The Hindrance of Narrow-Mindedness

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It takes boldness to follow God instead of the crowd. Being excessively concerned about what others think leads only to torment. Once that happens it's easy to become narrow-minded and to exclude the thoughts of others.

Although all of us enjoy being well thought of, it is not possible to be liked by everyone all the time. In God's economy, we usually have to be willing to lose something we have in order to gain what we really want in life, and that means we have to stop comparing ourselves to other people's standards and start living for God.

People who are real friends will help you be all God wants you to be. They won't judge you for following God's call. Real friends will encourage you to make God number one in your life. Even if everyone else walks away from you, He promises to never leave you or forsake you.

Life gets too complicated, confusing and frustrating when we try to please both God and people. You don't have to compare yourself to anyone and worry what people think about you. Live life for God and be free to be who He made you to be.

Dogma is important; it does make a difference what we believe. The key to being dogmatic without being abrasive is, first of all, to carefully choose which dogmas are worth debating and which ones are not, and, second, to always speak the truth in love Ephesians 4:15
 
Interesting OP, but it goes both ways. Once our minds are open to open-mindedness, all ideas, no matter how absurd, can come and go as they please. I think this is the big new challenge that theologians and church leaders have yet to face. We have to become consciously aware of what are called "religious pluralists.”

The issues are many, the arguments complex, and the responses varied. It would be hard, though, to overstate the practical significance of this topic. This is the mantra of religious pluralists: Liberate your mind, lose your faith, and feel the love.

Here's a free online book on Religious diversity

 
Dogma was an interesting movie, from the 2000s. However dogma, is just an opinion. Of course everyone has opinions and therefore there are differences discussed, etc. Dogma, by scripture cutting, and pen slicing out complete whole sections, leaves only a 'half dogma.' Half opinions, are not worth as much as full opinion. That is why I hate, the apologetic movements. It's only "half dogma" and not "full" which is what can leave you full, when one eats the flesh, and drink the blood of Christ (dying with christ, being buried with Christ, and being raised again in Christ, by the holy spirit of Yahweh) a choice given to each and every believer, and unbeliever to partake in.

Gotta be careful, when it comes down to ones salvation or deliverance, cause you could revert back to, being unraised with Christ by the holy spirit of Yahweh, and taking ones self out of the equation of dying to self, and following after him, and his ways which lead to spiritual life, which is built up over time, until the pass over from this plane of existence to where Yahweh is.
 
It takes boldness to follow God instead of the crowd. Being excessively concerned about what others think leads only to torment. Once that happens it's easy to become narrow-minded and to exclude the thoughts of others.

Although all of us enjoy being well thought of, it is not possible to be liked by everyone all the time. In God's economy, we usually have to be willing to lose something we have in order to gain what we really want in life, and that means we have to stop comparing ourselves to other people's standards and start living for God.

People who are real friends will help you be all God wants you to be. They won't judge you for following God's call. Real friends will encourage you to make God number one in your life. Even if everyone else walks away from you, He promises to never leave you or forsake you.

Life gets too complicated, confusing and frustrating when we try to please both God and people. You don't have to compare yourself to anyone and worry what people think about you. Live life for God and be free to be who He made you to be.

Dogma is important; it does make a difference what we believe. The key to being dogmatic without being abrasive is, first of all, to carefully choose which dogmas are worth debating and which ones are not, and, second, to always speak the truth in love Ephesians 4:15
Well said.
 
Interesting OP, but it goes both ways. Once our minds are open to open-mindedness, all ideas, no matter how absurd, can come and go as they please. I think this is the big new challenge that theologians and church leaders have yet to face. We have to become consciously aware of what are called "religious pluralists.”

The issues are many, the arguments complex, and the responses varied. It would be hard, though, to overstate the practical significance of this topic. This is the mantra of religious pluralists: Liberate your mind, lose your faith, and feel the love.

Here's a free online book on Religious diversity

Thank you for sharing the book.
 
Can you list your : "dogma's that are not worth debating"?

