“I don’t care about truth. I always trust my feelings instead” said a woman being interviewed by a news reporter. It’s also become common for interviewers to say, “so please tell the audience your truth”. Really? When did truth become subjective? And so it goes with millions of people who “feel” their way through life and never study what a rational concept of truth actually is. Fortunately, there are some people who are smart enough to realize that feelings are fickle and always changing and they have actually investigated what truth is and what it means.
For example, Buddhists have the Three Universal Truths: 1. Everything is impermanent and changing 2. Impermanence leads to suffering, making life imperfect 3. The self is not personal and unchanging. Buddhists also claim the ultimate truth is that there are no distinctive things or beings. To say there are no distinctive things or beings is not to say that nothing exists; it is saying that there are no distinctions. The absolute is the dharmakaya, the unity of all things and beings, unmanifested. And many have heard of the Four Noble Truths aka “the truths of the Noble Ones”. They are: 1. Dukkha (suffering, incapable of satisfying, painful) is an innate characteristic of existence in the realm of samsara, 2. Samudaya (origin, arising) of this dukkha, which arises or “comes together” with tanha (craving, desire, attachement), 3. Nirodha (cessation, ending) of this dukkha can be attained by the renouncement or letting go of this taṇhā, 4. Magga (path, Noble Eightfold Path) is the path leading to renouncement of tanha and cessation of dukkha.
According to Hindus, “Truth has a great significance in Hinduism, as an aspect of Brahman, a characteristic of existence, the support of creation, a quality of gods, moral virtue, philosophical concept, spiritual practice, instruction, and the personification of Dharma (Law) and Rta (Order). Truth is divinity itself. Brahman is Truth personified. Devotees worship Lord Vishnu as Satyanarayana, the Lord of Truth. Shiva is pure (shivam), free from the impurities (malas) of egoism, attachments, and delusion. Hence, he is a Truth Being and eternally pure (Sada Shiva). Brahma’s creative power arises from the purity of his consciousness, chastity and austerity. Hence, the Prasna Upanishad (1.15) declares that Truth is established in Brahma, besides austerity and chastity.”
Atheists and agnostics pride themselves as being “all about science” and “free from faith and religion”. Yet former president of the American Atheists Association, David Silverman, is on record saying that he can’t know anything for certain and that he could be wrong about everything. This is a denial of knowledge. Mr. Silverman said “I could wake up in the Matrix tomorrow, okay, the Matrix could be true, I can’t prove it’s not”. Really? A worldview without knowledge? The shocking hypocrisy is that these atheists who deny knowledge continue to make knowledge claims and they even make moral claims. Many atheists will boldly claim “there’s no such thing as truth” and look at you like a deer in the headlights when you ask if their claim is a true statement. Another atheist claimed, “Nobody can have certainty and I’m certain of that!”. No truth and no knowledge leads to absurdity. Welcome to the worldview of atheists.
When you dig deeper into Buddhism, Hinduism, and atheism you begin to realize that those worldviews, as well as their position on what truth is, begin to self refute. According to the Christian worldview, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge . . .” Proverbs 1:7. Jesus proclaimed “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” John 14:6. In other words, you must know everything in the universe or have revelation from the God who does. Even the honest atheist admits he knows A because of B, because of C, because of D, and it never ends so that he can’t really know anything for sure. But Christians can make sense of knowledge in their worldview because of revelation from the God who knows everything. Praise God that we can know for certain His Truth!
Do you have any thoughts or questions about this topic? Leave a comment below –
What a great and well written blog!!! So much studying and knowledge acquired through the years. I absolutely agree that no matter how painful truth may be it is not subjective, it is one truth for all. The thing is that we may not be able to face and accept it at the same time because of our lives and circumstances. I’m so grateful that God takes us through the path that we need to go and reveals us all truth. We do need to seek it. That’s the only thing required of us. And the Holy Spirit the Helper will reveal you all of it.
Thank you and God bless you!
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You’re very welcome and thank you for visitng the site!
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