Truth Revisited

2003-1-16 14:36:00

Thu Jan 16, 2003
Truth Revisited

John, I have read your writings carefully and for the life of me I cannot see any logic in anything you say that would indicate that four apples on a table are not four apples on a table. As the initiate Shakespeare said, "A rose is a rose by any other name."

Two apples on a table plus two apples on a table equals four apples on a table.

If some apples weigh more than others we still have four apples.
If the apples are differing in size we still have four apples.
If we use some other numbering system such as the binary then we still have four apples.
Because an apple is an apple by any other name then if we call them oranges it matters not. We still have four apples.

There is nothing you can do to change the reality that there are four apples on the table at a certain moment in time and space.

I challenged you to give me an example of how 2+2 does not equal 4 but received none. You wrote around the idea but gave no example.

Perhaps some of my writings from the archives on this subject will help.

This truth should be so self evident that the only argument possible would be one of playful sophistry.




WRITINGS ON ABSOLUTE AND RELATIVE TRUTH FROM THE ARCHIVES.

The Truth is True
30 Mar 1999

The Question of the Day:
Concerning truth there are two basic camps. One says that truth is absolute; the other says that truth is relative.

What is the truth of the matter here about truth itself? Is truth in the eye of the beholder, or does it exist independent of the beholder?

If you believe in absolute truth give an example or two.
If you believe in relative truth give an example also.

My answer on this will be quite controversial for some of you, but bear with me and I think most of us will see eye to eye in the end.

If I only talked about things we all agree on like peace and love I wouldn't be doing much to stimulate your learning would I?

First let me say that I agree with most of your comments from the context that you presented them. Basically, I am going to present another framework to you, but it will be an important framework because it will lead to a greater perception of truth in the end.

What most of your comments refer to as relative truth is not relative truth at all, but relative perception of what seems to be true. Because our perception is relative does not mean that truth is relative.

Consider this quote from A Course in Miracles: "For truth is true, and nothing else is true. There is no opposite to choose instead. There is no contradiction to the truth. Choosing depends on learning. And truth cannot be learned, but only recognized. In recognition its acceptance lies, and as it is accepted it is known." ACIM Workbook Page 257

Here is stated the great principle behind truth itself: "The truth is true and nothing else is true." Run this by your soul and see if it does not resonate.

The truth of this has been demonstrated to me not only because of soul contact but because no one in my entire life has ever been able to give me a relative truth. Relative perceptions yes, but not relative truth. There is no such thing.

Wait, says one, did not Glenys present an example of relative truth through her example of the three blind men and the elephant?

I guess it's about time I picked on Glenys a bit - I think most of you have had your turn, but it's difficult to find anything to correct in her writings.

She wrote:
"One touching the leg says it's like a tree, the second one touching the side says it's like a wall, and the third touching the moving ear says it's like a fan. Each man is true in part but doesn't present the whole truth - that it's an elephant; it's more than the sum of its parts, just like truth. Relative truth doesn't endure, can change according to circumstances or new information and can fail when tested."

Actually this parable was first given by the Buddha and was his favorite. It will be expanded in a future Immortal book.

Actually Glenys would have been correct if she would have said "relative perception doesn't endure," for there is no such thing as relative truth. All truth is absolute.

Am I saying then that the blind man's idea that the elephant's leg was like a tree is absolute truth?

Not exactly but close. Let me state the principle of absolute truth and go from there. "At any point in time and space (the reality where we presently reside) there is a point of absolute truth that will never change. If we are to move from truth to truth and realization to realization we must recognize those points as we pass by them, else our perceptions become dull and truth seems to be relative."

So what in the world is the absolute truth that the blind man feeling the leg of the elephant sees when he thinks he is feeling something like a tree? If he could see he would realize how wrong he was.

Answer: If he could see he would not see that he was wrong. Instead he would see that he would have more power to find more truths about the elephant and many other things. At that point in time and space when he felt the leg of the elephant it was absolute truth that his sense of touch revealed that there were similarities between the way an elephant's leg feels and the way the trunk of a tree feels. A million years in the future that point in time and space where that perception occurred will still be true.

