The Folly of an Open Mind

[vrblackwell]

Originally Posted by stmatthew

I heard many moons ago a Bro Couch preach a message titled "Negotiables, and Non-Negotiables".

There are biblical area's that God allows us room to be "open-minded" in. But there are area's that there is no place for negotiating. ANYTHING foundational in Gods word is not open for negotiation. Paul lists those things in his letter to the Hebrew saints.

Having an open mind is not negotiating. It is looking at facts and then making an informed decision.

The reason there is such a thing as kool-aid drinkers is because people do not examine facts. To examine facts, one must have an open mind.

[vrblackwell]

Originally Posted by stmatthew

would there be a beneficial need to open ones mind to false doctrine??

How would one know that it was false until one was open to hear the arguments given.

Once the arguments are given, then one would examine the facts and make a decision.

[RandyWayne]

Most peoples world view is based on the town, family, and church they grew up in. Is "truth" then whatever you were taught during the formative years of your life?

Open mindness is being able to think outside of the box and realize that there is a whole world out there. It really is the crux of so many of todays issues in the church. What it truth? Is it what the church has taught during the last 80-100 years or what the bible says? Hopefully one is based on the other but culture still makes a large part of it.

[stmatthew]

Originally Posted by vrblackwell

How would one know that it was false until one was open to hear the arguments given.

Once the arguments are given, then one would examine the facts and make a decision.

Does one have to "hear" arguments on the rightness of homosexuality in order to determine that it is a false way?

Honestly, if we spent much time studying what the book DOES say, we would have no problem knowing what it DOESN"T say. I do not have to hear a discourse on the baptism using titles to know that it is false doctrine. Because I know what the Word DOES say.

[Nahum]

Originally Posted by stmatthew

Does one have to "hear" arguments on the rightness of homosexuality in order to determine that it is a false way?

Honestly, if we spent much time studying what the book DOES say, we would have no problem knowing what it DOESN"T say. I do not have to hear a discourse on the baptism using titles to know that it is false doctrine. Because I know what the Word DOES say.

The surest way to catch counterfeits is to carefully study the original.

[SDG]

Originally Posted by aliveinhim

Thats because you have a closed mind.

PP is just conflicted ... this week he's a close-minded UltraCon ... next week he'll be a flaming liberal.

[mizpeh]

Originally Posted by stmatthew

Does one have to "hear" arguments on the rightness of homosexuality in order to determine that it is a false way?

Honestly, if we spent much time studying what the book DOES say, we would have no problem knowing what it DOESN"T say. I do not have to hear a discourse on the baptism using titles to know that it is false doctrine. Because I know what the Word DOES say.

Something good has come out of the uncertain time I had months back, I'm firmly rooted in Oneness now. I have no doubt, I know of a surety that I have the truth. I know who God is. Discussing the scriptures with Trinitarians has made me look more closely at what I believe. In some ways that is a good thing.

[Nahum]

Originally Posted by Daniel Alicea

PP is just conflicted ... this week he's a close-minded UltraCon ... next week he'll be a flaming liberal.

Yep, that's me.

I'm not nearly as stable as you are.

But I still love you.

[freeatlast]

whoa......... I just got here..trying to spead read 18 pages.

For the record let me just say I'm agin it !!

Are we having fun yet??

[vrblackwell]

Originally Posted by stmatthew

Does one have to "hear" arguments on the rightness of homosexuality in order to determine that it is a false way?

Honestly, if we spent much time studying what the book DOES say, we would have no problem knowing what it DOESN"T say. I do not have to hear a discourse on the baptism using titles to know that it is false doctrine. Because I know what the Word DOES say.

I think there is a misconception here of what it means to be closed minded.

The first time an individual hears about homosexuality, he must be open to hear it in order to kn it is. Once he has heard what it is, and he examines the facts, then he knows that it is wrong. At that point his mind should be closed to hearing arguments about it being right. To do so would begin the stage of entertaining the idea of it being right.

However, his mind had to be open to hear new things before he ever knew that it was wrong.