And if they are not "worth debating", then should they be allowed to be fought over, on the Forum?
We shouldn't be allowed to fight over anything on the forum. We're here to discuss Christianity. And when we do that we should always speak the truth in love Ephesians 4:15

The medicine needed for a cure of narrow mindedness is Jesus Christ. Here are the symptoms:

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.… For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 2 Tim. 3:1–5; 4:3–4
 
We shouldn't be allowed to fight over anything on the forum. We're here to discuss Christianity. And when we do that we should always speak the truth in love Ephesians 4:15

The medicine needed for a cure of narrow mindedness is Jesus Christ. Here are the symptoms:

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.… For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 2 Tim. 3:1–5; 4:3–4
Scriptures to add--

2Ti 3:5 (KJV) Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

a form
*Is 29:13 The Lord said, “Because this people draws near with their mouth and honors me with their lips, but they have removed their heart far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment of men which has been taught;

*Eze 33:30-32 [30] “As for you, son of man, the children of your people talk about you by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak to one another, everyone to his brother, saying, ‘Please come and hear what the word is that comes out from Yahweh.’ [31] They come to you as the people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear your words, but don’t do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goes after their gain. [32] Behold, you are to them as a very lovely song of one who has a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument; for they hear your words, but they don’t do them.

*Mt 23:27-28 [27] “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitened tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but inwardly are full of dead men’s bones and of all uncleanness. [28] Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

*Ro 2:20-24 [20] a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of babies, having in the law the form of knowledge and of the truth. [21] You therefore who teach another, don’t you teach yourself? You who preach that a man shouldn’t steal, do you steal? [22] You who say a man shouldn’t commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? [23] You who glory in the law, do you dishonor God by disobeying the law? [24] For “the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,” just as it is written.

Is 48:1-2 [1] “Hear this, house of Jacob, you who are called by the name of Israel, and have come out of the waters of Judah. You swear by Yahweh’s name, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, nor in righteousness— [2] for they call themselves citizens of the holy city, and rely on the God of Israel; Yahweh of Armies is his name.

Is 58:1-3 [1] “Cry aloud! Don’t spare! Lift up your voice like a trumpet! Declare to my people their disobedience, and to the house of Jacob their sins. [2] Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways. As a nation that did righteousness, and didn’t forsake the ordinance of their God, they ask of me righteous judgments. They delight to draw near to God. [3] ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and you don’t see? Why have we afflicted our soul, and you don’t notice?’ “Behold, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, and oppress all your laborers.

Mt 7:15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves.

1Ti 5:8 But if anyone doesn’t provide for his own, and especially his own household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

Tt 1:16 They profess that they know God, but by their deeds they deny him, being abominable, disobedient, and unfit for any good work.

from
2Ti 2:16 But shun empty chatter, for it will go further in ungodliness,

2Ti 2:23 But refuse foolish and ignorant questionings, knowing that they generate strife.

Ro 16:17-18 [17] Now I beg you, brothers, look out for those who are causing the divisions and occasions of stumbling, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and turn away from them. [18] For those who are such don’t serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the innocent.

Eph 4:14 that we may no longer be children, tossed back and forth and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error;

2Th 3:6 Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw yourselves from every brother who walks in rebellion and not after the tradition which they received from us.

2Th 3:14 If any man doesn’t obey our word in this letter, note that man and have no company with him, to the end that he may be ashamed.

1Ti 6:5 constant friction of people of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. Withdraw yourself from such.

Tt 3:10 Avoid a factious man after a first and second warning,

2Jn 1:10-12 [10] If anyone comes to you and doesn’t bring this teaching, don’t receive him into your house, and don’t welcome him, [11] for he who welcomes him participates in his evil deeds. [12] Having many things to write to you, I don’t want to do so with paper and ink, but I hope to come to you and to speak face to face, that our joy may be made full.


Shalom.
 
We shouldn't be allowed to fight over anything on the forum.

Yes, of course.
But, we both know that people come to forums to argue.
They leave and go to sleep, and wake the next day, come back to the forum, and take up where they left off.

And...If you would name a few of your "not worth it Dogmas", then that would be enlightening.


Truly, the only way to stop the FIRES, is to remove their favorite fire-starter., and the issue with that, is if you take away all the redundant topics that are always being argued, then all the members go to another forum to argue them there.

That how it works, and that is just very sad.


Its always the same firestarters.

OSAS
Trinity
Mary/Catholic
Can't lose your salvation... vs.... can lose it
Calvinism

A few others, and maybe they are on your list.
 
Yes, of course.
But, we both know that people come to forums to argue.
They leave and go to sleep, and wake the next day, come back to the forum, and take up where they left off.