Two plus two equals four is absolutely true at this point in time and space and nothing else is true. There are trillions of illusionary answers but only one right one. Nothing else but four is correct.

I am typing on my computer at this point in time and space and there is no other truth in the universe that will contradict this, either now or a million years from now.

Some say life is an illusion or a dream and nothing is real, nothing is true. Not so. Even in dreams there are points of truth. If I dream I am being chased by a monster then at that point in time and space it was absolute truth that I was having that dream experience. That experience will still exist in time and space a million years from now.

I have more to write on this subject, but expect I have given you some food for discussion here. Feel free to disagree.

If you still believe in relative truth in any degree then you should be able to give a definite example. There are billions of examples of absolute truth, but one example of relative truth would prove me wrong.

Why do you suppose the understanding of this principle is so important?


The Eternal Now of Truths
31 Mar 1999

Thanks to Zina for her inspiring post. I hope it motivates new members to read the archives.

I believe it was her who asked about the Intuitive Principle. The intuitive Principle is not just a statement that the intuition is based on a principle. That is nothing new. Instead the Intuitive Principle is this method of teaching that was demonstrated in the Immortal Book and through the discussion group. You are asked a question that forces you to search all you know plus the intuition to find the answer. This method of teaching is called the Intuitive Principle, a principle method of teaching used by the Masters who have overcome death.

Concerning truth again, if we are to find the truth, teach the truth and apply the truth then it is of extreme importance that we understand what the truth is and whether or not it is relative or absolute or shifts around like a moving target.

If we as a group cannot generally see together the essence of this thing called truth then all the truths that are presented become nebulous and just beautiful theory of no practical consequence.

Rick is right about the problem being largely that of semantics. It is important for communication's sake in this reality that we define our terms precisely so we can all speak the same language. This is a major step in the resolution of many disagreements.

One of the current problems I see is in the use of the term "absolute truth." Some seem to believe that this seems to apply to some great truth beyond the physical reality or maybe some one great truth centered around the One God.

I can see what you are saying but I think you are using the wrong word. I think the word you are looking for is "ultimate" as in "ultimate truth."

All truth is absolute, but only one truth could be the ultimate.

My dictionary says the word absolute means: "Not limited by restrictions or exceptions; unconditional."

Therefore 2+2=4 is an absolute truth. There are no exceptions. Every time you add 2+2 you get 4. Restrictions do not alter it, neither do conditions.

As I was typing at the computer yesterday I told you that event would be true forever at that point in time and space. It is still absolutely true today that I was typing that article on the computer yesterday. It will always be true.

Some of you are rolling your eyes, I can sense it. Let me try and paint a picture that makes the point a little clearer.

Visualize a painting with infinite pictures. You look up, down, left and right and can see no end to the images. This infinite mural represents time and space.

Now you are curious about how the painting is created so you use some Star Trek device that magnifies it. The beautiful images become larger and larger until you can no longer recognize them and you get to the pixel level something like exists on bit map computer art work. The difference here is that the pixels are not uniform squares but each one is a different shape and image in its own right. Each of these individualized pixels is a point in time and space, a part of the Eternal Now. When in the Eternal Now these pixels are stationary and eternal and ever present, but when present in time and space consciousness can only see one pixel at a time as if they are passing never to be seen again.

In time and space the pixels seem transient and have nothing to do with the great event called absolute truth, but in the Eternal Now no pixel is ever lost and is ever present to be retrieved by the mere power of thought.

What are some of these pixels? I just mentioned one. It was me typing at the computer last night. The pixel of that true event may seem to be gone, but it is not. It still exists in the great painting called the Eternal Now.

Now I can deny that I was at the computer last night. I could say I was having a wild party over at my friend Wayne's place. I could make up a million different stories, but out of the million things I could make up only one thing agrees with the pixel in the great painting in the Eternal Now. This truth is absolutely true and nothing else is true. I was typing at the computer. This truth and all other truths and pixels are not relative to anything else. All truth stands by itself.

