Can You Who Think Truth Is Limited to Facts and Sets of Facts Prove Me Wrong in Challenging That Notion?
Question by : Can you who think Truth is limited to facts and sets of facts prove me wrong in challenging that notion?
Truth is not a set of facts; truth is faithfulness. Read “Ethics” by Dietrich Bonhoeffer: a school boy has a dad who is a drunk and the boy is often late for school because of his father’s alcoholism. The boy comes in late to class and the teacher calls him out saying something like “why are you late? Was your father drunk again?” What is the true response? If the boy responds factually he says “yes” and betrays his father, in violation of the commandment to honor thy father and mother. If the boy responds in order to be faithful to his father, he says “no” and makes up an excuse so as to protect his father, in supposed violation of the commandment that says thou shall not lie. We in the West are too bent on facts. Faithfullness and honest representation are what are most important.
Bonhoeffer also offers this scenario in the same book: you are a Christian hiding Jews in your basement in Nazi Germany. Gestapo knock on your door and ask if you have seen any Jews today and you have because you were just downstairs. What do you say? Do you answer factually and “trust God” as I have heard some people say? or do you “lie” for all you’re worth to protect their lives and your own? Common sense should be employed here, for the notion to tell the “truth” and trust God is Pollyanna at its worst.
Jesus teaches us to follow the Spirit of the law, not the letter. However, religion is afraid of this because it is uncomfortable with people thinking for themselves. Following the Spirit requires maturity because immaturity will rationalize away our committments in various situations and justify doing things we shouldn’t do. This is what many religious people try to avoid in teaching others to follow the letter of the law. Unfortunately, this contradicts the teaching of Christ.
Best answer:
Answer by Mahal
“Faithfulness” is not really truth, it’s a commitment or an expression. The truth is the product of faithfulness.
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