The Truth is True

1999-3-30 11:35:00

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?