcooke36
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| | Re: Close Minded vs. Open Minded (11th Jan 09 at 4:38am UTC) | | | I wasn't intending to say that all atheists believe "There is no heaven, there is no God." as i said it is the base belief of atheism. The exact definition of atheism is the doctrine or belief that there is no God thus the understanding that that is the base belief of atheism. I will never tell you your opinion is wrong and i agree with points you are making just understand i am not generalizing all atheists i am discussing a portion of a book i read and found interesting and what the definition and thus the understanding of atheism is. | |
"I Can Do All Things Through Him Who Gives Me Strength"
-Philippians 4:13 |
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Colin
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| | Re: Close Minded vs. Open Minded (11th Jan 09 at 4:45am UTC) | | ah well, I wasn't saying anything to say that you were,
I was just saying that this is sometimes the case, and I agree
with most of your points anyways | |
Veni, Vidi, Vici |
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jcooke36
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| | Re: Close Minded vs. Open Minded (11th Jan 09 at 4:54am UTC) | | | Oh no that wasn't intended towards your response at all Colin. I totally know what your getting at it always frustrates me when people say the are evangelists and yet shut down any questions or anything towards what they believe and refuse to discuss or attempt to clarify things. | |
"I Can Do All Things Through Him Who Gives Me Strength"
-Philippians 4:13 |
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Colin
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| | Re: Close Minded vs. Open Minded (11th Jan 09 at 5:04am UTC) | | oh, alright
Well happy discussing =]! | |
Veni, Vidi, Vici |
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lyndsaymina
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| | Re: Close Minded vs. Open Minded (11th Jan 09 at 5:21pm UTC) | | Okay Josh  It's a really interesting part of your book and I'm happy you shared it.
What does the term 'evangelist' mean? | |
Knowledge is power, and power corrupts, therefore learn and be evil xD |
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jcooke36
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| | Re: Close Minded vs. Open Minded (11th Jan 09 at 5:22pm UTC) | | | An evangelist to my understanding is someone who has a calling in there life to bring others to God | |
"I Can Do All Things Through Him Who Gives Me Strength"
-Philippians 4:13 |
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Max
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Max
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Max
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