'Open Minded' redefined by the devout??? [incomplete thoughts]

 I am a self-critical freethinker, I doubt myself and our world, our culture and the swaying branches of humanity.  What I do not do is claim this makes me superior, nor indeed should anyone think because they try to be critical and seek after truth with a rational outlook that they are.  We are open to new ideas and willing to accept change.  We are not made greater or super human by this, we need not beg the ego.  It seems that any New Agers or self-made neo-pagan may talk in terms that we find somewhat familiar, they sketch in the reason into their faith, they use terms such as 'rational' and 'logical' from time to time.  The whole vale of this is to pose the idea that a belief held to be true via faith is true and should be accepted as rational because it is argued with some fair tact and serious sounding language.  If this is so then the green grosser of word salad is master above academic and doubter alike.  This is not so.  To say you have science because you have one study is in error, to ignore data that doesn't fit your beliefs is more than a fools blunder, and to claim that you are open minded as you preach is a joke of epic proportions.

The simple truth is that I am very open minded, and this is because I care what's true.   I am very concerned that to a great many people to be 'open minded' is to be a blind devotee.   It is considered perfectly normal in everyday society to not see the differences between questioning and showing aggression towards an idea, the pondering person may be unsure or have better data.  And, all too often, the question falls on deaf ears and it is seen as being closed minded.  This is considered normal with many people, if you ask a hard question to those who are insistent that they are open minded then what chance do you have in expressing another opinion.  It seems that the devout have the open minds while we who have no set belief, nothing set in stone, we are the closed minded, the negative Nancy or doubting Thomas. 

So, what might we find if we follow this train of thought, where may these tracks lead us if we consider the open minded one is the devout one?  It could lead far beyond the moderate beliefs that are common in the spiritual movement.  If we turn the spiritual gurus logic back upon him will we find the most open minded people join ISIS or knock door to door giving out the Watch Tower magazine?  At any guess, I doubt the logic that the believing psychic or healers are open to honest discussion, and much of my attempt pan this out.  What can be said is that in comparison, as far as beliefs and intellectual freedom, the average spiritual person is far more liberated than an extremist.  Although this is not the factor in question. 

We need to ask simply what is meant by having 'an open mind', to be 'open minded' is said to be open to the truth by many, open to the argument by others, yet others say accepting.  And people wonder why a famous quote says we should have an open mind, but not so open out brain falls out of our head.  Too many spiritual people acceptance is the fundamental point, so maybe they risk losing their minds. 

What is true to you may vary, the facts do matter, not that the big picture is always clear, and we should accept facts and sound theories while being flexible enough to accept new data.  In my opinion, being open minded is more than being swayed by any argument that you consider to be comforting.  Perhaps that's why new age and relating ideas do so well, you get a great deal for every little effort, and people to enjoy a bargain.  If I am told of a thing that is said to be true and I trust the person telling me and I like the idea you can imagine how easy it would be to accept it.  Much like alternative medicine, an accepting person gets results because they take onboard the idea, and the reality need not exist as long as the psychological benefits yield fruit.  This is the road of self-deception, it seems good and kind of works, thus I take to it as if glued to the belief and hold it as practically or literally holy.  The illusion that comes for free is that what you trust in is correct and no accept this is open-minded. 

[not completed]