I was recently invited to become part of a discussion on truth by a dear friend. The topic is one of my favorites and although I may no take the most scholarly point of view I do have some history with the topic.

So what is truth? Is it a universally accepted fact? A rule that no matter your culture or belief still holds has relevant meaning? A recent research group asked the question, “Is there absolute truth?” 72% of adults responded that they believe that “there is no such thing as absolute truth; different people can define truth in conflicting ways and still be correct.”

Of the many answers given here were the most common responses:
“Truth is whatever you believe.”
“There is no absolute truth.”
“If there were such a thing as absolute truth, how could we know what it is?” “People who believe in absolute truth are dangerous.”

Very interesting answers, but not very surprising in a world so full of so many “truths”! In my own experience we cannot mistake truth for other ideals of the same shade. You see we also have “facts” and then the most unnoticeable of them all “faith”. So what is the difference between all these?

Facts – those items that apparently cannot be disputed, they simply are period, the end. BUT look at how many facts we have overturned thorough time. We state a fact because at the time we know all their is to know and so with limited knowledge we declare it a fact. But as we learn more we often overturn out own facts so was it ever really a concrete fact?

Truth – well what is true for one may not always be true for another. This is an age old problem and we have had many wars and differences over truth.

Faith – now this is where anyone arguing for the validity of truth starts to wander. The argument goes something like this: We must believe in truth, because we all make decisions everyday that involve truth. No one would get on a plane unless they believed in the truth of flight or the truth of the planes instruments. You cannot turn on a light switch unless you believe in the truth of electricity. WELL that sounds plausible but in both cases that is more a function of faith than truth. I have faith that the plane will fly and land me safely, I have faith that the instruments will tell the pilot correct information and I have faith that when I hit the light switch the lights will come on. This is faith – a belief in something or some action. Which brings me to my point.

Of all these statements and ideals faith is the one that is most human. We must put faith in a whole slew of things each and everyday just to get by, just to make it through our day. This does not have to be faith in a deity or lofty ideal, faith is an everyday ideal that we use so fluently many of us rarely notice how much faith we put into life!

It is faith that gives truth, fact and reality it’s power. It is faith in others, faith in life, faith in collective knowledge and faith in one’s self that moves life forward. Not truth.

So the real question is not do you believe in facts or absolute truths, but do you have faith and in what? When we recognize the power of faith, of believing in something we began to come to grips with what it really means to be human. We come to realize that we may be incapable of knowing absolute truth or sticking to an outdated fact. We come to realize that despite all our amazing accomplishments and intellect that in the end we must have a little faith.

Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible if you believe!

Peace and Love, Jim