And...If you would name a few of your "not worth it Dogmas", then that would be enlightening.


Truly, the only way to stop the FIRES, is to remove their favorite fire-starter., and the issue with that, is if you take away all the redundant topics that are always being argued, then all the members go to another forum to argue them there.

That how it works, and that is just very sad.


Its always the same firestarters.

OSAS
Trinity
Mary/Catholic
Can't lose your salvation... vs.... can lose it
Calvinism

A few others, and maybe they are on your list.
I hear what you're saying and you're right it is sad. I think the only way to change it is to make make an effort to respond to each other differently. I know it sounds impossible but the bible does say.

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" comes from Philippians 4:13 This verse is often cited to express the belief in the power of faith in Jesus Christ to provide strength and enable believers to overcome challenges and achieve their goals.
 
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" comes from Philippians 4:13

Ive dealt with Hyper-Calvinist's for many years.

The first one i ever tried to reach was in California.. His name is Jay Underwood.

He is the Lead Actor in a '80's Hollywood movie that i just love.....Its title is..."The Boy Who Could Fly".

So, Jay is a "Tulip-Head".....total immersion mentally, into John Calvin's bottomless pit of lies.

He, Jay, was the first Hyper-Calvinist i ever tried to help, and i found out that with these deceived people, its quite a chore.

But, nothing is impossible with God, and ive helped some find their way out of Calvin's Tulip Created mental stronghold that has them mind blinded.

Its always worth trying......not only to try to help someone...but,... the thing about coming out of deep deception, Like J. Calvinism puts on you.. is that once you SEE THE LIGHT regarding His Lies, you are an angry human being, who realizes that this Devil, took many years of your Christianity and turned it into being a Heretic.
Calvin turns you into a die hard promoter of CALVINISM, and you think you are "teaching bible" "teaching Truth".

And when people come out of that deceived MIND......they are ON FIRE to make it right, and they become very evangelistic regarding exposing this Devil.
 
It takes boldness to follow God instead of the crowd. Being excessively concerned about what others think leads only to torment. Once that happens it's easy to become narrow-minded and to exclude the thoughts of others.

Although all of us enjoy being well thought of, it is not possible to be liked by everyone all the time. In God's economy, we usually have to be willing to lose something we have in order to gain what we really want in life, and that means we have to stop comparing ourselves to other people's standards and start living for God.

People who are real friends will help you be all God wants you to be. They won't judge you for following God's call. Real friends will encourage you to make God number one in your life. Even if everyone else walks away from you, He promises to never leave you or forsake you.

Life gets too complicated, confusing and frustrating when we try to please both God and people. You don't have to compare yourself to anyone and worry what people think about you. Live life for God and be free to be who He made you to be.

Dogma is important; it does make a difference what we believe. The key to being dogmatic without being abrasive is, first of all, to carefully choose which dogmas are worth debating and which ones are not, and, second, to always speak the truth in love Ephesians 4:15
What is dogma?
noun, plural dog·mas or (Rare) dog·ma·ta [dawg-muh-tuh]. /ˈdɔg mə tə/.
an official system of principles or tenets concerning faith, morals, behavior, etc., as of a church.
a specific tenet or doctrine authoritatively laid down, as by a church:
the dogma of the Assumption;
the recently defined dogma of papal infallibility.
prescribed doctrine proclaimed as unquestionably true by a particular group:
the difficulty of resisting political dogma.
a settled or established opinion, belief, or principle:
the classic dogma of objectivity in scientific observation.


I was educated in college as a mathematician and physicist.

We learned pretty early on that being lax about the precepts and principles of math and physics made for a lot of errors in our homework and exams.

Once we got bad grades back, we realized that we did so because we were acting lazily in our study and work.

Through this process I have come to learn that in following Jesus, I can indeed be lazy. Take it easy, not be so "dogmatic" in my application of God’s Word to my life...
Over the years, as I've read, learned and sought to better understand...
I've found that "dogmatism" is just another form of laziness.