You can, however, stand back and see dozens, hundreds, and thousands of pixels as they naturally are gathered together and view a larger picture that brings a larger absolute truth to your consciousness. This does not mean that truth is relative. Instead you have adjusted or enlarged your perception of it and are thus able to see the bigger picture. The tiny pixels of truth are not changed because you now see the bigger truth or picture. The tiny pixels have to be seen correctly, and without illusion or deception, before the bigger picture can be viewed. If we are deceived about the pixels we will be deceived about the picture of truth they create.

Now let's take Rick's examples and analyze them. I guess if I can pick on Glenys, I can pick on Rick, I'm sure he'll take it in the right spirit. "Like good and evil, truth is different for each."

It may seem that way, but instead it is the perception of truth that is different.

"If you are about to begin a football game, it is only true, for one team, that heads is the good side of the coin."

If the Cowboys win the coin toss with heads then it is true for the whole universe and for all time that the cowboys had good fortune in this pixel.

In the 60's it was absolutely true, for some, that drugs led one towards the Truth, but for others, they led to addiction and death."

These are two absolute statements of truth not relative to each other and do not contradict each other. It is also an absolute truth that some people can be killed by penicillin and another absolute truth that others can be cured with it.

Question:

Many people say I have my truth and you have yours. Can this be a true statement if one truth opposes another truth? Why are we so inclined to make this statement? If this statement is incorrect how would you rephrase it to more accurately portray what the speaker really means?


Two Types of Truth
1 Apr 1999

Here's another interesting quote from A Course in Miracles:
"Salvation is the recognition that truth is true, and nothing else is true. This you have heard before, but you may not accept both parts of it. Without the first, the second has no meaning. But without the second, is the first no longer true. Truth cannot have an opposite. This cannot be too often said and thought about. For if what is not true is true as well as what is true, then part of truth is false. And truth has lost its meaning. Nothing but the truth is true, and what is false is false." ACIM Workbook Page 274

"Truth must be true throughout, if it be true. It cannot contradict itself, nor be in parts uncertain and in others sure." ACIM Workbook Page 287

Some people reflect upon truth and see truth as something that must be a big thing and absolute truth as a concept of momentous proportions, but such is not the case. Truth is just true whether it be the fact that a fly lands on your nose or that someday the whole earth will be burned with fire. If a giant true event happens it is true and if a small event happens it is equally true. Because one happening is more momentous than another does not make it a truer occurrence.

It seems that many want to ponder on the highest truths in the highest realms of existence, but that does about as much good as a child learning the ABC's to be given a book of Shakespeare's plays and be told to read and contemplate the meaning thereof. He cannot read so he cannot contemplate. Because he cannot yet read his mind is blank as he thumbs through the writings because the words are just blurry symbols that tell him nothing.

Let me tell you just one thing to bring you back to earth. The higher worlds are called the formless worlds by the Masters. In these worlds there is no truth as we understand the term. For proof of this let me ask you to think of a truth that you understand and then explain this truth to me without painting the picture of something that has form in time and space. You cannot do it.

The child learns the basics first, how to talk, communicate, the alphabet, writing, reading, thinking and so on. Then if he matures and uses all the things he has learned to the highest of his ability he then learns to gain knowledge in ways that go beyond reading, through the power of the soul. Eventually, he may never have to read again for he may know though other methods.

So it is with us. We must start here where we are. Sure there is a lot of illusion in this world and there are others worlds a lot more permanent and more real in higher realms. When we go there this world will then seem like a dream, but then the time will come when we shall also progress out of an even the higher dream. Alas, that world was not the ultimate either. If we try and solve the equations of the higher realms instead of our basic lessons then we will neither know the mysteries of the higher or to be able to live successfully in the lower. What this leads to is the seeker becoming the dreamer within the dream rather than the knower waking from the dream.

