BoldGrace

Open or Closed?

I have been following my friend JP and his blog for quite some time and I find him to be very interesting.  He has followed many paths in search for truth and I think he is very genuine in keeping an open mind.  That brings me to the subject of this post: 

Just because you arrive at a certain place of faith, does that mean you have closed your mind? 

In answering that question I think one has to examine just how certain they are about their position on faith?  If one is absolutely certain without any doubts then I would call that a closed mind.  In fact I would say they owe it to their conviction to try and convert as many as possible to their faith.  This is often the stand that organized religion takes with their followers even to the point of making them feel unfaithful if they doubt. 

On the other hand I have come to a place in my faith where I have never felt more comfortable.  It is a place where I fully recognize that trying to prove my faith to absolute certainty is not only foolish but destructive.  Our creator gave each and every one of us a brain with a heart of emotions.  He did not give us certainty.  In fact, I don’t think he ever intended for us to even agree on faith.  If that was his plan then all would have to admit that he failed terribly.  I also think the atheist can not show with any certainty that my faith in a living God is not true, and if he thinks he can he also has a closed mind.

The bottom line for me is that an open mind is one that has learned to be OK with not having the answers and recognizes that even the answers they have could be wrong.  Living with an open mind does not mean you won’t have conviction or faith, it simply means you won’t count out your brother down the street who does not have the same conviction or faith. 

Where do I think most religious people fall?  Unfortunately most I have known have closed minds.  Where do I think most atheists fall?  Unfortunately the same is true for them. 

For our world to heal the greatest need is for the human race to wake up from closed minds and open themselves up to each other.  We all have so much to offer one another.  I refuse to join any group that excludes even one of my fellow travellers on this earth.  Oneness is our reality and division is our delusion.  The medicine that will heal us of our delusions is an OPEN MIND. 

I welcome others thoughts on this and even solutions to how we can overcome a divided world and live as ONE human race.  

Please watch the following video.  It’s time we strive to see our ONENESS.