“Open minds, open heart.” These are words from the bible. I like to think that it is a quote meant to inspire us to keep our minds open even if we find others disagree. The truth is that having an open mind does not mean you will necessarily be right. Having an open mind does not mean you will agree with everything your peers believe either.
Open-mind openness
Other people’s views helps us learn new things. It keeps our minds open to different ideas. Open minds do not mean that we will always agree with others no matter what they believe but rather we will be open to learning from others perspectives no matter how different they may be. In this way open minds help us grow as individuals.
Open minds
Can also lead to positive change. As we are open-minded, we will be able to absorb new information. This new information helps us grow intellectually, spiritually and mentally. Being open-minded does not mean that we never challenge or disagree with someone else’s cognitive or emotional view of a particular situation or idea, but rather we will be able to see both points of view and be able to work with these new information constructively.
Some people are so afraid
Of change that they get angry when it happens. This is part of their fear. Some of us have been taught by our parents, schools, society or people in our lives to be afraid of change. And sometimes we become very closed-minded because we have been conditioned from an early age to be afraid of being uncomfortable or making a mistake.
People who have open minds don’t get upset when other people get upset. Open-mindedness encourages us to express our views. But we make sure that the opinions we express are ones that are informed and educated. We are willing to listen to other people’s ideas. And points of view even if we don’t totally agree with them. This doesn’t mean that we agree with everything our friends say. Or that everyone is necessarily right, just that we respect each person’s opinion. And position and don’t take ourselves too seriously while still thinking about the big picture. In other words, we open-mind think for ourselves first, before we express or defend our own.
Another important characteristic
Of open-mindedness is intellectual humility. Intellectual humility is believing without accepting that one has been wrong or limited in any way. In other words, intellectual humility involves awareness. That you hold certain beliefs or opinions that may be erroneous in the present time. But you believe in the overall structure of the world and cosmos. In the value of human life and in the power of spiritual or divine intuitive.
It is not always easy to maintain open-mindedness. If you are living in a culture that preaches incessant intellectual pride, this can become very difficult. In this type of living, your cognitive voice will strongly condemn any and all opinions. That differs from your own, even if they are ones that you previously thought were correct. For those who lack such a strong sense of what’s right and what’s wrong. The process of cognitive humility can be particularly difficult.
In conclusion
Open-mindedness, especially in a religious context. Requires that you open your mind to learning and expanding your current knowledge as you grow personally and spiritually. This does not mean you must be a creationist. It does not mean you have to believe in evolution. But it does mean that you have to be open to learning new ideas and new religions. The most powerful open-minded individuals are those who are willing to learn new things. To look at things from different perspectives, and to live with integrity. As they go through the process of learning and growing.
