PrintWHAT IS TRUTH?
There are some terms or expressions in our English language that confuse me. Some amuse me. But there are some that make me mad.
“Gamble responsibly” is one that makes me cranky every time I hear it. Those who profit from gambling attach this token expression to their promotional material as though they genuinely cared about the welfare of their clients.
“Gamble responsibly”. As though any one listening to their advertisements would respond, “Oh, yes, I almost forgot that. Now, let me see, in my situation what would constitute responsible gambling?”
Oh please, give me a break!!
But the most recent one that I have encountered has emerged from the election of President Trump in the USA. There has been claim and counter claim about the number of people who attended his Inauguration. His supporters claimed a number far greater than those of his opponents. Of course, such discrepancies are to be expected. Those who opposed him claimed to have the facts. Those who supported him claimed to have (wait for it…) the “alternate facts”.
Up until now, those who could appeal to the facts to bolster their arguments had a head start in making their case. The truth is that, appealing to the facts, usually ended the debate.
But now we have a new category of truth. It’s called “alternative facts”
It’s no wonder Pontius Pilate asked the question for which he is best known: “What is truth?”
Although I’ve not heard that expression before, I’ve certainly heard people refer to their version of truth as “my truth”, as though each version of truth is as legitimate as all the others.
But then Jesus Christ comes on to the scene and says, “I am the way the truth and the life”. Now, all we have to do is work out if He means that truth is absolute or if he is dealing in alternate truth/facts.