The path out of the illusion is truth. We must not cover up truth wherever it may lie or whether it be big or small. Acknowledge all reality (or non reality if you must call it that) for what it is. Do not add to or take away, cover up with deceit, or embellish with lies and you then become the truth and true paths of liberation then open before you. "You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free," is perhaps the most profound statement ever uttered.

There are two types of truth that we can ponder.

First there are true facts. These are pixels of information about events or ideas.

Secondly there are true principles. A true principle is a lever that leads to many true facts.

For instance: 2+2=4 is a true fact. If you learn this alone you will know one thing that is true but it will be of little use to you. On the other hand, if you learn the principle that governs addition and subtraction you can then obtain billions of true pieces of information about the numbers. For instance you will understand that 1+1=2, 1+2=3, 5+5=10 and so on. An infinite number of tiny pieces of data are now available.

We start our progression in truth by recognizing true facts and true data and passing it on in an uncorrupted state with no deceit. Then as our minds expand we are drawn more to true principles because we begin to realize that these truths are extremely valuable. The problem is that we cannot handle or even recognize true principles until we first have learned to deal truthfully with facts. When we see and relate true facts for what they are we become prepared to see the truth in principles as they are presented to our consciousness.

For the question of the day I'll take a statement made by Zina. She said that we can change a truth from the past so it is no longer true. Is this possible? Can we change the past? If not can we neutralize negativity from the past so it loses it power over us? How do we go about doing this?


Points in Time and Space
1 Apr 1999

I just have a minute but wanted to make a comment on Tracy's thought:

"She writes "Well, it was true at one time in my life that I could not walk. That was TRUE. It is no longer true."

Remember we are talking about truth as points in time and space. Contemplate what this important phrase means. This is a key to harmonizing all of our thought as a group.

It is true that there was a point in time and space that I was a baby and could not walk. But now I am at a different point in time and space I can walk, but that doers not change the point in time and space where I could not walk. That still exists and it is still true that as a baby I could not walk.

It is a little like walking along a path and you pass some beautiful scenery. After walking a hour the scenery changes so it is no longer beautiful. This does not mean that the beautiful scenery behind you no longer exists. You can go back and look at it whenever you desire to go back to that exact point on the path.

Points in time and space are like that. At each point in time and space is a point of truth that will always be.

We are discussing a vast subject here and it will take a while to get through it, but when we do I believe most of us will see eye to eye not because I am your authority, but because your souls are your authority and all souls are one.

Before I comment on Zina's thoughts I would appreciate it if she could give us her definition of truth so we can speak the same language.



Definition Clarification
2 Apr 1999

Zina's Definition of Truth: "Truth: is that which I know now."

This tells me very little so let me ask you some questions to clarify.

Is truth something you think you know or something you know you know?

If you think you know something to be true and is later proven false then was it really true in the first place?

If you believe you know that 2+2=3 is this still truth in your definition?

Question: If I know something now that you do not know now, is that which I know the truth? For instance the high temperature in Boise today was 54 degrees. Because I know this and you do not does this mean that this is not true? If it is not true then what is the true temperature?
JJ

Plowing with the Horses We Have
2 Apr 1999

I wish I had more time to give all your comments the time they deserve, but I feel I should at this time reply to some more of Zina's writings.

She says:
"I saw in myself the desire to walk away, that I was playing a mind game here, that could never be proven in this manner.... In the past I have walked away from the wall of ignorance, unwilling to push it, unwilling to stand over and over, and perhaps turn over a view tables in the process. I was about to, today."

Zina, how could you have changed so quickly here? Just a few days ago you were reading all the archives, thanking Rick for this list, asking me how you can help to promote the teachings and the book, and now just because I present a slant on truth that you have not considered before your feelings seem hurt and you want to walk away.

I'm sorry your enthusiasm became so dampened. Have I done anything to offend you?

