Born Again Atheists are such a joy to behold; such militants birth excuses for every close-minded agenda disguised as an attribute of teaching but is indeed proof of not being teachable. The courage of our convictions is FINE (Friggin Insecure Neurotic Emotional) if that's what one needs to feel good enough about oneself, but the courage to QUESTION one's convictions, whatever they may be, is the great source of freedom. One can learn from ANYONE, regardless if they are 100% mistaken about anything or everything.
Open your heart, and your mind will follow. 'Who pays any attention to the syntax of things' (thank you, ee cummings) will never wholly love others. In a chess tournament, the best players respect the moves on the board and don't distinguish from whence they derive.
The good is the enemy of the best. “Judge a man by his questions rather than by his answers.” Voltaire
When I was a teenager, I had a person who was in possession of an IQ of under 60 say something shockingly profound. It almost seemed like a genius spirit inhabited his consciousness for about three-seconds, spoke, and then stared at me waiting for a response. I was speechless but in possession of an experience that never left me. I from that day listened to everyone, no matter what. If Satan Himself dropped out of a UFO and said something I believed, I would run with it, regardless of the source.
Another two experiences helped me toward open-mindedness, AKA, Objectivity. 1) In my early 20's, I had a Mentor who was a certified genius (MENSA). He was my chess teacher, boxing trainer, martial artist instructor, and life coach. I was 100% convinced of a particular truth, and in a moment, this Mentor proved I was 100% wrong about it. 2) The very next day, he disproved another idea I relied upon 100% and thereby helped me to suspend my beliefs in the exercise called 'consideration.'
Lastly, I heard a college professor talking about Nietzsche, and how his mind questioned everything. I've had other items help free me not to have a box to think outside of, but sufficient unto the day is the reasoning thereof.
Occasionally, an Agnostic Bigot burns a metaphorical question mark on my lawn, but I'm not their problem, and they aren't my problem. "There's no such thing as reality; there’s only perception," said Dr. Phil on the Oprah Show.
I'm in charge of what I say, while others are in charge of what they hear. Like the Buddha said, when the student is ready, the teacher appears.
The lead singer of Metallica summed it up nicely: "Boredom comes from a boring mind."
Take what you like and leave the rest. Alas, "human survival and well being is ultimately a collective responsibility." Taha Aljamrah