Belief

I have been thinking a lot about belief as of late. A big reason for this is due to a very hostile person at work who likes to bring religion up, but turns into a pompous jerk who belittles others and demeans their beliefs. He claims he doesn't do this but it is quite clear to a returned missionary.
I haven't put my finger on it yet, but it seems that many people, no matter their belief system has quite an arrogant worldview. As if they had inside information that nobody else knew about. I myself am guilty of this of course since I belong to a restorationist church which believes they have restored what has been lost since Christ set up his church in the beginning. Yet, I am very cognizant of this fact and try to break myself of it constantly.
It is amazing to me though how hostile people can get and how unwilling people are to talk to each other rather than talking at each other and having the conversation just fly by and land nowhere. I also find it amazing how closed off a certain worldview or set of beliefs can be. How impossible it is to integrate a new idea into a worldview that is already established. How utterly ridiculous it is to be able to accept something for what it is, and not for what others say it is or how others view it.
I am sad really to be surrounded by such minds. Minds that have stopped expanding. Minds that are as stubborn as any. A favorite quote of mine touches on this very topic: "Be unafraid of new ideas for they are as steppingstones to progress. You will of course respect the opinions of others but be unafraid to dissent -- if you are informed...only error needs to fear freedom of expression" Hugh B. Brown.
It is quite easy to explain this quote from any worldview, as the last bit talks about error. One can assume that any view not espoused by them is in error. The key to the quote is progress and being unafraid to test new waters, new ideas. If they don't fit, they don't fit, but only you can decide that for yourself.
The arrogance and self-righteous stubborn stupidity I have to drudge through I am sure is familiar to all. Yet it is making me quite nauseous and weary. What happens to a mind to prompt such attitude? "Oh, well I have read so many books in the so many years on this planet, so I know everything." Or, "The books and education I obtained is clearly superior to yours so I am not going to listen to you as it is also clear you have nothing to contribute."

Another day, another rant. I seem to be quite full of whining as of late, ay?