How to be open-minded?

[GenMarshall]

I am wondering how can a close-minded person who is deadset on everything and wont be receptive towards other people's ideas to being an open-minded person?

I oftenly face things as "youre closed" minded or exposing my ignorance as well as being an annoyance towards others because I dont want my shakey faith shaken. I dont want to alienate myself from others, just because I have a close mind.
I am willing to accept criticisms, even if its on my faith (As well as consider their criticisms as nothing more than opinion).

 

[newfangle]

Uh, well, my only piece of advice is to follow what is true and not what you want to be true.

Open vs. closed-mindedness is irrelevent. The only real issue is whether a person accepts reality or not.

 

[PrincepsAmerica]

Your faith is trusting in what the evidence points to when your emotions are leaning you towards worrying in another direction. Faith isn't just believing something, as newfangle said, because you want it to be true. Lewis explains this pretty well in Mere Christianity. I suggest you read some by him to improve your understanding of your faith.

 

[tomsnowman123]

The only real issue is whether a person accepts reality or not.

What is real?

I'm sorry, you just set yourself up for it.

Even if people are stubborn about their beliefs, I don't care really, as long as they have something to base it on/back it up with. When people say "just because," it irks me.

 

[GenMarshall]

Even if people are stubborn about their beliefs, I don't care really, as long as they have something to base it on/back it up with. When people say "just because," it irks me.

Though the thing about stubborness is that it would lead to a person being so stubborn that it would turn off a whole lot of people because of their childish acts.

 

[tomsnowman123]

Though the thing about stubborness is that it would lead to a person being so stubborn that it would turn off a whole lot of people because of their childish acts.

Maybe, but again, if they have reasons that back it up, then I can say, OK, he\she has a right to be stubborn in their beliefs, they have some facts to them.

 

[newfangle]

What is real?

That which is not unreal, obviously.

In all seriousness, for the purposes of this discussion, let's assume real means the set of that which is perceivable. (please don't waste my time with "senses are fallable").

I'm sorry, you just set yourself up for it.

Touche! You got me! I don't know what exists. Thank piss you caught me in that superduper logical fallacy I was trapped it. Huzzah!

EDIT: Accepting what is real and knowing what is real are different things, anyways. Assume one knows what exists, and then proceed from there.

 

[Perfection]

Being open-minded comes from accepting your ignorance and faliability of belief.

 

[GenMarshall]

Being open-minded comes from accepting your ignorance and faliability of belief.

Well that I have already done. I have accepted my ignorance as well as capable of making mistakes and/or being wrong. Oftenly I thought being open-minded was more complex then that.

 

[Vinc]

You just have to not care if someone believes in something you don't believe in. It's their life, if it makes them happy, so be it. Their belief does not harm you in any way. As long as these people don't hurt anyone else, why should you care? I gather from your posts you're a religious person, I'm not, but if it makes you happy I'm not going to challenge your faith or something like that. In fact I would encourage you to keep living your life the way you want it. Life is short, you have to enjoy it as much as you can.

 

[Perfection]

Well that I have already done. I have accepted my ignorance as well as capable of making mistakes and/or being wrong. Oftenly I thought being open-minded was more complex then that.

Well ow can you be closed-minded if you see that you are flawed and that others could be right instead of you.

 

[GenMarshall]

Wellh ow can you be closed-minded if you see that you are flawed and that others could be right instead of you.

A couple of wacks towards the head would do.

 

[Perfection]

A couple of wacks towards the head would do.

You could self-adminster them.

 

[puglover]

Everyone's a seeker, CivGeneral. It never hurts to ask questions. That's the key to keeping an open mind.

As long as you search for what is true, you're only helping your beliefs. Try reading something by someone with much experience who shares your faith. (PA had a good idea with Mere Christianity)

 

[Archbob]

With you CivGeneral, is that you always, and I mean almost always seem to automatically assume some kind of Moral Highground when we discuss some morality issue. You'd do well to stop assuming moral highground and put yourself at the same level as the rest of us. You always use the argument of

"Its right because the Catholic Church says it is" or something along those lines. That will people think you are close-minded or ignorant.

 

[ComradeDavo]

Consider all things, think freely, explore the unknown, bring yourself into a vulnerable posistion and embrace it.

 

[Narz]

(please don't waste my time with "senses are fallable")

The senses ARE fallable.

Numerous experiments prove this.

If I set up an experiment just right and got you in the right mental state I could have you arguing a case that just wasn't true and you wouldn't even know it 'till you saw the video footage of yourself later and realized your mind had been subtlely manipulated to deceieve you.

Imagining your own perception is not biased is a joke at best.

 

[aneeshm]

The senses ARE fallable.

Numerous experiments prove this.

If I set up an experiment just right and got you in the right mental state I could have you arguing a case that just wasn't true and you wouldn't even know it 'till you saw the video footage of yourself later and realized your mind had been subtlely manipulated to deceieve you.

Imagining your own perception is not biased is a joke at best.

The senses can be decieved on occasion , but they are empirically trustworthy .

 

[Narz]

The eye sees what it brings to seeing.

 

[Evil Tyrant]

I am wondering how can a close-minded person who is deadset on everything and wont be receptive towards other people's ideas to being an open-minded person?

I oftenly face things as "youre closed" minded or exposing my ignorance as well as being an annoyance towards others because I dont want my shakey faith shaken. I dont want to alienate myself from others, just because I have a close mind.
I am willing to accept criticisms, even if its on my faith (As well as consider their criticisms as nothing more than opinion).

If someone is patently being a fool, like say spouting that Scientology drivel, I am not going to be open-minded with him. If what he is saying might be plausible, listen to him and think about it, if after this you believe he is right, act accordingly, if you think he is wrong, act accordingly. No human is right about everything, even the best of us make scores of mistakes and errors in our lives. Also know what you believe and stand up for it, don't change your beliefs just to prevent being called closed minded. Just because it is unpopular does not mean it is wrong. And just because it is popular, does not mean it is right.