by Doy Moyer<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/12\/Argue.gif\")
We’ve all heard it: we don’t accept a particular viewpoint so, therefore, we are closed-minded bigots trapped inside some blind faith and hope fostered by an ancient, cultish superstition. Those who make such charges are, of course, open-minded, loving, tolerant, compassionate people who are willing to accept others for who they are and what they believe. Except those who disagree with them.<\/p>\n
Surely one who thinks things through can see the irony in this. The viewpoint isn’t even subtle: open-mindedness is to be equated with a progressive, morally-liberated mindset. If you don’t accept their way of thinking, you are closed-minded. They won’t even entertain the idea that you have much of a cogent thought, and it’s okay for the open-minded, liberated, progressive thinkers to insult, call names, use vulgarities, and show obvious contempt and hatred for those who are more conservative than they are. Those stupid conservatives are the closed-minded ones, remember?<\/p>\n
If open-mindedness is such a virtue, as is claimed by these self-proclaimed free-thinkers, then why are they so intolerant toward those who disagree with them? This just highlights the fact that the version of open-mindedness and tolerance they advocate is a lie. It’s a sham, and it’s geared more toward trying to shut up the opposition rather than actually demonstrating true open-mindedness and tolerance. No truly open-minded person would condemn others for believing in God and holding to a strong code of morality fostered by standards higher than themselves. Even if these liberated ones don’t agree, they should still defend, with the same passion as they defend others, the more conservative person’s right to believe, practice, and teach their views without demonstrating such malicious hatred. Their vehement opposition to those more conservative betrays their claim to open-minded tolerance.<\/p>\n
Why is it more virtuous to show open-mindedness and tolerance toward one group of people (say, homosexuals) than it is another (say, Christians)? Is it because one group disagrees with the other? Then both must be wrong and intolerant. Is it because one group expresses their views? Then both are condemned. Is it because one believes certain things are right and other things are wrong? Then, again, both stand under the same judgment. If open-mindedness, for the sake of its own virtue, is so great, then it shouldn’t matter what anyone believes or practices at all.<\/p>\n
Why is it more appropriate to condemn Christians than it is to condemn those of another lifestyle? If we choose the morally-liberated, free-thinking path, and in the process turn around and condemn, judge, and vilify those more conservative, then we have bought into a lie and are no better than what we think we are opposing. Why is it better to be compassionate toward one group but not the other? Why is it morally acceptable to bash Christians while claiming the high ground of open-mindedness? The answers to these questions will likely not be forthcoming, especially from those who have essentially trashed any universal standards. They are open-minded only because they say they are. In reality? Not so much.<\/p>\n
The fact is that everyone has drawn a line in the sand. I respect that. What I don’t respect is the denial of a line, then the insulting intolerance of those who claim to be so compassionate. It doesn’t work. And the sad part is, they just don’t see it.<\/p>\n
To those who disagree with me, I would say this: Be honest. If you hate Christians, then you are free to say so. I respect your free will and free speech. As a Christian, I’m even willing to take abuse for the cause of Christ. But don’t turn around with some nonsense of being tolerant and bigot-free. That game is tiresome and demonstrates a lack of reason. The true motive, therefore, cannot be open-mindedness and tolerance, the very things you refuse to demonstrate toward those who disagree with you.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
by Doy Moyer We’ve all heard it: we don’t accept a particular viewpoint so, therefore, we are closed-minded bigots trapped inside some blind faith and hope fostered by an ancient, cultish superstition. Those who make such charges are, of course, open-minded, loving, tolerant, compassionate people who are willing to accept others for who they are…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[27],"tags":[255],"class_list":["post-57460","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-tolerance"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":58419,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/on-being-noble-minded\/","url_meta":{"origin":57460,"position":0},"title":"On Being Noble-Minded","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 24, 2004","format":false,"excerpt":"by Roger M. Hendricks via\u00a0The Graphic Evangelist, Vol. 21, No. 8, April 19, 1981. It is affirmed of the Jews in Berea that they \"were more noble minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the Word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scripture daily, whether those\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":58162,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/more-fair-minded\/","url_meta":{"origin":57460,"position":1},"title":"More Fair-Minded","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 20, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"by Bryan Matthew Dockens \"Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":44900,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/are-you-open-minded\/","url_meta":{"origin":57460,"position":2},"title":"Are You Open Minded?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 22, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jonathan Perz Spreading the Gospel","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":39938,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/progressive-christians\/","url_meta":{"origin":57460,"position":3},"title":"Progressive Christians","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 25, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Source: Trevin Wax, \"3 Surprises from New Research on 'Progressive' and 'Conservative' Christians,\"\u00a0The Gospel Coalition, 9 November 2021. \"In defining conservative and progressive Christians, the authors use theological rather than political criteria. Individuals who believe the Bible is the inerrant Word of God and say Jesus is the only path\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Issues"","block_context":{"text":"Issues","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/issues\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":44604,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/truth-or-free-thinking\/","url_meta":{"origin":57460,"position":4},"title":"Truth Or Free-thinking","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 7, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"by Terry W. Benton To the modern man, it seems wrong to believe that you can actually \"know the truth\", and therefore be in a position to \"answer\" the false religious claims of others. While an open mind is indeed a good quality, that open-minded nature ought to eventually settle\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/open-mind-300x300.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":55184,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-bias-toward-evolution\/","url_meta":{"origin":57460,"position":5},"title":"The Bias Toward Evolution","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 12, 2005","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton An article appeared in the January 14, 2005, edition of the Omaha World-Herald announcing that a judge in Georgia has ordered the removal of a sticker from a school's biology textbooks. The sticker reads: \"This textbook contains material on evolution. Evolution is a theory, not a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57460","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=57460"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57460\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=57460"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=57460"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=57460"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}