In the first class for new seminary students, the distinguished theologian opened a large, beautiful Bible and read to the class from the first chapter of Genesis. He then tore the page from the Bible, wadded it up, and dropped it in a garbage can.
After the students expressed their horror and dismay at his sacrilege, the professor said, "Now that that's out of the way, let us speak of the Truth of who God is."
Seeking The Truth has never been easy, especially when, as did those seminary students, we encounter a truth that contradicts what we believe. I dare suggest that the majority of Truth-seekers give up before they have gone but a short way down the path:
Truth always seems to be very difficult to find; or, maybe to comprehend. Diogenes (the Cynic) of Sinope supposedly spent his life seeking an honest man (sic.) Diogenes walked through Athens in broad daylight carrying a lighted lamp, saying that he was looking for a man who was honest! An Honest Man! That’s something like seeking Truth in this high tech world where we are bombarded by so many “truths” that it is difficult to decide which is really The Truth.
After years of seeking Truth, I have come to decide that there is:
- My Truth, which may or may not be the same as your Truth
- Your Truth, which may or may not be the same as my Truth
- Others' Truth, which may or may not be the same as your Truth or my Truth
- The Truth (sometimes called God’s Truth) which may or may not be the same as your Truth, others' Truth, or my Truth.
For example, one of my Truths is that Capitalism is much closer to Fascism than Socialism is to Communism. I assume that few others in the United States concur with this Truth. But, to me, that’s OK; we each must discover Truth that is ours.
What is most important, I believe, is that I accept my Truth as mine and allow you to accept your Truth as yours and others' Truth as theirs while I continue to seek for God’s Truth.
My friend and I went to the World Fair of Religions. Not a trade fair. But the competition was fierce, the propaganda loud.
The hand-outs at the Jewish stall said that God was All-Compassionate and the Jews were his Chosen People. The Jews. No other people were as Chosen as they.
At the Muslim stall we learnt that God was All-Merciful and Mohammed his only Prophet. Salvation comes from listening to God’s Prophet.
The message at the Christian stall was:God is Love and there is no salvation outside the Church. Join the Church or risk damnation for ever.
On the what out I asked my friend what he thought of God. He replied, “He’s bigoted, fanatical, and cruel.
Back home, I said to God, “How do you put up with this sort of thing? Don’t you see they have been giving you a bad name for centuries?”
God said, “It wasn’t I who organized the Fair. In fact, I was too ashamed to be there.”
Hi Nick,
ReplyDeleteyet another thought provoking post.
To be honest, I don't do God, well not in a bible reading, going to church on Sunday, way of doing God.
That doesn't mean that I don't believe in God, just that my take on God is different to other peoples.
That is my truth, like you said totally different to yours, yet like you say, I would never for a moment say that your take on God was wrong and mine was right.
The thing is, that I believe despite my lack of reading the good book or attending church, it doesn't mean that I don't have an intimate relationship with God and that God doesn't know who I am or my intentions.
But hey, we're all different and yet we all seek the same, in that we want God to accept us for who we are.
Much love
Lia xx
Lia: Our relationship with God isn't so different. I don't attend worship in church either; not because I don't want to, but because I physically can't remain seated in a church pew for an hour or more. Also, I am open to all religious beliefs and have studied and continue to study many different rligions (and to some follow their practices).
ReplyDeleteI respect and applaud the turth you have found in your relationship to God. One of my other truths is that we are more likely to encounter God in our daily lives than in organized religion.
Good post. My truth is that religions tend to be too narrow for me. I've joined with an online group (no membership needed) called SBNR, which is Spiritual But Not Religious. What I see as your word God is too large to be summed up as anything except, perhaps, All.
ReplyDeleteI love this post.
ReplyDeleteAs you probably remember, my job requires me to evaluate the effectiveness of social service programs. Often, the data is reported to me by agencies in a way that is "the truth", but excluding some of the customers or given in averages rather than the individual scores, etc.
When I explain the problem to my bosses, they often say, "Just tell the agency that you want the truth!"
I always laugh and say, "I know we want the truth, but WHICH truth?"
Excellent, Saint Nick! Regarding the isms, your truth is also my truth.
ReplyDeleteA very interesting post. Have you ever read Pirandello, Nick?
ReplyDeleteSquirl: I agree. Some organized religions are very narrow. However, others (such as my own United Church of Christ) are so vast in their inclusiveness as to be thought of as having no dogma. I'm going to check out Spiritual But Not Religious; sounds like my cuppa tea!
ReplyDeleteEmerging From The Fire: You words are so true! "I know we want the truth, but WHICH truth?"
ReplyDeleteWelshcakes Limoncello: Luigi Pirandello, the novelist? I read something by him back in my university days, but all I remember is his name and that he won a Nobel prize.
ReplyDeleteJean Marc: Sorry, my friend. I posted a comment to you and when I look just now it had disappeared (or maybe never appeared). I'm glad we share the same truth about the isms! I believe we are in the minority hear in the U.S. and maybe in your land as well.
ReplyDeleteI think it's important that we question, non-stop, what we consider to be our "truth". Inquiring into them, it seems we go deeper and deeper.
ReplyDelete"What is most important, I believe, is that I accept my Truth as mine and allow you to accept your Truth as yours and others' Truth as theirs while I continue to seek for God’s Truth."
