Well, here goes number four. It's a subject I think about quite a bit, and one which I think is a relevant topic 24-7.
Truth.
It's a simple word, really. Or is it?
Truth.
What does it mean?
Is it just one absolute, difinitive thing - or is it subjective?
Is it my truth? Your truth? Someone else's truth? Universal truth?
Can something be true simply because we believe it to be - or does it have to be proven first?
What if we believe something to be true - but it is not - then what is it? And what if something is true, but has yet to be proven - does that mean it's not true? And in reverse, when something which was once believed to be true is later proven not to be - then, what was it? Was it ever really true?
I believe that truth stands alone, and on its own, in its entirety - whether or not we are aware of its validity - or even of its existence. Given this, everything else is either a misconception or a lie.
We human beings believe lots of lies. We believe them because we are too lazy to spend the time or energy necessary to find out whether or not they are true.
Why is that?
If someone approaches you and says something that sounds as if it might be true, do you blindly accept it? Believe it? Do you consider the source? Give the person the once-over and based upon appearance, decide whether or not the statement is true? Nice clothes, well-groomed - true. Sloppy - false?
How is that a valid basis for determining truth? Yet this is the precise reason that persons facing criminal charges are told to wear a suit to court. Even though how a person is dressed is absolutely no indication of whether or not the person is telling the truth.
We live in a society based on appearances and convenience. We base our opinions of others on what they look like; what type of clothing they wear, the type of car they drive, how big of a house they live in, how much money they have. We believe these are the things which make someone a valuable human being.
They are not.
So, if a well-dressed, nice-looking gentleman tells you that someone whom you have never met went out into a busy street the other day and started to dance - is it true? If you choose to believe it, does that make it true?
Before forming an opinion, would you choose to first ask the gentleman how he came upon the information? Would you ask if he himself had witnessed the supposed dance? And if he answered 'yes' - would that alone make it true?
What if he answered 'no' - would you then choose to ask the person in question if it were true? And how much would that person's appearance influence your thoughts? If that person 'looked the part' in your opinion, would you be more likely to blindly accept the statement as truth? And would that answer in itself indicate the truth?
Nope. Not always. If that person answered the question honestly, then - yes. If not - no.
People lie. And they do it often. They lie to protect themselves. They lie to protect others. They lie to hurt others. They lie out of fear. And sometimes people lie for no damn reason at all. Why do so many people choose to lie instead of just telling the truth??? Why is it so hard for people to be honest??? What are they so afraid of??? I haven't the foggiest. I cannot answer that question.
I believe that what is in fact true, in any form - is unaffected by both our knowledge and our perception of it. Yet we accept so much as truth simply because someone said it. We base so much of our assessment of such 'truths' on who said it - by appearance - and not on any sound investigation of the facts. And too often we allow those lies and misconceptions to masquerade as truth - at the expense of us all. But the truth - in itself - is there whether we see it, know it, believe it - or not.
I have strayed from taking science into this discourse, until now, that is - because 'science' has its own corner of truth.
Scientists, were once certain that the earth was flat. They were also certain that the earth was stationary, and at the center of our universe (among other things). Anyone who said it wasn't became the mark of laughter, was labeled a mad buffoon, and tried for heresy. But for centuries this misconception was believed and taught as truth. So - was it? After all, they believed it to be true.
Nope. Never was. Not even for one millisecond.
Gee, who would have thunk it? Just chop off ol' Galileo's head and be done with it. Better yet, force him to denounce Copernicus, recant his findings, place him under lifelong house arrest, and let the ol' misguided heretic keep his head.
Yet, the absolute, free-standing, unfathomable-in-their-eyes-earth-is-round-and-revolves-around-the-sun truth existed undisturbed and on its own - without their knowledge or acceptance - for centuries. And the misconception - except in its own ignorance - never did.
I expect that there are infinite truths in this world and in others of which we have no conscious knowledge.
Those infinite truths are there for the seeker to discover - and to believe the words of others before we have taken the time to evaluate their validity for ourselves - is a disservice to us all. And to establish that validity on the appearance of the messenger, or the subject - be it of science or spirit - is an even greater loss for the search, discovery, appreciation and conscious preservation of free-standing truth.
Truth. Such a simple word - yet too often we allow it to become twisted up with lies and misconceptions that have no place next to such an important and sacred part of our being.
And I guess that's all I have to say about that. For now, anyway.
Peace 2 u.
(c) 2020 Terry Alice. All Rights Reserved.