The Folly of an Open Mind

[JaneEyre]

Originally Posted by Pastor Poster

Well that's just fine and dandy but how open-minded are you?

Would you read Steven King? Watch Harry Potter? Accept Trinitarianism as a viable alternative to Oneness theology? Further, how do you know what the facts are?

Open-mindedness has no limits. A truly open-minded person must accept the idea that either all is truth or there is no truth.

Open mindedness to the things of God is not the same as open mindedness to the things of "the world"....I think after the lines are drawn between "the Church" and the "the World" that there are still other lines that may be drawn between what we see within "The Church"...This is when I believe God allows us some individuality to use our mind within the constraints of what is in His Word.

[Nahum]

Originally Posted by Daniel Alicea

Questioning is doubting ... sir .... at it's core.

Which would you rather hear ....???

Option A

Sir ... we've looked at all the medical exams and you are going to die within 6 weeks. There is no hope.

or

Option B

Sir ... we've looked at all the medical exams and it doesn't look good ... but there is a slight chance you can survive this ...

I'll take option B ... doubt ... means there's still hope ...
.

Oh I don't know about that.

I can question God's motives and direction without questioning His divinity or ability.

[SDG]

Originally Posted by Pastor Poster

Oh I don't know about that.

I can question God's motives and direction without questioning His divinity or ability.

See Thomas ....

Had to see to believe.

Seems to me John the Baptist was questioning his divinity, also.

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by Pastor Poster

Well that's just fine and dandy but how open-minded are you?

Would you read Steven King? Watch Harry Potter? Accept Trinitarianism as a viable alternative to Oneness theology? Further, how do you know what the facts are?

Open-mindedness has no limits. A truly open-minded person must accept the idea that either all is truth or there is no truth.

PP Truth is Truth. If you are not open minded then you lack a love for truth. Why wouldn't God want us open to the truth? Being open to the truth is OPEN MINDEDNESS.

Why should I watch or read those things? They are fiction. That has nothing to do with open mindedness. You are totally misusing the term.

If you read what I said you would NEVER have made this post. Open mindedness is not accepting everything. It's being OPEN to examining what evidence or proofs they HAVE. In other words someone without an open mind NEVER would have looked at you evidence that the Oneness is true and Trinity is not.

An open minded person would objectively look at what a Trinitarian has to say and see if it is true or not. You are saying being open minded is accepting the Trinity without proof and you are wrong. That is not what being Open minded means.

Then you say of all things "how do you know what the facts are?"???? You look AT the facts. You don't accept something as true. You take an objective logical intelligent look AT the facts and the evidences...this is kinda funny for you to ask since you implied initially that someone that is open minded would accept something without proof. Facts form the basis of proving things.

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by Daniel Alicea

See Thomas ....

Had to see to believe.

He was open minded. He was willing to believe something after examining the facts. A close minded person would not even look at the facts or would just deny them. Thanks Dan for the example

[SDG]

Originally Posted by Praxeas

He was open minded. He was willing to believe something after examining the facts. A close minded person would not even look at the facts or would just deny them. Thanks Dan for the example

Bingo.

[Praxeas]

BTW Questioning is not necessarily doubting. It really depends on the kinds of questions and how or why. The Bereans were ready to test everything Paul said and rather than chide them for doubt he commended them

[Nahum]

"We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ," II Corinthians 10:5

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by Daniel Alicea

See John the Baptist.

2Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples,
3And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?



Doubt is not the absence of faith ... it is a crossroads to unbelief or deeper faith.

The key is bringing our doubt to Jesus.

I agree. We ALL have a measure of faith, yet we also always wrestle with different levels or forms of doubt

[SDG]

Originally Posted by Praxeas

BTW Questioning is not necessarily doubting. It really depends on the kinds of questions and how or why. The Bereans were ready to test everything Paul said and rather than chide them for doubt he commended them

I would agree that there are questions for clarification ... for better understanding ... But John the Baptist's question is wrought w/ doubt.

Are you ... or should we ???

In the beginning of his ministry ... he declared Behold the Lamb. Now he's not too sure.