February 2017
Where's the Truth
06/02/17 10:58
for Sunday
from Randall Smelser
Christ Church
Peine-Stederdorf
Where is the Truth?
Facts! Recently many have complained that facts and truth are no longer important. A new term has developed: Post-factual and post-factual politics. Truth is no longer important, just emotions. But is this really new?
For the last 100 years many philosophers have rejected the idea of truth. In the last decades in religion and ethics many believe that there is no truth. “Follow your heart” is a catch phrase for many. It is believed that there is neither right or wrong, everything is gray not black and white.
In the Western World facts have been twisted in “historical” films, novels and even in university textbooks so that they are politically correct.
So why then all the commotion, this uproar?
When my heart becomes the measure of things in one area of life, then why not in all other areas? Even in the area of “science” it is happening. One problem today is that people quit taking their antibiotics when they feel better even when the doctor says to take all of the pills. Great fear often pushes out scientific facts when making some decision.
If you consider it, however, you will notice that this is not a new phenomenon, in the Bible it was also reported. Pilate knew that Jesus was not guilty. Nevertheless, in order to be politically correct, or out of fear or out of some other emotion, he delivered Jesus over to the mob’s wishes. And then he also had the gall to ask, “What is truth?” Jesus in another place said, “I am the truth.” Truth stood before Pilate but he did not want “truth.”
And now: what do think of truth? When we are honest, we live according to the Motto: Truth is good as long as it fits me. When we throw out Jesus or God, the source of truth, then we should not be surprised when everyone starts cobbling together their own truth.
