Absolute Truth part one
March 28th 2011 21:34
What a difficult concept to understand, much less explain to someone. Without an absolute truth there is nothing absolute. The very definition of absolute indicates that there are not ‘many’ but one. I had a discussion this week with a stranger on a social networking site and realized that if you do not share the same idea of absolute truth, then there is no way to have any meaningful conversation on anything. Every opinion we have, every action we take, every thought we think, every move we make is predicated by our understanding of ‘truth’.
If someone believes that there is no absolute truth, that cannot change the truth if there is one. Confused? Think of it this way, if water is made up of hydrogen and oxygen molecules, no matter whether I believe that or not, the composition of water will not change. We can call it a different name, we can use a different language, we can even add items to the water; but it will still be hydrogen and oxygen. That makes perfect sense, right? Right.
But with religion, we want to believe that ‘all paths lead to the same God’. We want to think that there may be only one God but somehow He is big enough to encompass competing, even contradicting, views of who He is. It is so ironic. We decide who we want our God to be and then assume that makes it real. Some even refer to it as ‘creating your own reality.’ The last person I knew who actually lived in a different reality, was a diagnosed Schizophrenic who believed he was Elvis. It did not make him Elvis. But, in his world, he was Elvis. That did not change reality. Reality, by definition, has to be real.
Definition of Reality: Reality is the state of things as they actually exist, rather than as they may appear or may be thought to be.[1] In its widest definition, reality includes everything that is and has been, whether or not it is observable or comprehensible (Wikipedia)
Definition of Truth: Truth has a variety of meanings, such as the state of being in accord with a particular fact or reality, or being in accord with the body of real things, real events or actualities. It can also mean having fidelity to an original or to a standard or ideal. In a common archaic usage it also meant constancy or sincerity in action or character. The direct opposite of truth is "falsehood", which can correspondingly take logical, factual or ethical meanings (Wikipedia)
So, how do we find out what is real truth, or in this case, absolute truth. Usually it falls to human interpretation and consensus. “tell a lie loud enough and long enough and people will believe it” is a phrase that has been used, reused, translated, retranslated, attributed to many but credit taken by no one. Hitler called it the ‘big lie’ in Mein Kampf. Joseph Goebbles used it in his writings. Many have used it to describe someone else. Few would take ownership of it.
In reality, we all use it. Santa Clause? Easter Bunny? Just about every kid I knew and nearly every person I have asked, doubted the existence of these two entities at one time or another but fell for the lie time and again. Why? Repetition by people of authority. Humans want to believe that ‘time will tell’. That something repeated for generations must be at least somewhat accurate. That no one could really get away with such a huge lie for so long and not only deceive so many people, but actually get them to go along with it, pass it on and keep it going.
As we age, we realize that this happens way too often. It is part of our being I guess. It is in every culture that I know of. I have heard my daughter, who studies other cultures and languages in college, mention such things. We often scoff at the traditions of other cultures, but never stop to realize how outlandish our own customs must look. Those who have enough vision, intelligence, interest, intellect, curiosity, etc are the ones who begin to see the ambiguity. It is then that many either begin to seek ‘absolute truth’ or decide that there is none. Some turn to science as the absolute. If water is hydrogen and oxygen, then that is absolute. It is dependable. If science cannot explain it, that does not mean it isn’t absolute. That just means that we have not found a proper way to evaluate it. If science 'disproves' something, it is discarded. But, esvery aspect of science goes through stages of revelation. Microscopes, Telescopes, Centrifuges, Particle Separators, Atoms, Strings….. the list is indefinite.
INDEFINITE.
Think of that for a moment. INDEFINITE
If science is continually changing, reinventing, redefining, rediscovering, re-explaining,and understanding anew; then it is not ABSOLUTE.
Absolute: free from imperfection, complete, pure (dictionary.com) Wikipedia doesn’t even attempt to define it.
Obviously, Science is not absolute truth.
If someone believes that there is no absolute truth, that cannot change the truth if there is one. Confused? Think of it this way, if water is made up of hydrogen and oxygen molecules, no matter whether I believe that or not, the composition of water will not change. We can call it a different name, we can use a different language, we can even add items to the water; but it will still be hydrogen and oxygen. That makes perfect sense, right? Right.
But with religion, we want to believe that ‘all paths lead to the same God’. We want to think that there may be only one God but somehow He is big enough to encompass competing, even contradicting, views of who He is. It is so ironic. We decide who we want our God to be and then assume that makes it real. Some even refer to it as ‘creating your own reality.’ The last person I knew who actually lived in a different reality, was a diagnosed Schizophrenic who believed he was Elvis. It did not make him Elvis. But, in his world, he was Elvis. That did not change reality. Reality, by definition, has to be real.
Definition of Reality: Reality is the state of things as they actually exist, rather than as they may appear or may be thought to be.[1] In its widest definition, reality includes everything that is and has been, whether or not it is observable or comprehensible (Wikipedia)
Definition of Truth: Truth has a variety of meanings, such as the state of being in accord with a particular fact or reality, or being in accord with the body of real things, real events or actualities. It can also mean having fidelity to an original or to a standard or ideal. In a common archaic usage it also meant constancy or sincerity in action or character. The direct opposite of truth is "falsehood", which can correspondingly take logical, factual or ethical meanings (Wikipedia)
So, how do we find out what is real truth, or in this case, absolute truth. Usually it falls to human interpretation and consensus. “tell a lie loud enough and long enough and people will believe it” is a phrase that has been used, reused, translated, retranslated, attributed to many but credit taken by no one. Hitler called it the ‘big lie’ in Mein Kampf. Joseph Goebbles used it in his writings. Many have used it to describe someone else. Few would take ownership of it.
In reality, we all use it. Santa Clause? Easter Bunny? Just about every kid I knew and nearly every person I have asked, doubted the existence of these two entities at one time or another but fell for the lie time and again. Why? Repetition by people of authority. Humans want to believe that ‘time will tell’. That something repeated for generations must be at least somewhat accurate. That no one could really get away with such a huge lie for so long and not only deceive so many people, but actually get them to go along with it, pass it on and keep it going.
As we age, we realize that this happens way too often. It is part of our being I guess. It is in every culture that I know of. I have heard my daughter, who studies other cultures and languages in college, mention such things. We often scoff at the traditions of other cultures, but never stop to realize how outlandish our own customs must look. Those who have enough vision, intelligence, interest, intellect, curiosity, etc are the ones who begin to see the ambiguity. It is then that many either begin to seek ‘absolute truth’ or decide that there is none. Some turn to science as the absolute. If water is hydrogen and oxygen, then that is absolute. It is dependable. If science cannot explain it, that does not mean it isn’t absolute. That just means that we have not found a proper way to evaluate it. If science 'disproves' something, it is discarded. But, esvery aspect of science goes through stages of revelation. Microscopes, Telescopes, Centrifuges, Particle Separators, Atoms, Strings….. the list is indefinite.
INDEFINITE.
Think of that for a moment. INDEFINITE
If science is continually changing, reinventing, redefining, rediscovering, re-explaining,and understanding anew; then it is not ABSOLUTE.
Absolute: free from imperfection, complete, pure (dictionary.com) Wikipedia doesn’t even attempt to define it.
Obviously, Science is not absolute truth.
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