Truth has many layers

THERE’S an interesting episode in the gospel that tells us

that truth indeed has many layers and we just have to be careful with

our assertions especially when done as if we already know everything.

  

            It’s in the Gospel of St. John, Chapter 7. “Some in the

crowd who heard these words of Jesus said, ‘This is truly the

Prophet.’ Others said, ‘This is the Christ.’ But others said, ‘The

Christ will not come from Galilee, will he? Does not Scripture say

that the Christ will be of David’s family and come from Bethlehem, the

village were David lived?’”

  

            Somehow, everyone said something truthful, but not

everyone was in the truth. This can happen to us in our exchanges and

discussions. We can say something truthful in the sense that we can

cite certain data and facts, but we need to realize that data and

facts do not necessarily say the last word, and they can even be

contradicted in the end.

  

            Yes, we need to realize that truth has many layers,

levels, dimensions and angles, and we just have to be careful and

prudent when making our assertions given this character of truth. At

the very least, we have to be cordial and civil with each other

especially when we find ourselves in opposite sides in a certain issue

or topic.

  

            We also need to realize that truth has its ultimate

foundation in God who is the Creator of everything, and that every

attempt we make to establish a truth should always have a clear

reference to and respect for God. Otherwise, we would end up like the

devil who is the father of lies and can only dish out lies, citing

facts and data.

            In fact, in that temptation of Christ in the desert (cfr

Mt 4,1-11), the devil cited scriptural passages to supports his

assertions. Indeed, the devil said something truthful, but in the end

he was actually lying.

  

            We may not have the intention to lie or to deceive anyone

with our statements, but we just have to see to it that our assertions

are not made as if they have the final say about a certain issue, even

if we have a plethora of data and facts to support our views.

  

            We should be open to the positions of others and continue

to probe our views to see to it that we are not missing anything.

Because of this condition, we should try our best that our

discussions, especially about contentious issues as in politics,

should be done with utmost cordiality and civility.

  

            We should be open-minded and ready to revise or even

change our views the moment we get hold of another piece of data that

sheds better light on our position. As much as possible, we should

avoid hardening our positions for the sake of protecting our personal

views. Such attitude is what actually generates unnecessary

contentions and controversies that are very toxic to all of us.

  

            In the end, what really matters is that all efforts to get

to the truth about anything should start and end with God, and not

just with facts and data alone. In fact, all efforts to get to the

truth should be done in the context of love for God and for everyone,

and for the salvation of mankind. Short of that, we would be playing

with fire in our assertions.

  

            We have to disabuse ourselves from developing a

disordinate attachment to facts and data that ignores or even is

hostile to God’s will and ways, and is detached from the ultimate

context and perspective.

  

            In our discussions, it pays to have a good grip on our

emotions and passions, as well as on our preferences and the many

conditionings that we are subjected to—our temperaments, our physical

condition, our cultural background, etc.