What Is Truth? (page 3)

hornetsnest

"What is truth?" I posted a subject with that heading right here on the board back in May of 2001. I'd still be interested if anyone could add to the concepts mentioned there:

http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/5090/1.ashx

Have fun.

LoneWolf

Narkissos

LoneWolf, I sure enjoyed this thread. Hope to read more from you.

One step further could be (obviously enough): Absolute truth believed relatively. I think this is exactly what we need to appreciate the specific value of religious thinking (which many would too quickly deny) without falling into sectarism and intolerance.

Take care,

Narkissos

gumby

Lonewolf,

Why did you change your name? I liked lone wolf

I did notice you didn't address 'Norm's' comment to you back then.

Gumby

hornetsnest

Narkissos ---

That's intriguing, and I'd like to think on that a bit. Could you enlarge on it a little? A few initial questions in my mind would be:

1. Would it be possible? One would need to gain absolute truth in order to examine it critically. Wouldn't that be like gaining the goal of infinity in order to examine the path that leads to it?

2. If my perception of your words is correct, you are emphasizing that we need to be skeptical about that which is passed off as absolute truth. My point is that the simple fact itself, that a man --- or all mankind for that matter --- should have a body of knowledge, is enough to relegate that knowledge to the realm of "relative truth", for we humans do not have access to "absolute truth". There is always something more to know! In this way, the skepticism is built right into the equation. Or am I missing something here?

Gumby --- Well, actually, I haven't! There was quite a bit of confusion about a year ago when Simon changed the look of the board, and my account got all messed up, I don't know how. I've been wanting to get with him and get it straightened out, but this past year has been absolutely crazy and I haven't had the time. I can't even access my messages, and I know some are in there, because folks have emailed me and told me they were.

I hesitate to recount too much of this past year, because everyone will think I'm a blasted liar. It's been THAT wild. And I've got a wild reputation in the first place! LOL!

I didn't address Norm's comment then because it looked to me that he was addressing Aaron. Hope I didn't hurt his feelings! (Grin)

LoneWolf

LittleToe

I AM

JamesThomas

Is there an ultimate Truth? A Reality right here right now that is just not being seen or experienced by many? A Truth not owned by any one person or group. A Truth not having to be earned, but rather equally and openly available to all, if we have but eyes to see? If there is an ultimate Truth, it would have to be that beautiful, unconditioned and present, or it would just be the same old relative truths that alienate and breed exclusivity, hatreds and suffering. Strangely enough, through out recorded history there have been those with radically diverse life styles that have all unitedly agreed on the present reality and availability of the One Ultimate Truth. Not a relative truth, but rather the very same Truth experienced by all. A living Truth closer than close and more intimate than any person, place or thing. It is said that at their core religions are based on the discovery of Truth; though hundreds of years of translation, interpretation and additions by those ignorant and blind to It have hidden it well. In the Bible, Luke 17:21 "the kingdom of God is within you" may be the only remaining Biblical scripture which points directly to it. "The kingdom of God" referring to That which is True, our ultimate Reality. Sadly the Witnesses have changed it to "in our midst", rather than "within", which places Truth outside in some ambiguous space and time. Which totally discounts what Jesus said just prier: that the Kingdom "is not low here or there" (in space and time), as the Pharisees with their limited carnal (temporal, material, fundamental) minded interpretations expected, and as the Witnesses obviously still do. The guidance by those who have rediscovered Truth, which has always been, is to look silently and deeper within the one undeniable Truth within us right now: conscious-awareness; deeper within the most warm and intimate sense of alive Beingness and existence. What IS at our Core? Underneath all the story of what I believe myself to be -- who am I, really? The unbound infinity of Truth, can not be understood by the finite intellectual mind, It is just too much of a gloriously breathtaking mystery; but it can be lived (as Enishi already said). It can be lived, because it IS what we truly are. No one is left out. j

heathen

What I think is also interesting is that jesus said the truth will set you free.

Narkissos

LoneWolf,

I am a bit embarrassed at the idea of developing my first comment, since I guess any expansion on it would necessarily depart from it. Although I think James Thomas have found the best possible words to express what I mean.

I guess if there is such thing as an absolute Truth, it is indeed related to the phrase "I am". That is, "I" as the basic subject of knowledge Socrates could designate in the old motto on the Delphi temple, gnôthi seauthon or "know yourself". It is also what is referred to, in a very different way, by Descartes in his famous cogito ergo sum: I think, hence I am. This point of knowledge is not something you can learn from without, it IS within you and you only realize it at times, just to forget it again. It is not a cornerstone on which you could build any wider absolute knowledge. From this absolute subjective knowledge any further knowledge you may gain is definitely relative. It is a kind of mathematical point where language articulates with silence, being with not-being, real with symbolic. Rather woolly, isn't it?

fearnotruth22

It all depends on how you are defining truth. The problem with defining truth is that it cannot be defined so as for that day and hour no one know and no one knows the definition of truth.

What Is Truth?

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