On Truth And Liberty
By Sam Weaver (09/24/03)
What is truth? Ask twenty people this question and you will get twenty completely different answers. It is a question that philosophers have been attempting to answer for millennia. Ultimately, there are two concepts of truth—two diametric approaches toward answering this great philosophical question.
The relativistic approach
One concept of truth is relativism. According to the relativistic approach, truth is dynamic—ever-changing. Truth is ultimately defined by the knowledge and wisdom of man, if not clouded by man’s disparate perceptions of truth. Scientific truth evolves as man’s knowledge and understanding of the physical universe increases. Moral and ethical truth is as diverse as the varying cultures of the world (and the laws and mores of those many and distinct cultures). Because perceptions of truth vary from culture to culture—even among individuals within any given culture—all truth is relative; and, therefore, every perception must be respected.
There is no uniform standard of truth, according to relativists, and there are no moral, ethical, fiscal, or even physical absolutes. All opinions (i.e., all perceptions of truth) are totally valid unless, perhaps, they are the opinions of those who believe in the contending (see below) concept of truth. No single culture with its particular philosophy, religion or “worldview” is superior in any way to any other culture. All truth is relative.
According to relativists, man’s ultimate goal is his own personal happiness. As long as he does not directly harm another living and breathing individual, any endeavor that a person may choose to undertake in pursuit of this goal is his absolute right. In other words, man and his desire for happiness (i.e., personal gratification) and his own individual perception of truth and justice, is the total measure of freedom. There is no higher source of truth and justice—no higher author of moral, ethical, fiscal, or even physical law—than man himself. Everything is totally relative. Truth resides in the many philosophies, theories, ideas and even in the wiles and whims of human beings.
The absolutist approach
The second concept of truth is the one that was adopted by the Founders of the United States of America. Their many speeches and writings (including, of course, the Declaration of Independence) lend credence to this statement. This second concept of truth—absolutism—presupposes a Uniform Standard of Truth.
As Creator of the Universe, God is the Author of Law. God is the Author of moral law [such as “Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.”]. God is the Author of ethical law [such as “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.”]. He has established all fiscal law [such as the law of reciprocity (“As a man sows, so shall he reap.”; or perhaps better known in layman’s terms, “What comes around goes around.”) and the Law of Supply & Demand]. Finally, God has enacted all physical law [such as the laws of gravity and thermodynamics]. Because these laws extend to every facet of rational, intelligent thought: moral (Religious), ethical (Political), fiscal (Economic), and physical (Scientific); God—as both Supreme Creator and Author of Law—is the Embodiment of Truth. [Please stay tuned for my next column on worldviews. My next column should clarify the preceding statement.]
These laws—the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God—were enacted by the Supreme and Divine Creator at or near the point of creation. They were established, in mercy, for the benefit of all mankind. They remain unchanged to this day. Because God, His Law, and His Will are unchanging, Truth will not change. Truth is absolute.
Believers in absolute truth understand that moral absolutes are a fact of life. Knowledge of these absolute rights and wrongs is imbedded by our Creator within the conscience of every sane, rational human being who has not destroyed (i.e., seared) his conscience through abuse or neglect. Rights (good deeds) should be both encouraged and rewarded. Wrongs (evil deeds) should be punished to the full extent of the law. Evil deeds are invariably the result of an individual placing his own immediate will ahead of the Will of God (in defiance of that individual’s own conscience), and/or the will or safety of another human being. Evil deeds are the result of an individual’s inherently evil (i.e., selfish) nature. It is the very nature of man to place self [i.e., one’s own immediate interest(s), safety, will and/or happiness] first above God and others. Good deeds, on the other hand, result when an individual follows his conscience and the Laws of Nature and Nature’s God, and shoves his own self-interest aside.
Relativism is the easy way out
Because of the inherently selfish and slothful nature of man, relativism is the natural human concept of truth. Relativism is the easy way out! “Don’t rock the boat!” “Go with the flow!” “To each his own.” “Let me be me.!” Sixties-era, counter-cultural radicalism solidified the concept of relativism in the United States of America. Nineteen-sixties-style radicalism (or rascalism) was nothing more and nothing less than a loosely “organized” rebellion against the absolutism of the “Establishment”. The decade of the 1960’s was “led” by countless rebels without a clue. Sixties radicals (rascals, as George Washington would have surely called them!) had absolutely no idea that the ideals they so vehemently opposed were the very ideals that made the United States of America the greatest nation the world has ever known! Only a relativist would even attempt to argue that the U. S. A. is no better than any other country on the face of the earth—that is, either a relativist or any envious citizen of any other country this side of Israel!
The meaning of Truth
So, what IS truth—ultimately? America’s Founders, collectively, knew the answer. The answer can be discovered among the voluminous speeches, writings, epistles and memoirs of America’s Founding Fathers. It can also be found within the pages of the document that so inspired them—the Holy Bible. Truth (with a capital “T”) is nothing more and nothing less than the Word and the Will of God.
No human being—regardless of wisdom, power or charisma—will ever have an inkling of the Absolute Word and Will of God. There will never be any wise, powerful or charismatic group of humans capable of achieving Absolute Truth! Thus: the First Amendment to the U. S. Constitution!
Truth is the immutable—unchanging—Word and Will of the Supreme Creator and Author of Law. A basic understanding of this concept of Truth led the American Founders toward their understanding of the idea of liberty. This uniquely American—this absolutely Judeo-Christian—idea of liberty made America the greatest of all nations; “the shining city on a hill” as Ronald Reagan, inspired by John Winthrop, liked to envision her.
Relativism, Absolutism, and Liberty
When the concept of relativism [There is no god] becomes totally dominant among American voters over absolutism [God is both Supreme Creator and Author of Law], American culture will be only a speck in the rear-view mirror of human history. Gone will be the “shining city upon the hill”. The whole notion of liberty will be a mere memory. Both the American Ideal and the American Dream will be among the debris on the top of Sir Winston Churchill’s ash heap of history.
American liberty can only be defined in one way. American liberty is the absolute right of every citizen to think, to say, and to do anything and everything he wants as long as he is both responsible to the Laws of Nature and Nature’s God, and is held accountable for any dereliction of this responsibility. Without both responsibility and accountability—without true liberty—neither the American Ideal nor the American Dream can be achieved!
In the legitimate pursuit of tolerance, equality, openness, diversity, and compassion, many today approach their search for truth (ultimate social justice) from the standpoint of relativism. These folks believe that such 1950’s-era, absolutist ideas as responsibility and accountability are not only passé, but are destructive and discriminatory. These folks are dead wrong! Not only do they not understand American liberty, but every relativistic idea that they propose, and every relativistic endeavor that they undertake, is yet another spritz on the flickering flame of American liberty.
An internal war is being waged not just in America, but throughout all of Western culture between the armies of relativism and the foot soldiers of absolutism. My next nine columns will identify the combatants and some of the weapons and tactics employed in this “War of the Worldviews”.
NOTE: This is the first in a series of ten columns designed to expound my personal views and insights concerning Western worldviews and culture. This series will document the fundamentals of what I have learned through almost nineteen years of dedicated, objective research during my philosophical “quest for Truth”.
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