A few blogs ago, I mentioned the idea that "truth for me is different than truth for you." A friend commented saying that he believed that truth is what the Bible says is true and he had trouble with the "My truth, your truth" idea. I had been meaning to write a quick bit to clarify what I meant and I am finally getting around to it. I guess the way I should have worded my idea would be more like this...
I believe that we all have a unique experience of truth. By this I mean, that while the underlying truth may be the same for us all (The Bible perhaps), we all experience that truth in a unique way. This is why I say it is far more important to learn about truth by looking inside and listening to God than to listening to others because the way they experience that truth is different and make not resonate the same way as the experience God intended for us.
I think a big part of what this idea breaks down to is "beware of dogma." I remember Ally and I going to a church in Las Vegas once that believed that those closest to God could speak in tongues. To allow myself to listen to this belief would have damaged the way I viewed God and would have been deafening when trying to hear Him. This is not to say that this experience of truth (speaking in tongues) was wrong, it just may be the way God intended certain people to experience truth. At least thus far, I do not have the ability to speak in tongues. I don't think this makes me have any less chance of fully experiencing God, I just think I am meant to experience him in other ways. To be honest, I have yet to figure out what exactly my experience of truth is or will be. I may never know and I'm OK with that. But I am learning that the best way to come closer to understanding truth is by looking within and placing a fine filter on the outside "noise."
Let me know what you think...
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7 comments:
Yeah...we all experience and interpret things pretty differently. I believe it's to reiterate the fact that we need each other.
While I believe that truth is truth and there aren't a bunch of different 'truths'...I do believe that we as humans take things a certain way, or understand them a certain way...and it's different than the way Joe the Plumber would understand/take it. (or Joe Six Pack for that matter)
Which makes me want to be careful what I call truth...and make sure what I am calling truth is really true. I want/need to be accurate.
My brain hurts...
Good point that the differences in the way we interpret/experience truth reiterates that we need each other. At first glance, that seems to be in complete opposition to what I said about having to filter others comments/beliefs/experiences. However, I think we are both right. It is a bit of a balancing act. While we obviously need each other in order to continue to learn and to challenge each other in our searching, we also have to be careful to keep an ear out for what God is saying to us. Being human, no matter how good our intensions, no matter where our heart is, we have a tendancy to let our own agendas take over. If we don't listen enough to God, we will let others agendas direct us and as Nietzsche said, fall into the "slave morality."
Oh...this is good;) I, as a christian, have had this concept of 'my truth', as a struggle all week. As a christian, I am now 'in the kingdom' and recieve truth through His spirit which gives me discernment over all matters, trivial or not, as God can use all things to glorify Himself.
However, I always understood that unbelievers (what I was the majority of my life) did not have the spirit of God, and therefor did not hear truth through Him clearly.
Therefor, through my walk with the Lord, I have become increasingly frustrated and confused at why even 'christians' sometimes differ in their 'truths,' when it should be as one. As I was upset and distraught and sharing this with the Lord and in my blog, He revealed to me that He does reveal truth to his children, but depending on their filters they choose to 'hang on to,' His truth can be 'unheard.' Whether those filters are unforgiveness, judgement (made me think of Nietzsche's perceptions of Christians in his time), pain, etc., they are hinderances and filter out what the Lord might reveal to them. That, and God only reveals 'secrets of the kingdom' to those that can be trusted with it.
It amazes me that even after walking with the Lord for 10 yrs now, I am having new and exciting revelations revealed to me that I did know back then...and I trust God's judgement in revealing of truth to me, as I might not have been able to handle some 'truths' at that time...I'm speaking obviously of things other than biblical law foundations.
As for 'truth' I hear you and understand your arguement and back-up of Nietzsche's infamous quote:)
The only disagreeance I have on 'truth' is that it most definately cannot be understood from self's point of view, as we all know we are our own worst enemy in relation to that (only perceiving things through our own filters of our narrow existence of life...i.e., life in the 20th century..reading books about the past that only give tidbits of information, and who we've encountered and our own personal experiences). That would make 'truth' relative...which would defeat the whole point of truth. That said...there is a TRUTH that goes beyond any of our mortal understanding that embeds itself into the very fiber of life itself. Truth that is not our own, or someone else's, but is God's divine truth, His creation, His network of proof. Truth that is so divine, so perfect, that it can defy the laws of the universe.
I DO believe, that man is created to worship and have a relationship with God and that that is the 'inner' cavity that we all have and desire to be filled. And we will fill it, be it other earthly idols (people, music, intellect, etc.)of some kind. But, that came to my attention when you mentioned shutting out the world's noise and listening inside...I just believe that desire is for the Lord's still small voice, and not our own.
You and Ally have thrown me for a whirlwind :) As I never even considered this kind of stuff before becoming a christian, haha! I just went from atheist to saved in a blink of an eye-crazy too! Especially with all of my arguements (discussions...occasional yelling:) with christians at the time. It is God who revealed truth to me, not that I found it. I pray it will be revealed to you, too Chris:)
And thanks for all the cute pics of my babies:) My mother, and Michael's mom went nuts for them over the weekend. :) Have a great day and DON'T stop searching for truth! :)
Dang! Sorry, I didn't realize I wrote so much:( I was kinda embarrassed after I published it and saw it in it's entirety! Excuse me! :)
Hey Becky,
Thanks for the comments... One thing I wanted to clarify, you seemed to disagree about the point I was making about looking within. By that I mean listening to God within ourselves. I do agree that if we listen only to ourselves we will be off the track for the truth which is because we, as everyone else, have an agenda.
I'll be writing another blog shortly with more in depth responses. You've really helped me figured out how to clarify some of the other things I have been writing about.
Thanks again!
Hey Chris,
I'm sorry I misunderstood that part, looking back, I see that you mentioned it numerous times, hahahahah! I think I was thrown off by the occasional mention of 'looking within ourselves' ...not realizing that you meant 'to the voice of God within ourselves'. So I see now. My alarm always goes off when I hear/read 'ourselves' apart from God, because I too, know that 'we' are not to be trusted. I'd be curious to know your thoughts on other people's agendas. You mean like, 'trying to get people to agree with their point of view? Or, adding notches in their 'christian salvation' belts, hahaha! Just curious. I'd like to hear. I'd probably agree as anything outside of God is usually not to be trusted.
Okay! Thanks for all your thoughts and ideas!
After striving for 14 years seeking "Truth," imagine my astonishment when I found "Him!" The beautiful thing to me is that Truth turned out to be a person! "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6
I love that Jesus knew how much we desired truth in this life, and so revealed this to us.
In as much as I know Him, I know Truth. This revelation has given me peace and wisdom where there used to be way too many thoughts to bring either! How much more fun, powerful, and fulfilling it is to have a communal relationship with the living God, rather than a bunch of imperfect thoughts from our natural mind!
May God bless you richly with His presence and His peace!
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