The Closed Mind
Why does it close, and how does it open?Each of us knows at least one person whom we would say has a closed mind. Bias, bigotry, misogyny, xenophobia, and homophobia are all examples of closed- mindedness. When ones mind is made up, there is no changing it. But there are other forms of closed-mindednessfor example, religious fundamentalism (regardless of the particular religion) is also a form of closed-mindedness. Fundamentally, what closed-mindedness does is shut out the possibility of original thinking.
The closed-minded person is not allowed to question her own beliefs. Such questioning allows a person to center on her own authentic self and to come to terms withnot what she has been taught to believebut what she actually believes. Belief is very, very important, for it is upon belief that we formulate our lives. It is on belief that we build the foundations of our lives.
Original thought is a thought or belief that comes from the center of our essential being. Many, many of our thoughts originate externally. Someone has told us how to think, and so we just think that way without ever questioning the validity of such thoughts or beliefs. Original thinking generates ideas that hold water, not because they are right so much as because they are real. Original thinking allows us to fly free from the constraints of our own bias, see through it to creative, problem-solving beliefs
On the other hand, it is fear that generally keeps the mind closed. Often the fear is based on the idea that one must be right in order to be OK. It is not safe to be wrong. Therefore, once an idea is grasped, one must hold on to it, for fear that to question it might prove one wrong and thus unsafe.
Unfortunately, closed-minded people can take positions of power over othersthus training others to likewise have closed minds. Parents who have closed minds often train their children to believe as they believeand will even go so far as to outright reject a child who does not agree with their beliefs. There are many LGBTQ adolescents who are homeless right now, because they challenged the beliefs of closed-minded parents. What was hoped, in these cases, by the parents, was that their closed-mindedness would create an equal set of closed minds in their children. When it doesnt work that way, the parents are outraged and simply get rid of the whole problem by kicking their children out of their homes.
There are many who operate out of a closed mind as a coping mechanism for a deep-seated fear that they cannot even access, because to explore their own minds might be too frightening. The open-minded person is willing to explore his own mind and even find that hes been wrong about something and self-correct. The closed-minded person is unwilling to do this. Being wrong is simply not safe. Being right at all times about all that matters is the way to feel safe. Even if one must resort to illusion or delusion in order to hold on to the belief that one is right and thereby safe, the closed-minded person may do so.
For this reason, trying to talk the closed-minded person out of a closed mind is not likely to succeed. Arguing, trying to prove your points, these are methods that are likely to fail. Rather, facilitating a safe zone for this person, in which safety is the primary interactive tool, might mean that the closed-minded person will ever so slowly begin to explore his own mind. When, for example, a white person biased against their darker-skinned brothers and sisters meets and begins to formulate a safe relationship with a darker-skinned person, he may begin to open some.
The problem is that because safety is the biggest issue here, this bias will generally not allow such a comradeship to occur. Therefore, we must continue to facilitate the openness of society necessary to allow for such engagements interactions necessary to the living experience of working, buying, and generally intermingling with the world must continue to occur. We must not allow for the shutting down of these opportunities to engage. If we go backward in time, by shutting out certain marginalized individuals from the capacity to interact with othersincluding the closed-mindedwe simply increase the possibility for more closed-mindedness.
The Closed Mind (faggot propaganda posted by Gatlin)
| Source: | Psychology Today |
| Published: | Jul 6, 2019 |
| Author: | Andrea Mathews LPC, NCC |
| Post Date: | 2020-04-21 17:25:23 by Gatlin |
| Views: | 6087 |
#1: Deckard To: Gatlin (#0)
Deckard posted on 2020-04-21 17:27:42 Reply Private Reply
#2: Gatlin To: Deckard (#1)
Gatlin posted on 2020-04-21 17:41:16 Reply Private Reply
#3: Vicomte13 To: Gatlin (#0)
Vicomte13 posted on 2020-04-21 19:20:34 Reply Private Reply
#4: WWG1WWA To: Gatlin (#0)
Sorry, Mr.Mathews, but you are missing the entire adventure of revelation. It's the only book you can read and read, yet still find something new based on where you are in your life at that time. It is full of wonders to ponder.
WWG1WWA posted on 2020-04-21 22:17:44 Reply Private Reply
#5: watchman To: WWG1WWA (#4)
This is what it means to me to be a fundamentalist...
