2000-12-25 06:47:00
[Compiler's Note: The following is a compilation created by JJ Dewey in which he took previous writings on the topic of "Truth" and put them all into one document.]
I thank you my friends for your patience with me as we explore the truth about truth. Your acceptance and open mindedness is greater than I expected. I know several of you doubted me as you have rightfully done several times in the past and will do so again.
The interesting thing about an exchange through the written word is that when one person disagrees he cannot start shouting and drown the other voices out. Here where the word is just the word all voices have the same strength. This forces us to look at the reasoning behind the words.
As we exchange views back and forth two, three or four times that which is closest to the truth begins to be obvious to the majority.
I very much enjoyed Glenys' comment:
"I was thinking this morning about how much we complicate our lives with complex philosophies. If JJ had asked a child the questions he asked us, he would have received unequivocal and sensible answers that were a reflection of the child's experience rather than someone else's teaching on the matter. When I was a child I knew exactly what Truth was; it's only as I've grown older that I've started to think in terms of relative and absolute truth."
JJ:
This statement reminds me of the words of Jesus:
"At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven." (Matt 18:1-4)
"Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein." (Mark 10:15)
"But Jesus called them unto him and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein." (Luke 18:16-17)
I think you are on to something Glenys. When the child is asked to tell the truth about stealing the candy bar he doesn't go through a huge internal philosophical discussion about his truth and your truth, about relative and absolute truth. He knows what the truth is and if he does lie he knows he is lying.
In speaking of "your truth" and "my truth" I am not trying to be critical of anyone who uses this terminology. Overall most of you who do use it are doing so with a good heart and intent. Many are turned off by the ultra religionists insisting that their way and the truth they teach must be believed or non-believers will be destroyed by an angry God. We prefer an attitude that makes us not to appear imposing in such a manner to our associates. Thus when we talk about our beliefs we like to present them with the idea that it is fine if others do not accept them.
The intention here is good but let me suggest that the wording is not exactly correct. Instead of saying "you have your truth and I have mine (implying that two truths contradict) we could more accurately say: "you have your beliefs and I have mine," or "you have your way of looking at it and I have mine. In your mind you are right, but in mine what I am saying seems right to me."
We can make our words very accurate (a form of representing the truth) and yet still be a nice guy with an open mind.
Glenys also writes:
"However, I was interested in Jennifer's point about changing the past through prayer etc. Is the power of prayer outside time and space? Can you pray for a situation that took place in the past and ameliorate its severity somehow?
"In fact, I can't think of any credible teacher who has said that we can change the past, even through prayer. Could you comment on that, JJ?"
JJ:
Prayer, thought, virtually nothing can change the past, but the effect of the past can be changed so the negativity will have no emotional effect on us. Brian gave an excellent formula for accomplishing this. If you review the past in your mind and alter it through visualization you can create a more positive reality for yourself in the present. To avoid illusion it is important that you realize you are not changing the past, but changing the effects of the past.
To make a further clarification about truth let us examine the phrase "points in time and space." Remember that we said that the Eternal Now is like a great mural with infinite pictures composed of infinite pixels and that each pixel is a point in time and space?
What is a point in time and space? It is actually two overlapping points. The first is the point in time. For me right now the point of time I am in is 10 PM MST, April 2, 1999. This point in time appears just once in all eternity and here am I in it at this moment. Where is my point in space? If we could see the universe a whole we would look for the Milky Way Galaxy within this structure. Once this is found we look through the billions of star systems until we come to our sun. Then we scout among the planets and we find earth. Upon the earth we discover America and within this continent we then find Idaho and finally Boise, then my house. Within my house I am downstairs in my office sitting on my chair in front of the computer typing this. This is my point in space. Putting them both together is symbolized by the two lines that make up the cross. The point where they cross is a point in time and space.
Every point in time and space within the worlds of form is a record of some event which has taken place. A snapshot of this event is absolutely true, or absolute truth, or just the truth. Whatever you call it is what it is -- an actual true and real happening that can be registered by consciousness.
Memory can distort this event, but this distortion is a little like remembering a movie incorrectly. But any time you want to retrieve the event just pop the VCR tape into the machine and the playback will reveal the real story of the movie.
A point in time and space is a recorded event that will always be.
Heather wants to know if the philosophy of creating our own reality is true or illusion.
Within our ring-pass-not we have power to create our own reality. We either create our own reality or allow someone else to do it for us. There are decisions made from outside our ring-pass-not that affect our reality over which we have no control. The best thing to do with these influences from higher lives is to accept them once you learn what the program is.
I'll just make a few more comments on relative truth to clarify somewhat.
There are some true teachers who have talked about truth as if it were relative and other inspired works, such as A Course in Miracles, speak as if truth were absolute.
The truth is, truth seems relative, but in its essence is absolute.
Let us go back to the great mural we mentioned earlier. This great picture of pictures is composed of an infinite number of absolute truth pixels.
As we put the pixels together we see a larger picture of truth that was not apparent before. Seeing this larger picture is relative to putting the smaller pieces together. Then later we find this larger picture is just another piece to a larger picture and this larger picture can only be seen when the smaller pieces are put together.
It is a little like putting together a jigsaw puzzle. Each piece is distinct in color and shape and does not change or shift around. Each piece has only one location in the puzzle that fits. If you shift around the pieces and try to force them to fit with your preconceived notions then you will distort the bigger picture.
The shape, color and truth about the pieces are not relative to any other piece. Each piece is what it is whether it is seen in the picture as a whole or by itself. Each piece is absolute unchangeable truth.
The only relativity involved is that the perception of the whole picture is relative to the accuracy of putting together the individual pieces precisely in the right order. When true teachers have spoken of relativity in relation to truth, this is what they were referring to.
This is a lot different than the teaching of many new age gurus about relative truth. Some of these people seem to think that the pieces shift in color, position and shape and that the shape of one piece changes the surrounding pieces. They also believe that it does not matter where you put the pieces, that the end picture will be the same for everyone.
The truth is more like this: No two people will follow the exact same pattern in putting together a jigsaw puzzle. Very few will even start with the same set of pieces. BUT if any intelligent determined person continues in the quest, he will eventually learn which pieces go where and the big picture will finally become clear. If twelve different people do the puzzle they will all differ in time and method, but in the end all the pieces will be put together in the same way.
In the end it will not be your truth and my truth, or your version of the picture and my version, but it will be one picture seen through the same eyes of the soul, one truth absolutely true and unchangeable.
Now others have mentioned different kinds of truth or truth with a small t and capital T. In reality there is it one truth. Truth is simply whatever is true or whatever is.
I did mention that facts and principles were two different kinds of truth, but this wording is not an exact representation. I had the flu when I wrote this and it was the best wording I could think of at the time. It would be more correct to say there are two methods of finding the truth. These two methods are through the understanding of facts and the understanding of principles.
The understanding of a principle accelerates the discovery of truth a hundred times or more.
When the truth of a thing is discovered, whether it be of an atom or the ultimate God, then it is just true and will stand eternally by itself in time and space.
Time and space itself are two great entities with a consciousness and life of their own, and they have a beginning and end. Time and space will eventually die and be reborn. Truth itself lives in time and space and fades out of existence and then is reborn with these great entities, but is never destroyed.
Beyond time and space, truth, as we know it, does not even exist, but to even consider what this may be like is like a slug trying to solve the theory of relativity. We are much better off to concentrate on the discovery of truth as we understand it and as we can understand it.
Copyright © 2000 by J.J. Dewey, All Rights Reserved