Torch, Fall/Winter 2012

Fall–Winter 2008 19 • Many people today view truth as closely linked to individual perspective. For them, there is no universal, absolute truth, only various constructions of truth that are equally valid for different people or social groups. • Truth is often used in a qualitative sense for individual items that are truthful statements. In this sense, 2+2=4 is truth. • In its comprehensive sense, truth can be defined as the sum total of that which is known about reality by the all-knowing God. Because the same term “truth” can be used today in all of these five ways, and no doubt in other ways as well, we need to be careful to speak precisely and to listen intently, or else we may not communicate what we intend to say or grasp accurately what others mean when they speak. Just as “truth” is used in a variety of ways, so the term “certainty” can mean different things. Christian philosophers Norman Geisler and Paul Feinberg cite several meanings of certainty in their textbook Introduction to Philosophy: A Christian Perspective , including: • apodictic certainty which is beyond doubt and not possible of correction, • psychological certainty in which the knower feels sure about an object, • conventional certainty in which a group of people decide to use language in a particular way, • pragmatic certainty that regards knowledge claims as certain if they produce beneficial results, and • cases when probability is accepted as reliable knowledge (“The weather forecast said it is certain to rain, so I will take my umbrella with me”). With all of these possible meanings for both “truth” and “certainty,” it is not surprising that the claim that “we can know the truth with certainty” is heard in many contrasting ways by people today. In order for others to understand what they mean, Christians need to be able to explain in unambiguous language what the Bible actually teaches. That is, when we speak of truth and certainty we need to translate these terms into other words so that those who hear us can comprehend the content of what we are saying. Truth in Question: In Case There Was Any Doubt O ur pluralistic society encourages everyone to participate in the ever-widening conversation of what truth is and how it can be known. Contemporary philosophers, pop culture icons, and talk show hosts all feel the freedom to weigh in on the truth debate. Their comments may be subtle, but they are nonetheless pervasive … and dangerous. “Ultimately the Force is the larger mystery of the universe. And to trust your feelings is your way to that.” — George Lucas “True salvation is freedom from negativity and, above all, from past and future as a psychological need.” — Eckhart Tolle “The beauty of religious mania is that it has the power to explain everything. Once God (or Satan) is accepted as the first cause of everything which happens in the mortal world, nothing is left to chance … logic can be happily tossed out the window.” — Stephen King “The various religions are like different roads converging on the same point. What difference does it make if we follow different routes, provided we arrive at the same destination?” — Mahatma Gandhi “Kabbalah helped me understand that there is a bigger picture and that being well-intentioned is great, but if you don’t live your life according to the laws of the universe, you bring chaos into your life.” — Madonna “Follow your instincts. That’s where true wisdom manifests itself.” — Oprah Winfrey “If it [scientology] makes Tom Cruise happy, I don’t care if he prays to turtles. And I don’t think anybody else should.” — Madonna “Here’s what happens when you die — you sit in a box and get eaten by worms. I guarantee that when you die, nothing cool happens.” — Howard Stern “Truth resides in every human heart, and one has to search for it there and to be guided by truth as one sees it. But no one has a right to coerce others to act according to his own view of the truth.” — Mahatma Gandhi