Truth

First, I want to apologize publicly to the person who posted a comment on "It Has Only Just Begun". I referenced this comment in the next posting, "A Christian Vote - Nah, Let's Move On". Disagreeing with the comment, my intention was to address the "issue" and not the person. This blog seeks an intellectual dialogue of the issues. If I insulted the person, then I am sorry. This blog is a search for the truth, not a platform for insults.

The other day in Sunday School Class we had a very interesting discussion (as we usually do, I really enjoy hearing the comments of those who attend). We were talking about the concept of "truth". Some think that truth is relative. Some think it absolute. Which is it?

By definition, truth cannot be relative; otherwise, it is perspective, it is opinion. Truth exists independently. What I believe, what others believe does not affect the existence of truth. It does not change. We all could find it. We all could miss it. It doesn't matter, it's still there.

"Well your truth is not the same as my truth, " is what is often heard. Red flag. It cannot be yours, it cannot be mine.

This happens in perspectives of God all the time. Things are said like, "If God is a loving God, He wouldn't really send people to hell." People argue.

"Your a sinner!"

"You're intolerant!"

It doesn't matter what we think. One of the debaters may be right. They both may be wrong. Our thoughts do not determine who God is. He is.

This last election cycle has frustrated me to no end. Some may think it is because my candidate didn't win. I didn't have a candidate. I voted today, not so that someone would win, as an American, I had to make a choice. I chose who I thought would do the least harm.

What has frustrated me to no end has been the abandonment of the truth. I have seen and heard people bend and twist themselves into some of the most amazing intellectual pretzels in order to defend a candidate, a party. Emotional attachments have acted as huge obstacles hiding what has been plainly true.

Emotion. It has lit the fire underneath some of the most horrific historical events. Unbridled emotion has seen men flying airplanes into buildings. It has seen cult leaders whip followers into frenzies that have ended in mass suicides. It was unbalanced emotion that saw an entire country follow a mad man and slaughter six million Jews.

Emotion is not bad. God gave it to us. Emotion without intellect; however, makes the search for truth all the more difficult. Remember, truth exists independently, and it is not affected by feelings. It is feelings that often prevent the discovery of truth.

Why? Feelings are uncontrollable, unpredictable, inconsistent. Truth, however, remains the same. Sometimes, "the truth hurts." Sometimes, the truth is hard. Sometimes the truth conflicts with how we want things to be.

Is this babble? Maybe. But if we let our feelings comprehensively replace reasonable thought, sooner or later we will end up in the wrong place at the wrong time asking, "how did I get here?"

Did the 17 terrorist that brought down the World Trade Center really conduct a selfless and intellectual analysis of their plans? Can rational and logical thought conclude that flying planes into buildings and killing thousands of unsuspecting business people was a necessary act?

Imagine the millions of realizations that had to take place throughout the land as "normal" German citizens took the time to actually consider the logic of what Hitler had been saying. What have we done?

How many times can you think back on a time where you made a bad decision? How many times was it because you let emotion cloud your mind from making the right decision? It will be time for bed before I could even make a dent in my list.

Emotions are unpredictable, uncontrollable. They are what make us human. Without them, the world would be a boring, dry place. Truth is stable. Trying to find it with emotions is like trying to drive with one's hands and steer with one's feet.

Why do I ramble on? This is why. We have become a society that feels, that wants, that wishes. If it "sounds" good, if it "feels" good, then it must be true. The solutions to some problems are painful. The answers to some questions may not be what we wanted. The right thing to do rarely seems to be the easy thing to do.

Be emotional. Celebrate Barack Obama's win!!! Mourn John McCain's loss!!!

When all is said, when all is done, let's seek truth. It may not be what we want to hear. It may not be what we want to feel. It is what is right.