I've never had a problem believing that there is such a thing as absolute truth. I didn't really realize this was even a issue until I was in college. I mean, math seems to put that pretty bluntly right?? 2 + 2 = 4... that's pretty straightforward. Recently, I read the book "The God Who Is There" by Francis Schaeffer & my eyes were opened to worlds of philosophy & theology that I never realized existed! One of the main topics of discussion in the book revolved around the basis for people's worldview (he didn't say this explicitly, but this is the intention I believe). Prior to the late 1800's in Europe & the early 1900's in America, people generally believed that there was (or could be) one main truth to put their confidence in that would explain everything in life - a circle of truth. After those time periods, many philosophers began to talk about this idea as being false & encourage others to think that this was not true. Long story short, this train of thought made its way through art, music, culture & eventually to theology as well. Today, it has almost become a truth itself!
The interesting thing about this idea (an open box of thought - no one truth explaining existence & purpose) is that it creates a gap you cannot cross. Schaeffer calls it the line of despair. He believed that if you never come to believe in the one saving truth, you either die in despair, or at some point make an irrational jump over that line into believing that life has purpose & significant meaning for you. Seems crazy right? Well, many of the early artists who began running along this train of thought committed suicide out of despair for life. Intense studying of their lives will show they believed so deeply that life was meaningless, no one truth to explain their existence, that they could not bear to live either falsely believing in purpose without a reason behind it or live on in meaningless any longer. Many other artists who believed that there was no truth in life, at some point, decided themselves that their life had meaning - through good deeds, living for mother nature or creating some other theory of life that (while not deeply true in all realms) gave them enough confidence to be happy with living their lives. This was not based on truth, religion, theories or study - merely based on thoughts coming from their own mind & experience... which is dangerous. Why? There's a lot more to the earth & galaxies that exist beyond what lies in each of our minds - when we decide something is true simply because we feel it, we make our feelings to be lord over what actually exists outside of us. Tiny example - you cannot will a plant to grow or an animal to live simply because you believe or desire it to.
It is sad to me though. I think if I did not believe in one truth that explains existence, I would want to kill myself. In my mind, it does not give much hope or happiness to trust in something that is not sure, that does not benefit mankind more than just momentarily, or that does not change unfortunate circumstances that most people live in more than momentarily. How does a person believe there is not truth in the world & continue to live happily? Schaeffer believed that this question is at the heart of evangelism (in short, sharing Jesus with others). A person will not trust Jesus as their savior if they don't believe they need Him. And if they don't think one truth can explain existence, purpose & meaning, what reason do they have to need anything aside from themselves?
Schaeffer also believed that this is precisely why we need to share Jesus with others in a logical way. Not just to get people to have better lives, but because there IS a truth in life that explains everything. All of us live between two ends of a spectrum - believing something fully & rationally, or believing what our minds tell us. Even as a Christian, we are always somewhere between these two ends of the spectrum. To effectively share Jesus, we need to connect with people & get them thinking about the two ends of their spectrum. Are they living closer to what they really think is true or closer to what they just want to believe? Either way, does the way they are living rationally make sense with what they believe? Does what they believe hold up when you look at other people living around the globe? You have to think before you can believe (contrary to religious foofery - you have to at least think about something before you can trust in it). Jesus is not just some foofy idea that makes life feel better. He was a physically real person, who did real things & who can still do real things on earth.
This has been very challenging for me to think about. Yes, there is a leap of faith required to trust God's eternal plan when circumstances don't work out for us. But it's not illogical. After all, if we believe God created the world, what reason is there to doubt that He can manage it? What reason is there to doubt He can fix anything He desires? I hope that as I speak to friends who do not believe in truth, I can lovingly help them make rational sense of the way they are living - not to bring them to despair & leave, but to bring them to the real despair that exists when living apart from the grace of God. There is true despair in being separated from all goodness (which only exists in God) - if we do not tell people that truth of despair in living apart from God, we cannot lead them to the redeeming truth in Jesus paying off the debt that brings us despair. Jesus is the solution to all despair, and He is real, He is logical & He is the truth that will one day bring all the world back to order.
