what does open minded mean?
- Thread starter MahogonySnail
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lightbliss
Guest
I think it means ready and willing to accept or listen to something such as new ideas or suggestions.
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lightbliss
Guest
With dating though, it means that you don't hold any one type of person as someone you'd only date. You're open to different "types" of people.
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glenwood74
Guest
Many times in proverbs, King Solomon tells us that it is truly the wise men who open themselves up to criticism and new ideas, i.e. have open minds. It is when we become hard hearted and self-righteous that we turn from this way of thinking to the foolish way of human based religion. We are to have a childlike faith. And what characterizes a child if not open minded. We, of course, must test the spirits and new ideas to make sure they are from a righteous perspective, but that is from a Godly measurement, not a human, religious measurement. I pray the Jesus open my mind to the Spirit of the living Christ and keep me in constant amazement for God!
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Pineapple
Guest
Nowadays it seems to mean eating tofu and attending yoga classes. Having a Hindu Guru stay at your house whilst he tells you what to do and eats all your food makes you doubly open minded.
It's a confusing term, and I tend to stay away from people who say they are open minded because I immediately have images of hippie camps and rainbows when the term is mentioned in context of dating.
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Matthew
Guest
In general I think to be open-minded is to actively disregard the first impression because it is often deceiving.
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HumbleSaint
Guest
open-minded to what? The things of God or the things of this world.....I guess that is what we could ask.
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glenwood74
Guest
Are you all serious? Must we hide ourselves from new ideas because we are Christians? When I was first saved, I asked many questions and I had a lot of issues with trust, but guess what? Jesus, the great and powerful Lord of all creation was able to stand up to the test. He was the Truth, He was the Way, and He was the Life, and He showed Himself to an open minded person. Stop living in fear and religious bigotry. There is a grand adventure that Jesus wants to take us on, but we must be willing to open our minds to the wonders of the Holy Spirit.
Problem is now a days you have all kinds of people with these open minds and there on there way to hell.
I have a cousin who believes in God with all her heart. But she says there in no such thing as the Father. She wanted to give her views to my daughter about it. I already know there is a Father. My daughter is a grown woman and she knows there is a Father. I already knew my cousins views and have placed her the hands of God and know God will help her. We were in my car and I said no. I don't have to let satan speak thr a person trying to sway my daughter over to his side.
I know what I need to know about cults so I can try to talk since. But blinders from satan get put on these people and prayer is needed.
I have a cousin who believes in God with all her heart. But she says there in no such thing as the Father. She wanted to give her views to my daughter about it. I already know there is a Father. My daughter is a grown woman and she knows there is a Father. I already knew my cousins views and have placed her the hands of God and know God will help her. We were in my car and I said no. I don't have to let satan speak thr a person trying to sway my daughter over to his side.
I know what I need to know about cults so I can try to talk since. But blinders from satan get put on these people and prayer is needed.
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NodMyHeadLikeYeah
Guest
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jimmydiggs
Guest
Open minded, means the state of being just before the surgeon sews you back up after brain surgery.
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nanabean
Guest
I wouuld have to say openminded means the willingness to listen and consider possibilities and/or the understanding of another person's viewpoint, which I personally do not think is a bad thing.
I have noticed however, that some people will say your openminded when/if you agree with them after talking things through, but can also turn around and call you closeminded when/if you disagree with them still on something else!!! hahah.....oh well....
Open minded to me means that you can open yourself up to a new idea and consider its value before you reject or accept it. Closed minded is the opposite and means that you'll just reject any new idea... And to be frank, closed minded people really pee me off.
Why? Because they're wilfully ignorant in some cases, and it is often these people that judge people like me for simply asking them to be open minded about something (i.e. to at least consider an idea).Right now, for instance, you are open minded to the possibility of what open minded means. And that's a great relief to someone like me...
Don't forget to be sipping green tea while you're doing all this, Pineapple!
This is an excellent question, MahoganySnail, and I agree with the posters who say there has to be a balance between acceptance and discernment.
I was reading a Christian book a while back (sorry, can't remember it exactly...) and the author said it was great to be open-minded, but not SO open-minded that your brain falls out every time you lean over! I've been guilty of both extremes and am trying to work on the balance!
I also think being open-minded should mean not pigeon-holing or stereotyping people and approaching everyone you meet with a fresh slate. For example, I was recently chatting online with a very nice guy who'd had a girlfriend who was half Korean and another Korean female friend, so he was saying things like, "I bet you... do this or that, think such and such way..."
I tried as politely as possible to say, "Well, if you get to know a little about me... I think you'll find I'm my own person and it sounds like I'm a lot different than your ex-girlfriend!"