Peter tells us in his second letter,


2Pe 1:2-11 WEB 2 Grace to you and peace be multiplied in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 seeing that his divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and virtue, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and exceedingly great promises; that through these you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world by lust. 5 Yes, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence; and in moral excellence, knowledge; 6 and in knowledge, self-control; and in self-control, perseverance; and in perseverance, godliness; 7 and in godliness, brotherly affection; and in brotherly affection, love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, they make you to not be idle or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these things is blind, seeing only what is near, having forgotten the cleansing from his old sins. 10 Therefore, brothers, be more diligent to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never stumble. 11 For thus you will be richly supplied with the entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.


thus, there's a serious distinction between being dogmatic and being a dogmatist.

being dogmatic is being diligent...
as part of what Jesus says is to love our enemies, bless those who curse, and pray for those who treat us badly...

Being dogmatic is to learn to love, bless, and pray.

Being a dogmatist/ism....
Stops short.

Peter says if we're diligent in our lives, we will experience success as a follower of Jesus and will enjoy a parade upon entering eternity...

So... get dogma.. be diligent to learn, and apply.

Dogma is the written precepts and principles of scripture. The more knowledge of God and Jesus we acquire, the greater our experience of Grace and Peace we'll enjoy.


Anyone actually NOT want to experience as much Grace and Shalom as possible?

Be dogmatic! But don't be a dogmatist/ism.
To be dogmatic is to follow through with full diligence.
 
Scriptures to add--

2Ti 3:5 (KJV) Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

a form
*Is 29:13 The Lord said, “Because this people draws near with their mouth and honors me with their lips, but they have removed their heart far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment of men which has been taught;

*Eze 33:30-32 [30] “As for you, son of man, the children of your people talk about you by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak to one another, everyone to his brother, saying, ‘Please come and hear what the word is that comes out from Yahweh.’ [31] They come to you as the people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear your words, but don’t do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goes after their gain. [32] Behold, you are to them as a very lovely song of one who has a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument; for they hear your words, but they don’t do them.

*Mt 23:27-28 [27] “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitened tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but inwardly are full of dead men’s bones and of all uncleanness. [28] Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

*Ro 2:20-24 [20] a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of babies, having in the law the form of knowledge and of the truth. [21] You therefore who teach another, don’t you teach yourself? You who preach that a man shouldn’t steal, do you steal? [22] You who say a man shouldn’t commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? [23] You who glory in the law, do you dishonor God by disobeying the law? [24] For “the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,” just as it is written.

Is 48:1-2 [1] “Hear this, house of Jacob, you who are called by the name of Israel, and have come out of the waters of Judah. You swear by Yahweh’s name, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, nor in righteousness— [2] for they call themselves citizens of the holy city, and rely on the God of Israel; Yahweh of Armies is his name.

Is 58:1-3 [1] “Cry aloud! Don’t spare! Lift up your voice like a trumpet! Declare to my people their disobedience, and to the house of Jacob their sins. [2] Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways. As a nation that did righteousness, and didn’t forsake the ordinance of their God, they ask of me righteous judgments. They delight to draw near to God. [3] ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and you don’t see? Why have we afflicted our soul, and you don’t notice?’ “Behold, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, and oppress all your laborers.

Mt 7:15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves.

1Ti 5:8 But if anyone doesn’t provide for his own, and especially his own household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

Tt 1:16 They profess that they know God, but by their deeds they deny him, being abominable, disobedient, and unfit for any good work.

from
2Ti 2:16 But shun empty chatter, for it will go further in ungodliness,

2Ti 2:23 But refuse foolish and ignorant questionings, knowing that they generate strife.

Ro 16:17-18 [17] Now I beg you, brothers, look out for those who are causing the divisions and occasions of stumbling, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and turn away from them. [18] For those who are such don’t serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the innocent.

Eph 4:14 that we may no longer be children, tossed back and forth and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error;

2Th 3:6 Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw yourselves from every brother who walks in rebellion and not after the tradition which they received from us.

2Th 3:14 If any man doesn’t obey our word in this letter, note that man and have no company with him, to the end that he may be ashamed.

1Ti 6:5 constant friction of people of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. Withdraw yourself from such.

Tt 3:10 Avoid a factious man after a first and second warning,

2Jn 1:10-12 [10] If anyone comes to you and doesn’t bring this teaching, don’t receive him into your house, and don’t welcome him, [11] for he who welcomes him participates in his evil deeds. [12] Having many things to write to you, I don’t want to do so with paper and ink, but I hope to come to you and to speak face to face, that our joy may be made full.


Shalom.
good verses
 
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