if you were able to come to the crossing yesterday, you got to see this humorous little look at the question of 'truth'. every time we talk about absolute truth i hear stories about the creativity and compassion with which we approach the topic, and i love being part of a community that holds to reality, while still honoring those who are figuring out the God-thing. AND i love that we can all have a good time in the process.
to recap the weekend: saying "there is no absolute truth" is an absolute statement that assumes itself true. this is a self-defeating statement...a contradiction that cannot in itself be true. secondly, we know there are absolute truths both scientifically (gravity), mathematically (1+1 = 2), archeologically (historical evidence), conscientiously (common sense) . . .in short, we all draw absolute lines about what is right and wrong as it applies for everyone i.e. hitler was absolutely wrong in his extermination of innocent people...where do we get those moral lines we're drawing?).
remember, there are two kinds of truth 1) absolute truth 2) subjective truth. the difference between the two is really in the question... when someone asks you what your favorite food is, that's a subjective truth i.e. the answer is different for everyone and that's okay because everyone has different tastes. when someone asks you which direction north is in, that is an absolute truth, it is dictated by poles we all submit to, and we rely on a compass/map to absolutely know which way is north.
so, how does this play into the God-thing? the way many of us are raised culturally--to some extent--subjectifies God. in other words, we see the question of who God is, as a subjective truth...whatever you believe is good for you and whatever i believe is good for me, neither of us is right or wrong because it's all relative. but, jesus speaks to this way of thinking and says... "everyone on the side of truth listens to me." jesus answers the question of "what is truth?" by saying absolutely that he is the sole king of spiritual truth.
pretty intense stuff, but also very refreshing. jesus spells it out for us very simply and shows us how to communicate truth with love and humility. keep in mind, that he says this just before he is crucified for the sins of the world. jesus isn't slamming us with absolute truth, he's reminding us that the absolute truth is solely found in God's love for us, demonstrated by God's Son Jesus dying for our sin, our lies, our junk, our insistence on being right... jesus shows us that anyone who wants to be absolutely right about what they believe, must accept the truth that we are called to give our lives for each other, to love radically, to serve boldly and to walk humbly on this earth listening to jesus and following his way.
1 comment:
I like this video clip;) It really breaks my heart to see how so many people have come to water down God's truth and have come to believe a lie that what is really subjective, they believe is absolute. I know at times, I have been convicted of this as well. Yet, such a refreshing reminder to us that God's absolute truth is rooted in Love. A truth that while some may shake, it will never shake the true foundation of God's love for us!
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