What Is Truth?
What is Truth?
A simple answer exists to this complex question, although we don't often recognize it.
Are my truths the same as yours? Absolutely not. We are two separate entities who have had experiences totally independent of one another and we have each drawn our own truths from how we perceived these experiences.
Truth is perception.
Example A
I was raised Catholic and went to a parochial school, to me, truth is that nuns can be cruel, Catholic School offers a higher standard of education to the students and Jesus Christ is the son of God. These are my truths, (perceptions).
You, however, were raised Jewish, went to a public school and you watched "The Flying Nun" on TV. Your truth is that nuns are young and pretty and kind, public education is just as good as private or parochial, and Jesus Christ was a prophet, but not the saviour nor the direct son of God. These are your truths, (perceptions).
Example B
We are both in a grocery store and a young couple in the cooler section of the store breaks out into an argument. I observe that the young man is being disrespectful in his fighting style with the young woman, you observe that the young woman is being unnecessarily difficult. My truth, (perception), is that the fighting would stop if the young man ceased to call her names during their argument. Your truth, (perception), is that the fighting would stop if the young woman stopped disagreeing with the young man and just gave in. Why? Because we are both perceiving a different person as the antagonist in the situation due to our own past experiences with arguing with our partners.
Example C
I was born poor and worked my way up the corporate ladder and you were born priviliged and were placed in your position not so much by skill, but due to your educational background. We end up as equals at work and we must interview a candidate for an executive assistant position.
A young man with no education but obviously a hard worker and in possession of a fine intellect is a candidate for the job. I wish to hire him, you wish to move on to the next candidate with no experience, but with a good education from your alma matter. To you, your perception, (truth), is that the recent graduate would make the better assistant due to their educational background. To me, my perception, (truth), is that the uneducated but highly motivated and intelligent candidate would make the better assistant. Why? Because, again, our experiences differ giving us both a different perception, (truth), in our minds.
Are my truths the same as yours?
No.
Truth is perception, pure and simple.
Copyright © 2008 Brigid Bishop
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