The subject of truth is not a concept that I would have presented near the beginning of my relationship with this group. I knew it would be controversial and there are many other things I will present that will be controversial so I first wanted to establish a relationship with a number of you in such a way that I would be seen as having an earned authority in your eyes. Only in this way can your eyes be open enough to consider some of the things that I will teach here. To be opened enough to consider a teaching is important for without sincere consideration there can be no possibility of soul confirmation.

We have been gliding along rather smoothly for a while so I thought to myself: "It's time to put a teaching out there to stir the waters and perhaps purify to a higher degree."

The reason I asked for Zina's definition of truth was so I could more intelligently respond to her posts for if she believes the meaning of truth is one thing and I another then a frustrating communication results. She mentions mental telepathy, but we are limited to words here on the Internet and we must plow with the horses we have.

The definition she gave me was:
"Truth: is that which I know now... Not what I think, not what I believe."

Sorry I do not know what you mean here so I went back and read all your posts trying to figure out what you mean when you speak of truth and absolute truth.

Here is what I have gleaned from your writings:

You only seem to speak of truth in the absolute sense and truth as you see it lies beyond the world of perception. When we see an elephant we are not seeing any truth about the elephant. Any truth concerning the elephant lies beyond its form. If I see that he elephant has four legs that is not true in your mind. Therefore if I tell someone the elephant has three legs I am not lying.

You say the past is not true and that it can be changed. The future is not true either and that can be changed. Does this mean that Bill Clinton may have had no sex with Monica after all that he can change his past and now be telling us the truth?

Sorry, Zina, this makes no sense to me. I see this type of thinking as part of a great illusion that traps many new age people who have misunderstood the Seth books and Course in Miracles.

The way you define truth is so narrow it would make the idea of telling the truth or lying meaningless. "Sorry dear," I couldn't tell you the truth about that good looking secretary because what you think you see of her has nothing to do with truth. I couldn't possibly have an affair with an illusion."

Let's get real here. 99% of the people out there have a pretty good general idea of what we mean when we speak of telling the truth or lying. I am taking what people already correctly understand about truth and guiding them a step further.

It is true that as you progress to worlds higher than the physical that things seem to be more real and permanent, and this you call "absolute truth", but even in the higher worlds there is change and BECOMING so it's not absolute in the way you are thinking.

To say that 2+2 is not 4 is being argumentative here wit no purpose. In the any final oneness where there could not be a two plus two you would not even exist as an entity, but what good does it do us to even think about it when there are so many points of truth here in this reality to assist us in the joy of BECOMING?

Now I'll give you a couple more things (speaking to the group) that you may have not considered.

There are those who say we can change the past as well as the future. But let me present you this: You cannot change the past or the future.

No, I am not teaching the doctrine of predestination, not at all. Let me explain.

You cannot change the future because there is nothing to change. The future is not here yet. You create the future within your ring-pass-not and, when each point in time and space arrives, it is unchangeable.

Let me put it this way. Let us say you are going to make a snowball and you think to yourself "I am going to change the future and not make that snowball, I'll make a snowman instead" Time passes and you make the snowman instead of the snowball and you think to yourself: "I'm proud of myself. I've changed the future."

Not so. The snowball was never made in the future so it was never there to change. When the future arrived there was no snowball to change. The real future contained the snowman. There was no snowball to change.

Now the event is passed there is a snowman at this point in time and space, but there will never be a snowball. This point of time where the snowman was made is unchangeable when it was future and unchangeable when it slipped to the past.

Instead of changing the past and future what you do is create them. Each creation is a DECISION point. You can create or decide anything you want to, but decisions in time and space cannot be changed. If I decided to buy a new car yesterday, but changed my mind today I do not alter the fact that I made that decision yesterday. I can, however, alter the effect of that decision with an opposing decision today.

Zina brings up one more item for thought. She says that truth is not something we perceive. I would argue this point. All truth that registers in our consciousness or understanding is truth that is perceived in some way. Without some type of perception truth cannot be registered in consciousness. If you do not consider this to be true then think of anything that you know or believe to be true and tell me how you arrived at it with no perception.