ReplyDeleteAnd what if someone else's truth is that they should rob you, and steal from you, and treat you unjustly in every way? What then?
God bless,
Ludovicus
Carol: Yes! I so agree.
ReplyDeleteOne of the people I most respect is Reinhold Niebuhr, I graduate of my seminary before the birth of my parents. In 1950 TIME magazine named him the "Foremost Theologian of the First Half of the Twentieth Century." Anyway, I studied his books and his life while I was at Eden Seminary. While in a class on Niebuhr someone pointed out that, for example, Niebuhr worth in 1922 such and such and in 1942 he wrote the exact opposite. The professor teaching the class simply said, "Niebuhr changed his mind."
Niebuhr changed his understand of Truth! More importantly, he was secure enough to admit that he had been wrong earlier in his life and had continued the search for truth which resulted in his accepting as Truth something different.
Have you ever noticed in, for example, Senate confirmation hearings, they often go back to what someone wrote or said 20 or 30 years previously? When the person says that she now doesn't believe that her previous view is true, there are many who don't accept that. I believe that to be absurd: being human, we can always change our minds; being seekers of Truth, we must change our minds.
After the students expressed their horror and dismay at his sacrilege, the professor said, "Now that that's out of the way, let us speak of the Truth of who God is."
ReplyDeleteWhatever point he was trying to dramatically make, that was sacrilege and a poor example to his students.
Ludovicus: That is an excellent question! For me, especially, since I have been stolen from and scammed by people throughout much of my life. My Truth in those circumstances has been akin to the chapter in Victor Hugo's novel, Les Miserables, that has been called The Bishop's Candlesticks. That Truth for me has meant forgiveness and even protection for those who steal and scam me.
ReplyDeleteIn the past couple of years I have modified that Truth a bit. I have come to recognize that the majority of those whom I have befriended and who have then stolen from me or scammed money or support from me, have been drug addicts. Since I have realized that truth, I have also come to terms with my actions having played a part in enabling their addictions. Therefore, I have modified that Truth as I understand it: I still offer forgiveness and unconditional love, but now I neither accept their behavior nor protect them from the consequences of their actions.
James Higham: The professor's (God help him: he was a Southern Baptist) point was that too many "Christians" worship The Book and ignore God.
ReplyDelete"Therefore, I have modified that Truth as I understand it: I still offer forgiveness and unconditional love, but now I neither accept their behavior nor protect them from the consequences of their actions."
ReplyDeleteSo we the truth which says we should kill one another is actually not truth, and not to be accepted?
God bless,
Ludovicus
Ludovicus: Another grand comment! Thank you, my new friend!
ReplyDeleteThe truth which says we should kill one another is actually not truth definitely is a truth with a small t. I know that is accepted a truth by some, perhaps many people. It was accepted by me as truth some 37 years ago when I was a United States Army officer.
Later I began evaluating that truth and realized that a higher Truth is "You shall not kill." Through the following years, as I have reflected and grow spiritually, I come to hold as Truth that I shall harm no Sentient being even if it mean sacirficing mny own life.
That is my Turth and I believe that it might even be God's Truth; however, I recognize that it is not everyone's truth.
Nice post, Nick! I had a friend, years ago, who was fired from a college in Nebraska for "stomping on the Bible." To illustrate the truth you point to, he had laid the Bible on the floor in front of his class and placed his foot on it. Lost his job...
ReplyDeleteGreat post Nick. You are right the truth is one's own.
ReplyDeleteI know what I believe and to me that is the truth. I also know that when I publish posts concerning my paranormal experiences, they often come across as untruthful and occasionally I have had comments which have appeared rather sarcistic. These I have to grin and bear. My faith is my faith. If it appears untruthful to others then so be it. To me it is the truth.
ReplyDeleteLove to you, Nick.
CJ xx
Peter-at-Large: Yep, I am sure someone could easily be fired for stomping on the Bible. There are anally fixated people in many executive positions. Years ago I had a friend who lost his social work position at a state mental hospital for hugging his mentally retarded (sic.) clients.
ReplyDeleteAkelamalu: Thank you. I think the danger comes when fundamentalists of all religions come to believe that their "truth" should be shared by everyone.
ReplyDeleteCrystal Jigsaw: I really don't think that your blog posts regarding your paranormal experiences come across as untruthful. Rather, those who negatively criticize your words judge them via their own sense of "truth" while discounting the truth that is yours.
ReplyDeleteThis is a marvelous post, Saintly Nick. Thank you. I have gotten so much out of your post and the comments.
ReplyDeleteAll of us have to arrive at our own truths. Sometimes we trip on the way. It's good to hold "God's truth" as the balance and seek it with all your heart.
ReplyDeleteI loved this post.
Cool post, Nick. I really like what you are saying.
ReplyDeleteThis is a fine post, sir. Your insights into Truth have given me pause to think. To think quite a bit. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteFiochra: Thank you, I truly appreciate your words.
ReplyDeleteMimi Lenox: I totally agree with you. Perhaps thr concepts of truth and balance is why the earliest Christians did not call themselves Christians but rather the followers of The Way, with The Way being a path of balance rather than of extremes.
ReplyDeleteANGUS VXII: Thank you.
ReplyDeleteDashing Dydley: Thank you, I appreciate your comment. I truly enjoy teaching and to receive feedback that one of my posts guided you in such a way I accept as a real compliment.
ReplyDelete