United For And Towards Love Dignity And Peace 23

Articles about Truth

by Gary C. Burger, MDiv

Before reading these articles please understand what kind of truth I am talking about. I am talking about the true answers to the ultimate questions of life. For example: Is there a God? What is God like? What is man? What is the meaning and purpose of life? Where do we go when we die? In these matters we must distinguish between truth and opinion, fact and fantasy. We must also distinguish between truth and taste.
Taste is subjective. In other words, you might like classical music but I like jazz. When we discuss the merits of both, we are not debating whether or not one is a true form of music and the other is not. We would discuss what we each like about those forms of music not about whether one is right and one is wrong. Instead, we are talking about musical taste not truth. Quite often people get into unnecessary arguments over things that are a matter of personal preference because they try to make it an issue of truth.

Common
Challenges to the Idea that Truth is Absolute

"Christians are Intolerant."

"If you grew up in India, you'd be a Hindu. Beliefs are culturally

conditioned."

"So many people disagree, truth must be relative."

"Thinking you know the truth is arrogant and intolerant."

"There isn't any truth."

"Faith hinders the search for truth."

"The important thing in life isn't having truth, but searching for it."

"That's true for you, but not for me."

"Truth about Ultimate Questions is a matter of opinion."

"Truth is subjective, not objective."

"We can't know anything for sure."


Copyright 2005. Gary C. Burger and New Media
Ministries. Each article may be reproduced and distributed freely as long as it
is done so in its entirety. If quoted it must be properly cited as a reference.