Truth

Truth is a topic that seems to become more and more cloudy in our society today.  I feel like we that believe in any form of absolute truth are becoming more strange to the world.  People who stand up for values or maintain that there is a right way and a wrong way to look at things or do things are considered more often than not, intolerant and close-minded.  I remember how shocked I was the first time I tried to take a political stance on an issue when I was eighteen.  There was a controversial ballot measure relating to marriage that I was interested in.  I researched a little bit and found out all I could about how to write to our local representatives regarding the issue.  I sent a quick Facebook message to all of my friends telling them how I felt about the measure and giving them the information I had found in case they wanted to write a letter as well.  It was short and simple and what I considered to be friendly, unoffensive and nothing more than an invitation.  I was shocked when two of my acquaintances from high school wrote me back horribly distasteful messages informing me of how ignorant I was.  They each went on to tell me that I was blinded by my close-minded views and that I was the problem with society since I was so intolerant of people who choose a different lifestyle than my own.  I can't lie when I say that this experience shook me up a little bit.  I was absolutely dumbfounded that such a harsh reaction could be drawn from a mere political opinion expressed.  I thought about these hurtful letters from my "friends" for a long time wondering if I really was as ignorant and naive as they accused me of being.  I came to the conclusion that the real issue was a difference in our views on truth.  While these people looked at truth as a personal, relative decision, I saw truth as something that was unchangeable and constant weather I or anyone else liked it or not.  I wrote back to both of these individuals apologizing for any offense that I may have caused and affirming the fact that I valued their individual friendship and insights.  To his credit, one of them replied with an apology of his own admitting that he overreacted.  This was the first of many similar experiences I have had since then in which I have had to face the debate over absolute truth versus relativism.  

The scriptures teach us that, "...truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come."  Throughout the history of the world, men have debated over many issues.  Science books have had to be reprinted year after year because the truth they teach changes.  Is this because the truth changes?  Not necessarily.  Our understanding of truth changes undoubtedly.  Man once thought that the Earth was flat.  Although every living being on the Earth were to believe this, the fact that the Earth is in fact a nearly perfect sphere would in no way change because of the way that humans perceive it.  It is an absolute truth that the Earth is round.  No debate will ever change that truth.  

President Spencer W. Kimball said,"This true way of life is not a matter of opinion.  There are absolute truths and relative truths.  The rules of dietetics have changed many, many times in my lifetime.  Many scientific findings have changed from year to year.  The scientists taught for decades that the world was once a nebulous, molten mass cast off from the sun, and later many scientists said it once was a whirl of dust which solidified.  There are many ideas advanced to the world that have been changed to meet the needs of truth as it has been discovered.  There are relative truths, and there are also absolute truths which are the same yesterday, today, and forever--never changing.  These absolute truths are not altered by the opinions of men.  As science has expanded our understanding of the physical world, certain accepted ideas of science have had to be abandoned in the interest of truth.  Some of these seeming truths were stoutly maintained for centuries.  The sincere searching of science often rests only on the threshold of truth, whereas revealed facts give us certain absolute truths as a beginning point so we may come to understand the nature of man and the purpose of his life."

My expression of an opinion based on absolute truth to my friends was not close-minded. Nor was it in any way intolerant.  It was inspired.  An ancient scientist being called a heretic for believing something true, but unheard of in his day makes him no less correct.

So what?  What is the point of knowing and believing absolute truth if it doesn't seem to actually matter in society today?  Elder Richard G. Scott gave one of my favorite discourses on the subject.  He suggests that there are two ways to discover truth: through the scientific method, and through divine revelation.  He clearly states that the scientific method has brought us innumerable amounts of truth but is limited because of its weakness such as susceptibility to human error and indefinite results.  Revelation however, has no error because it comes from the fountain of all truth.

Truth however, is of little value if we do not apply it to make correct decisions.

"Consider for a moment," continues Elder Scott, "a man, heavily overweight, approaching a bakery display.  In his mind are these thoughts: The doctor told you not to eat any more of that.  It's not good for you.  It just gives you momentary gratification of appetite.  You'll feel uncomfortable the rest of the day after it.  You've decided not to have any more.  But then he hears himself say, "I'll have two of those almond twists and a couple of those chocolate doughnuts.  One more time won't hurt.  I'll do it just once more, and this will be the last time."

Why do we do this to ourselves?  Now there is moderation in all things.  Doughnuts are not inherently evil.  Nor is my guilty pleasure:

HOWEVER...knowing what I know about health and fitness, eating this for breakfast every morning would be a choice made contrary to the truth I know.  

In a world where truth is becoming more disguised every day, I just hope that we can sincerely seek that which will last.  We waste so much time living fake lives and doing things that seem so important but bring no lasting happiness.  It is our job to help others find the truth by proclaiming what we know to be true through divine revelation.

"And also it is an imperative duty that we owe to all the rising generation, and to all the pure in heart--For there are many yet on the earth among all sects, parties, and denominations, who are blinded by the subtle craftiness of men, whereby they lie in wait to deceive, and who are only kept from the truth because they know not where to find it." -D&C 123:11-12  

We are in the last days and these, as Paul described to Timothy, are perilous times. "This know also, that in the last days, perilous times shall come.  For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof; from such turn away.  For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth."

With that said, I just hope that I can use what I know to make good decisions and become a better person today than I was yesterday.  Really though, it is super hard to do what we know is right when other things seem so much more fun or appealing.  Virtual life can seem more exciting that real life, the one we actually have, with all of it's lovely problems and trails.  Truth is easy to ignore when everyone else is ignoring it too.  This video is somewhat random in relation to everything I have been going on about today, but it points out the fact that a lot of people get lost in the superficial and forget to seek real truth and lasting happiness.

Make today a beautiful day.  Live it with no regrets and use the truth that you have to be the best you can be.