What's truth got to do, got to do with it?
I was doing some reading in my sociology book today, and it started talking about how, because there are many different social structures, there are many different “truths”.
I started thinking about how many of those truths contradict each other, and it made me wonder: how can it be a “truth” if it’s contradicted by another “truth” that is also true?
For example, the Christian faith believes that there is a God, that He is the One True God, the Creator of the universe, and that He sent His son to die for our sins (should we accept the free gift of salvation He offers), and three days later He was resurrected and ascended into Heaven where we will one day join Him. That is a truth. However, atheists believe there is no God at all, and that when we die we’ll just be in the dirt. That is also a truth.
So, which is true: “There is a God.” or “There is no god.”?
Another example: The Mayans and Aztecs believed the only way to appease their gods was through live human sacrifices, which they would perform en mass. In fact, so many people would be sacrificed that their blood would pour from the temples as if it were a river. That is a truth. However, most societies today believe that to kill a person for any reason (other than execution) is murder, and should be punished.
So, which is true: “Murder is acceptable” or “Murder is wrong”?
Another example: The Muslim faith (if taught in its true, pure form) teaches that all people should be Islamic, and anyone who is not or refuses to convert must be killed (if you don’t believe me, get yourself a copy of the Quaran and read it yourself). Non-Islamic peoples are referred to as ‘infidels’ and are often times targeted with violence. However, “the world” believes in “religious freedom”, and accepts that different people believe different things.
So, which is true: “Islam is the only way” or “All religions are the same”?
Which leads to: All different religions claim a different way to get to Heaven (or Nirvana or the Afterlife). Most claim you have to earn your salvation, while Christianity believes the only way is through the gift of eternal life given by Jesus Christ, and it is only by accepting this gift and giving your life over to Him and repenting of your sins that you will be saved.
So, which is true: “We can earn our salvation” or “We are imperfect and can only be saved by the grace of Christ”?
Should we even believe in truth at all, if all “truths” are truth? Can we logically have laws that say things are right or wrong if it means somebody somewhere might have their ideas of “truth” inhibited? I argue we cannot. Either there is only one truth-one right, one wrong-or there is no truth at all. You cannot have no absolutes without the absolute that there is no absolute.
And that, my friends, is the truth.
I started thinking about how many of those truths contradict each other, and it made me wonder: how can it be a “truth” if it’s contradicted by another “truth” that is also true?
For example, the Christian faith believes that there is a God, that He is the One True God, the Creator of the universe, and that He sent His son to die for our sins (should we accept the free gift of salvation He offers), and three days later He was resurrected and ascended into Heaven where we will one day join Him. That is a truth. However, atheists believe there is no God at all, and that when we die we’ll just be in the dirt. That is also a truth.
So, which is true: “There is a God.” or “There is no god.”?
Another example: The Mayans and Aztecs believed the only way to appease their gods was through live human sacrifices, which they would perform en mass. In fact, so many people would be sacrificed that their blood would pour from the temples as if it were a river. That is a truth. However, most societies today believe that to kill a person for any reason (other than execution) is murder, and should be punished.
So, which is true: “Murder is acceptable” or “Murder is wrong”?
Another example: The Muslim faith (if taught in its true, pure form) teaches that all people should be Islamic, and anyone who is not or refuses to convert must be killed (if you don’t believe me, get yourself a copy of the Quaran and read it yourself). Non-Islamic peoples are referred to as ‘infidels’ and are often times targeted with violence. However, “the world” believes in “religious freedom”, and accepts that different people believe different things.
So, which is true: “Islam is the only way” or “All religions are the same”?
Which leads to: All different religions claim a different way to get to Heaven (or Nirvana or the Afterlife). Most claim you have to earn your salvation, while Christianity believes the only way is through the gift of eternal life given by Jesus Christ, and it is only by accepting this gift and giving your life over to Him and repenting of your sins that you will be saved.
So, which is true: “We can earn our salvation” or “We are imperfect and can only be saved by the grace of Christ”?
Should we even believe in truth at all, if all “truths” are truth? Can we logically have laws that say things are right or wrong if it means somebody somewhere might have their ideas of “truth” inhibited? I argue we cannot. Either there is only one truth-one right, one wrong-or there is no truth at all. You cannot have no absolutes without the absolute that there is no absolute.
And that, my friends, is the truth.