THE OPEN MIND?

I found this definition of "Open Mindedness" on the Internet somewhere (I don't remember where...probably because my mind was so open that the URL came in one side and fell out the other).

Using it as my model, I have to admit to not being open minded, for I do not accept all perspectives as possibilities.

One of the tenants of the statement is: "One can choose her own beliefs while still maintaining an 'open mind,' as long a she is willing to accept that others' beliefs are equally as legitimate."

I cannot accept that premise.

That just means, "I think I'm right, but I might not be right, and there is about as much likelihood that I am wrong as that I am right and you might be righter than I am and I really don't know, even though I think I might know, knowing full well that I don't."

In other words, it is nothing more than psychobablistic gobbledygook.

Think not?

Well why don't you make me a list of the opinions you hold that you believe are wrong?

If you think they are wrong, why do you hold them?

If you think they are right, why would you equivocate them?

Are you open minded?

Do you think that those who hold that abortion is the killing of an un-born child might be right?

No? Then you are not open minded.

Do you think it is possible that truth might be absolute and that relativism might be wrong?

No? Then you are not open minded.

Do you think that the right wing of American politics might be correct and that the left wing might be wrong?

No? Then you are not open minded.

Do you think that it is possible that "the right to bear arms" in the Constitution might mean that the general citizenship should be allowed to own pistols, rifles shotguns and other forms of weaponry if they want to?

No? Then you are not open minded.

Do you think there is the possibility that President Barack Obama is now in his 42nd day of openly waging War on Achievement in this country?

No? Then you are not open minded.

In fact, if you are really open minded, you will have to admit that always being open minded is not all its cracked up to be.

For instance: I am totally closed minded about being hit by lightning.

I've never been hit by lightning and I never want to be hit by lightning.

Never mind that it is one of those things I've never tried and therefore should not knock.

Don't try to talk me out of it.

I am, and will forever remain, closed minded about being struck by lightning.

Even if you share with me a brand new idea, one that contradicts what I've thought all these years, I will not entertain it as a possibility.

Do you know why?

Because whatever idea you present, I give you a money-back guarantee that it is not new.

You may be so smug, elitist and stupid as to think it is a new idea, but it isn't.

The Bible says, "...be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;..." (That's Ephesians 4:14).

And I John 4:1 says, "believe not every spirit, but try the spirits..."

Those are not true because they're in the Bible. They are in the Bible because they are true.

By the way, are you open minded enough to accept the possibility that those teachings might very well be true?

See, I suspect that you leftists do not so much want me to be open minded, as to agree with you.

The evidence of that is that each time I disagree with you, you call me narrow minded.

How open minded is that?