Edit: The fundamental question remains...does one wish to be LGBTQ, or does one wish to see God? How do these two desires even compare?
watchman posted on 2020-04-21 22:44:36 Reply Private Reply
#6: A K A Stone To: Gatlin (#2)
Gatlin is posting some faggot propaganda.
Is Gatlin showing us he is a faggot like his good buddy Yukon did?
Gatlin says if you are not a faggot you are a homophobe and if you don't believe that you are ignoring the truth.
Your wife must have died and you have come out of the closet.
A K A Stone posted on 2020-04-22 00:00:51 Reply Private Reply
#7: WWG1WWA To: watchman (#5)
I did wonder if you are his nephew. If so, I had the privilege of dining in your home. :) God bless.
WWG1WWA posted on 2020-04-22 00:33:36 Reply Private Reply
#8: Gatlin To: A K S tone, And Other Christians Who Do Not Follow The Word of God (#0)
Gatlin posted on 2020-04-22 02:26:29 Reply Private Reply
#9: Gatlin To: A K A Stone, (#6)
Stone, Your Reading Assignment:
Is Homophobia Associated With Homosexual Arousal?
Gatlin posted on 2020-04-22 02:48:21 Reply Private Reply
#10: A Pole To: Gatlin (#9)
Might be true. People see sins that that have themselves or are tempted into, easier.
Dishonest see thieves around, lechers see fornication, violent see murderers and abusers, etc ... Basic moral psychology.
A Pole posted on 2020-04-22 03:20:57 Reply Private Reply
#11: Gatlin To: A Pole (#10)
Gatlin posted on 2020-04-22 04:46:55 Reply Private Reply
#12: watchman To: WWG1WWA (#7)
When I considered using the name 'watchman' I thought the same thing...would others think I was trying to be Watchman Nee. It certainly was not my intent.
You might recall having read this...Nee wasn't actually a watchman, and didn't consider himself one. He wrote about this in one of his many letters. He just couldn't understand why people were calling him a watchman. It's rather difficult to describe Nee's ministry in Biblical terms. He was a teacher, but so much more.
In the gospel of Mark, Christ "commanded the porter (baggage handler) to watch". In other words, the dumbest guy in the room was to be the watchman. Alas, that's me!
My usual disclaimer: I don't agree with everything Nee wrote, but he did have some profound insight into the Bible. Yes he did.
Now, you have to explain this, if you would be so kind...
watchman posted on 2020-04-22 06:46:36 Reply Private Reply
#13: A K A Stone To: Gatlin (#9)
Gatlin posting more faggot propaganda. It appears he is done changing his wifes bed pan and is now out of the closet. Gatlin says that Jesus was a faggot. Gatlin should repent.
Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
A K A Stone posted on 2020-04-22 08:00:26 Reply Private Reply
#14: A K A Stone To: Gatlin poster of faggot propagad (#8)
You posted faggot propaganda. It is your name stupido.
A K A Stone posted on 2020-04-22 08:12:03 Reply Private Reply
#15: A K A Stone To: Gatlin poster of faggot propagad (#11)
A K A Stone posted on 2020-04-22 08:16:58 Reply Private Reply
#16: Stoner To: A K A Stone (#15)
I just wish he would go away, and quit crapping up this site. It was such an enjoyable site to visit & participate on !!
That all changed when Gatlin crawled out of the sewer and came on here, being a troll, and a huge nuisance !!!!
Stoner posted on 2020-04-22 09:02:53 Reply Private Reply
#17: WWG1WWA To: watchman (#12)
WWG1WWA posted on 2020-04-22 10:01:24 Reply Private Reply
#18: watchman To: WWG1WWA (#17)
The 23rd Psalm comes to mind...
May the Lord prepare a table before you in the presence of those enemies.
Sleep soundly,
watchman
watchman posted on 2020-04-22 13:00:21 Reply Private Reply
#19: misterwhite To: Gatlin (#0)
I'm against those closed-minded people who refuse to recognize my religious beliefs and practices; those who will not allow the majority of us to set standards, morals and behaviors by which we all live; those who wish to set themselves above us by passing laws protecting them but not the rest of us; and those who set quotas based on everything BUT qualifications.
Those closed-minded people need to go.
misterwhite posted on 2020-04-22 13:59:54 Reply Private Reply
#20: goldilucky To: A K A Stone (#6)
goldilucky posted on 2020-04-23 00:31:18 Reply Private Reply
#21: Deckard To: misterwhite (#19)
Deckard posted on 2020-04-23 03:12:14 Reply Private Reply