The Crossing of Time and Space
3 Apr 1999

I thank you, my friends, for your patience with me as we explore the truth about truth. Your acceptance and open mindedness is greater than I expected. I know several of you doubted me as you have rightfully done several times in the past and will do so again.

The interesting thing about an exchange through the written word is that when one person disagrees he cannot start shouting and drown the other voices out. Here where the word is just the word all voices have the same strength. This forces us to look at the reasoning behind the words.

As we exchange views back and forth two, three or four times that which is closest to the truth begins to be obvious to the majority.

I very much enjoyed Glenys' comment:
"I was thinking this morning about how much we complicate our lives with complex philosophies. If JJ had asked a child the questions he asked us, he would have received unequivocal and sensible answers that were a reflection of the child's experience rather than someone else's teaching on the matter. When I was a child I knew exactly what Truth was; it's only as I've grown older that I've started to think in terms of relative and absolute truth."

This statement reminds me of the words of Jesus:

"At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Matt 18:1-4

Mark 10:15 "Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein."

?But Jesus called them unto him and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein." Luke 18:16-17

I think you are on to something Glenys. When the child is asked to tell the truth about stealing the candy bar he doesn't go through a huge internal philosophical discussion about his truth and your truth, about relative and absolute truth. He knows what the truth is and if he does lie he knows he is lying.

In speaking of "your truth" and "my truth" I am not trying to be critical of anyone who uses this term. Overall most of you who do use it are doing so with a good heart and intent. Many are turned off by the ultra religionists insisting that their way and the truth they teach must be believed or non believers will be destroyed by an angry God. We prefer an attitude that makes us not to appear imposing in such a manner to our associates. Thus when we talk about our beliefs we like to present them with the idea that it is fine if others do not accept them.

The intention here is good but let me suggest that the wording is not exactly correct. Instead of saying "you have your truth and I have mine (implying that two truths contradict) we could more accurately say: "you have your beliefs and I have mine," or "you have your way of looking at it and I have mine. In your mind you are right, but in mine what I am saying seems right to me."

We can make our words very accurate (a form of representing the truth) and yet still be a nice guy with an open mind.

Glenys also writes:
"However, I was interested in Jennifer's point about changing the past through prayer etc. Is the power of prayer outside time and space? Can you pray for a situation that took place in the past and ameliorate its severity somehow?...?

"In fact, I can't think of any credible teacher who has said that we can change the past, even through prayer. Could you comment on that, JJ?"


Prayer, thought, virtually nothing can change the past, but the effect of the past can be changed so the negativity will have no emotional effect on us. Brian gave an excellent formula for accomplishing this. If you review the past in your mind and alter it through visualization you can create a more positive reality for yourself in the present. To avoid illusion it is important that you realize you are not changing the past, but changing the effects of the past.

Interestingly Joe and Elizabeth meet a spiritual time traveler in the Immortal Book III, but it's not a time traveler like you have seen in the movies and from our reality even a time traveler cannot change the past.

To make a further clarification about truth let us examine the phrase: "points in time and space." Remember that we said that the Eternal Now is like a great mural with infinite pictures composed of infinite pixels and that each pixel is a point in time and space?

What is a point in time and space? It is actually two overlapping points. The first is the point in time. For me right now the point of time I am in is 10 PM MST, April 2, 1999. This point in time appears just once in all eternity and here am I in it at this moment. Where is my point in space? If we could see the universe a whole we would look for the Milky Way Galaxy within this structure. Once this is found we look through the billions of star systems until we come to our sun. Then we scout among the planets and we find earth. Upon the earth we discover America and within this continent we then find Idaho and finally Boise, then my house. Within my house I am downstairs in my office sitting on my chair in front of the computer typing this. This is my point in space. Putting them both together is symbolized by the two lines that make up the cross. The point where they cross is a point in time and space.

Every point in time and space within the worlds of form is a record of some event which has taken place. A snapshot of this event is absolutely true, or absolute truth, or just the truth. Whatever you call it is what it is - an actual true and real happening that can be registered by consciousness.

