For those of you interested...I am sending your way my latest Opinion Piece that was published in the Kitsap Sun today...
One of the hidden blessings of this cancer journey has been the time to pursue my dream of writing.
Who knows...maybe there is a book or two in the hopper!
Watching this season of America’s Got Talent with my wife, one of the familiar advertisements we saw during the commercial breaks was the appearance of King 5 News reporter Angela Poe Russell repeating the news channel’s mantra “I Stand for Truth”.
Watching always made me wonder, “really”? Because a commitment to seeking the truth
does not seem to be a high priority in our highly partisan world where
supporting one’s party or one’s self-serving interests seem to take precedence
over a pursuit of truth.
Of course no one would actually admit to being partisan
instead of pursuing truth, but the evidence seems overwhelming. Democrats and Republicans line up according
to party affiliation when casting votes.
Progressives and conservatives uniformly tout agendas in line with
progressive or conservative thought.
Even the rule of law supposedly upheld by the Supreme Court is tainted
by whether a judge is liberal or conservative.
What ever happened to truth?
Do we have any politicians or preachers or teachers committed to the
pursuit and promulgation of truth or is everyone merely committed to parroting
their own particular party, denominational or philosophical line?
The logical response to the above questions is certainly
another question “What is truth?”. This is
the well-known question Pontius Pilate asked Jesus as recorded in the book of
John, chapter 18, verses 37-38, when Jesus had said to him “The reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the
truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me”. To which Pilate retorted, “What is truth?”.
The King 5 News mantra illustrates the very issue that I am
raising. Reporters boldly proclaim “I
stand for truth”. But, what is the truth
they are standing for? Did you notice
that they are not proclaiming “I stand for THE truth”? This would be offensive to listeners who in
our post-modern world reject the notion of objective truth claims, instead
finding it more palatable for everyone to decide for themselves what is truth. I’m guessing that even now some of my readers
are beginning to bristle over the thought that I would be arrogant enough to
claim that I know what is the truth!
I fear that the result of this fear of and rejection of
objective truth is what has led us to no longer really pursuing truth. After all, what is left to pursue and fight
for except our own opinions and party line if there is no such thing as THE truth?
Don’t worry; I am not writing here to preach at you (though I
do love to preach and I am personally committed to Jesus as THE truth) but
instead to challenge us, myself included, to really pursue truth and not merely
spout our personal opinions or follow the party line.
I am asking that each of us purposefully and mindfully pursue
THE truth or, if that is a little to intimidating, to purposefully and
mindfully pursue truth!
It will not be easy.
Politicians are expected to tow the party line. Parishioners are expected to follow the
denominational or non-denominational line.
And neither of the above is wrong IF those lines are being followed in a
mindful pursuit of the truth and not merely doing as someone else has dictated.
The beautiful thing about the above pursuit of truth is that
it will also force each of us to question the source of our pursuit. In other words, if we are to ask “What is
truth?” we must then decide where we find such truth, if that truth source is
reliable and why that is our source of truth.
We will become thinking people rather than herd mentality people!
When I was a teaching assistant in a World Religions class
many years ago at the University of Washington while working on a second
Master’s degree; I privately challenged the professor I was working with about
the accuracy of something he taught. His
reply stunned me. “It doesn’t matter. My intent is
not to teach correct information, but to destroy the faith of the students in
my class!” I’ve always wondered how
many of those students saw that professor as their source of truth?
Do you stand for truth?
What is the source of that truth?
I believe taking seriously these two questions will both build much
needed dialogue and reduce the deepening divide that is tearing our country
apart as we become more a people pursuing truth together rather than merely following
the party line.
Wow would I enjoy sitting down with you and talking about this... Dave, continue writing! You are inspiring to so many of us to think! I would almost say outside the box ,so to speak ,in todays world! I wonder if our society has forgotten how to think deeply about what would Jesus do with the screaming and yelling from every direction that they are speaking truth. Thank you Dave for your many insites.
ReplyDeleteA phrase Steve was taught in seminary was “truth is not as it is, but as we perceive it to be.” I have always found this to be unsettling as I believe there is an absolute truth. But age has also shown me that our perceptions alter our interpretation of truth as well. Until we have experienced circumstances that are similar, we perceive truth through different lenses. That being said, grace allows us to listen to different perceptions and to acknowledge that my idea of truth may never have considered your truth and allows me to see another side to the truth. My absolute truth comes from the Lord, my perceptions of truth comes from humanity. If Jesus could live in a world with both, then so can I.
ReplyDeleteLove you, Dave!
Ru Kelso
Nothing really good about cancer. But..., if it provides you with time to write like you have, I am grateful for what you've gone through. Only heaven will show all the people whose world your words shook up, people who chose to pursue truth, people who because they did that, met Jesus as Savior!
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