I hope that if you do not believe what I am writing, that you will at least consider your beliefs. Consider the implications of not believing in one central truth. Consider the consequences of living out what you really think the meaning of life (or no meaning) is. And please, ask me anything you want. I cannot promise to give you answers that are perfect, but I can certainly try my best to lead you in logical thought to better understand this world that God created & loves.
If you are really intrigued, read this book!
The interesting thing about this idea (an open box of thought - no one truth explaining existence & purpose) is that it creates a gap you cannot cross. Schaeffer calls it the line of despair. He believed that if you never come to believe in the one saving truth, you either die in despair, or at some point make an irrational jump over that line into believing that life has purpose & significant meaning for you. Seems crazy right? Well, many of the early artists who began running along this train of thought committed suicide out of despair for life. Intense studying of their lives will show they believed so deeply that life was meaningless, no one truth to explain their existence, that they could not bear to live either falsely believing in purpose without a reason behind it or live on in meaningless any longer. Many other artists who believed that there was no truth in life, at some point, decided themselves that their life had meaning - through good deeds, living for mother nature or creating some other theory of life that (while not deeply true in all realms) gave them enough confidence to be happy with living their lives. This was not based on truth, religion, theories or study - merely based on thoughts coming from their own mind & experience... which is dangerous. Why? There's a lot more to the earth & galaxies that exist beyond what lies in each of our minds - when we decide something is true simply because we feel it, we make our feelings to be lord over what actually exists outside of us. Tiny example - you cannot will a plant to grow or an animal to live simply because you believe or desire it to.
It is sad to me though. I think if I did not believe in one truth that explains existence, I would want to kill myself. In my mind, it does not give much hope or happiness to trust in something that is not sure, that does not benefit mankind more than just momentarily, or that does not change unfortunate circumstances that most people live in more than momentarily. How does a person believe there is not truth in the world & continue to live happily? Schaeffer believed that this question is at the heart of evangelism (in short, sharing Jesus with others). A person will not trust Jesus as their savior if they don't believe they need Him. And if they don't think one truth can explain existence, purpose & meaning, what reason do they have to need anything aside from themselves?
Schaeffer also believed that this is precisely why we need to share Jesus with others in a logical way. Not just to get people to have better lives, but because there IS a truth in life that explains everything. All of us live between two ends of a spectrum - believing something fully & rationally, or believing what our minds tell us. Even as a Christian, we are always somewhere between these two ends of the spectrum. To effectively share Jesus, we need to connect with people & get them thinking about the two ends of their spectrum. Are they living closer to what they really think is true or closer to what they just want to believe? Either way, does the way they are living rationally make sense with what they believe? Does what they believe hold up when you look at other people living around the globe? You have to think before you can believe (contrary to religious foofery - you have to at least think about something before you can trust in it). Jesus is not just some foofy idea that makes life feel better. He was a physically real person, who did real things & who can still do real things on earth.
This has been very challenging for me to think about. Yes, there is a leap of faith required to trust God's eternal plan when circumstances don't work out for us. But it's not illogical. After all, if we believe God created the world, what reason is there to doubt that He can manage it? What reason is there to doubt He can fix anything He desires? I hope that as I speak to friends who do not believe in truth, I can lovingly help them make rational sense of the way they are living - not to bring them to despair & leave, but to bring them to the real despair that exists when living apart from the grace of God. There is true despair in being separated from all goodness (which only exists in God) - if we do not tell people that truth of despair in living apart from God, we cannot lead them to the redeeming truth in Jesus paying off the debt that brings us despair. Jesus is the solution to all despair, and He is real, He is logical & He is the truth that will one day bring all the world back to order.
I hope that if you do not believe what I am writing, that you will at least consider your beliefs. Consider the implications of not believing in one central truth. Consider the consequences of living out what you really think the meaning of life (or no meaning) is. And please, ask me anything you want. I cannot promise to give you answers that are perfect, but I can certainly try my best to lead you in logical thought to better understand this world that God created & loves.
If you are really intrigued, read this book!
July 25, 2012 at 4:11 AM
I like that you broached this topic. It certainly is a difficult concept, and I've seen many people around me struggle with it - this unbelief in anything and how that "line of despair" can really be difficult. I'm thankful for a Creator who knows the Truth, who IS the Truth!