Psalm 5:4-6 (NIV)
For you are not a God who is pleased with wickedness;
with you, evil people are not welcome.
The arrogant cannot stand
in your presence.
You hate all who do wrong;
you destroy those who tell lies.
The bloodthirsty and deceitful
you, Lord, detest.
I have often been perplexed by the concept of a "closed mind." Typically the closed mind is denounced in a derogatory fashion and roundly condemned. Yet it is obvious that a closed mind can be beneficial. For example, I think that genocide is bad and I have a closed mind about it. Likewise I think murder and stealing are wrong as well as callousness and cruelty. I have a very closed mind about these things. I also have a closed mind about political systems. I think the most amenable form of government for humans is democracy rather than plutocracy or despotism. I have a closed mind about liberty, human rights, and respect. Certainly one of the great responsibilities in spreading knowledge is to develop closed minds regarding many fundamentals. It can be said that wisdom arises from foundational and absolute views regarding value essentials. Even our survival depends upon development of closed minds; and if I am asked to die for a cause, I would hope that I have a closed mind about the importance of what I'm dying for.
So we come to the inevitable conclusion that a closed mind often derives from humility rather than arrogance. It takes arrogance to pronounce oneself tolerant of all things. To be thus tolerant is to spit upon selfless martyrs and patriots that have died paving the way for us. In the end we must respect kindness and be closed minded about human treachery--however complacently and fashionably dressed.
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