This type of slogan is a slick repackaging of the "ignorant Christians" or "ignorant Fundamentalists" stereotype. Stereotypes are a form of a fallacious ad hominem argument - denigrating one’s opponent instead of addressing their ideas. As with any stereotype, the "ignorant Christians" stereotype is also dishonest, as many Christians are very well educated. In what follows, I will supply working definitions of the terms "closed mind" and "open mind". I will also suggest a third term as an alternative to the extreme opposites which the slogan presses on its readers.

A person with a closed mind holds to an idea or set of ideas without regard for evidence. They may even have arrived at their ideas without substantial supporting evidence. Consequently, when presented with what appears to be evidence contradicting their idea(s), they dismiss and ignore it.

A person with an open mind about some topic hasn’t reached any conclusions about it, but is open to considering the evidences favoring or disfavoring the various views on it. The greater their interest in a topic, the more they seek information about it, but they don’t merely gather the information. Their interest motivates them to evaluate what they learn and work toward reaching a conclusion, even a commitment to act on what they have come to believe is true. A person who gathers information about an idea without any concern for the information’s truth or for using it to arrive at some kind of conclusion isn’t open-minded. Such a person is an information packrat, afraid of decisions and the commitments for which decisions call.

The alternative I want to introduce to this discussion is the kind of person I alluded to above, a person who has made an informed decision. Such a person has, formally or informally, gathered information about an idea, evaluated it, and decided what they believe is true. Usually they have acted on their decision - making commitments, altering their actions and lifestyle. Making an informed decision does not mean closing one’s mind. Often, a person who has made such a decision is an open-minded person who made their decision based on the information they gathered. A person who has made an informed decision welcomes further information to confirm, broaden, adjust, or even to reverse their decision as necessary. They are willing, even eager, to learn more. This also means that information that seems to contradict their decision will be given serious consideration. If that information is accurate, systemic, and truly contradictory, it becomes part of a new decision process leading to the reversal of the previous decision.

Given these working definitions, are Christians’ minds closed? Underlying most stereotypes - twisted, exaggerated, universalized - is some basis in fact. Undoubtedly, among the hundreds of millions of Christians in the world there are some who haven’t thought through their Christianity and have closed their minds to learning more about it - effectively isolating themselves from the world they profess to want to reach with Christianity (and from many of their fellow Christians). A great many Christians are not that way. They are open to learning more about their faith, including challenges to it. This has been true throughout the history of Christianity, from the discussions and debates recorded in the New Testament book of Acts (e.g. Acts 15, the council at Jerusalem) through the many Apologetics ministries and resources available today. Thus, I believe the Christian mind set is one of decision - "persuaded" (Hebrews 11:13) and "giving reasons" (1 Peter 3:15) - not closed-mindedness.

As stated at the beginning of this article, the "ignorant Christians" image is a stereotype, and an ad hominem argument. It is also a window into the mind of the person(s) advancing the fallacious, dishonest argument. Whether due to laziness or malice, it is the critic who attacks Christians personally, instead of addressing their ideas, whose mind is closed.