Memory can distort this event, but this distortion is a little like remembering a movie incorrectly. But any time you want to retrieve the event just pop the VCR tape into the machine and the playback will reveal the true reality.

A point in time and space is a recorded event that will always be.

Heather wants to know if the philosophy of creating our own reality is true or illusion.

Within our ring-pass-not we have power to create our own reality. We either create our own reality or allow someone else to do it for us. There are decisions made from outside our ring-pass-not that affect our realty over which we have no control. The best thing to do with these influences from higher lives is to accept them once you learn what the program is.

Now let us switch to a new controversy. You have heard it said that we live on many levels of consciousness, that the consciousness we have in the body is just one level. In addition to this we have the subconscious and then perhaps several levels of superconsciousness.

Now just as we looked at truth anew, let us look at consciousness anew. Do we really live at more than one level of consciousness or is this an illusion also?



More on Relative Truth
5 Apr 1999


I'll just make a few more comments on relative truth to clarify somewhat.

There are some true teachers who have talked about truth as if it were relative and other inspired works, such as A Course in Miracles, speak as if truth were absolute.

The truth is, truth seems relative, but in its essence is absolute.

Let us go back to the great mural we mentioned earlier. This great picture of pictures is composed of an infinite number of absolute truth pixels.

What happens is that as we put the pixels together we see a larger picture of truth that was not apparent before. Seeing this larger picture is relative to putting the smaller pieces together. Then later we find this larger picture is just another piece to a larger picture and this larger picture can only be seen when the smaller pieces are put together.

It is a little like putting together a jigsaw puzzle. Each piece is distinct in color and shape and does not change or shift around. Each piece has only one location in the puzzle that fits. If you shift around the pieces and try to force them to fit with your preconceived notions then you will distort the bigger picture.

The shape, color and truth about the pieces is not relative to any other piece. Each piece is what it is whether it is seen in the picture as a whole or by itself. Each piece is absolute unchangeable truth.

The only relativity involved is that the perception of the whole picture is relative to the accuracy of putting together the individual pieces precisely in the right order. When true teachers have spoken of relativity in relation to truth, this is what they were referring to.

This is a lot different than the teaching of many new age gurus about relative truth. Some of these people seem to think that the pieces shift in color, position and shape and that the shape of one piece changes the surrounding pieces. They also believe that it does not matter where you put the pieces, that the end picture will be the same for everyone.

The truth is more like this: No two people will follow the exact same pattern in putting together a jigsaw puzzle. Very few will even start with the same set of pieces. BUT if any intelligent determined person continues in the quest, he will eventually learn which pieces go where and the big picture will finally become clear. If twelve different people do the puzzle they will all differ in time and method, but in the end all the pieces will be put together in the same way.

In the end it will not by your truth and my truth, or your version of the picture and my version, but it will be one picture seen through the same eyes of the soul, one truth absolutely true and unchangeable.

Now others have mentioned different kinds of truth or truth with a small t and capital T. In reality there is it one truth. Truth is simply whatever is true or whatever is.

I did mention that facts and principles were two different kinds of truth, but this wording is not an exact representation. I had the flu when I wrote this and it was the best wording I could think of at the time. It would be more correct to say there are two methods of finding the truth. These two methods are through the understanding of facts and the understanding of principles.

The understanding of a principle accelerates the discovery of truth a hundred times or more.

When the truth of a thing is discovered, whether it be of an atom or the ultimate God, then it is just true and will stand eternally by itself in time and space.

Time and space itself are two great entities with a consciousness and life of their own, and they have a beginning and end. Time and space will eventually die and be reborn. Truth itself lives in time and space and fades out of existence and then is reborn with these great entities, but is never destroyed.

Beyond time and space, truth, as we know it, does not even exist, but to even consider what this may be like is like a slug trying to solve the theory of relativity. We are much better off to concentrate on the discovery of truth as we understand it and as we can understand it.