What is true/truth?

[Ruthie24]

True-
Adjective
Agreeing with the facts, not false
Real or genuine
Having all the expected or necessary qualities of the specified type of person or thing

What is true/truth to you as a human being? How do you see what is true or truth in your life? Some people say that facts are true if they are only testable with tools and human senses. I say that truth and facts of truth go much deeper than that, to a dimensional level of being.

John 17:17 says
"Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth."

John 8:32 says
"Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

1 Corinthians 13:6:
"Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices in the truth."

Galatians 4:16:
"Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?"

I've often heard it said, that truth is relative. I see this as a dismissal of the truth, and a cop out. Universal truths exist throughout the very fabric of life. In my opinion, it starts and ends with Jesus Christ. For others, this might not be truth to them. It just seems that as humanity gets closer to annihilating itself, the truth becomes ever more present in our lives. Is Jesus Christ really the truth to you, and if not, why?

 

[KnowtheSilence]

What is true/truth to you as a human being? How do you see what is true or truth in your life?

Truth is what corresponds to reality - to what actually is. We can understand reality and truth by experience and reason.

Some people say that facts are true if they are only testable with tools and human senses.

I would disagree. If we cannot test or detect something about reality, it would still be true; we just wouldn't know it.

I say that truth and facts of truth go much deeper than that, to a dimensional level of being.

I don't know what this means.

I've often heard it said, that truth is relative. I see this as a dismissal of the truth, and a cop out.

If they mean it literally, I would agree that it is a dismissal. However, I've found that usually when people say that "the truth is relative," what they mean is that people can come to different understandings about what is true, and those differences can have meaningful effects in people lives. Rarely do they mean that truth itself is relative.

Universal truths exist throughout the very fabric of life. In my opinion, it starts and ends with Jesus Christ. For others, this might not be truth to them.

I'd be in the latter category.

It just seems that as humanity gets closer to annihilating itself, the truth becomes ever more present in our lives.

I'm not at all sure what you mean by this.

Is Jesus Christ really the truth to you, and if not, why?

Not. I don't believe in God, sin, the incarnation, the resurrection, the atonement, the afterlife. There isn't much in what people typically believe about "Jesus Christ" that I think corresponds with reality.

 

[bhsmte]

True-
Adjective
Agreeing with the facts, not false
Real or genuine
Having all the expected or necessary qualities of the specified type of person or thing

What is true/truth to you as a human being? How do you see what is true or truth in your life? Some people say that facts are true if they are only testable with tools and human senses. I say that truth and facts of truth go much deeper than that, to a dimensional level of being.

John 17:17 says
"Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth."

John 8:32 says
"Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

1 Corinthians 13:6:
"Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices in the truth."

Galatians 4:16:
"Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?"

I've often heard it said, that truth is relative. I see this as a dismissal of the truth, and a cop out. Universal truths exist throughout the very fabric of life. In my opinion, it starts and ends with Jesus Christ. For others, this might not be truth to them. It just seems that as humanity gets closer to annihilating itself, the truth becomes ever more present in our lives. Is Jesus Christ really the truth to you, and if not, why?

If truth goes beyond verifiable facts for you personally, then that means your are using intuition to determine what the truth is.

The problem with this, is our intuitive thinking, has been show to be quite bias, based on our personal psychology and beliefs and is not reliable.

 

[durangodawood]

....I say that truth and facts of truth go much deeper than that, to a dimensional level of being....

What is a dimensional level of being?

 

[Deidre32]

Truth, to me, is when there is objective proof to support it.

 

[quatona]

What is true/truth to you as a human being? How do you see what is true or truth in your life?

Personally, I don´t care much for this term. I´m more interested in the question "Does this idea work?".

Some people say that facts are true if they are only testable with tools and human senses.

Well, the opposite would mean defining "truth" into obscurity.

I say that truth and facts of truth go much deeper than that, to a dimensional level of being.

To a what??

I've often heard it said, that truth is relative.

I haven´t heard this said often. What I have often heard is "Morality is relative", though.

<preachings snipped>

 

[Paradoxum]

Something is true if is the actual state of reality. To 'know' truth requires evidence and good reasoning.

I don't believe in Jesus/God, since I have no good reasons to believe.

 

[variant]

Truth should provide some reliable information about the world you live in and the future states you may find yourself in.

 

[durangodawood]

Fiction can be truth.

 

[bhsmte]

Fiction can be truth.

By accident it can, if the writer of fiction had no idea what he was writing was true. If he knew it was true based on evidence, it wouldn't be called fiction.

 

[durangodawood]

By accident it can, if the writer of fiction had no idea what he was writing was true. If he knew it was true based on evidence, it wouldn't be called fiction.

No. I mean fiction can be completely purposely and genuinely truth.... even if the people and events are contrived.

 

[bhsmte]

No. I mean fiction can be completely purposely and genuinely truth.... even if the people and events are contrived.

Could you give me an example?

 

[durangodawood]

Could you give me an example?

Any earnestly written novel has some truth, even if its merely the truth of the authors impression of a place.

 

[variant]

No. I mean fiction can be completely purposely and genuinely truth.... even if the people and events are contrived.

It can be an illustration of truth.

Fiction is truth < Orwellian.

1984 < good example of what I think you are talking about.

 

[durangodawood]

It can be an illustration of truth.

Fiction is truth < Orwellian.

1984 < good example of what I think you are talking about.

What exactly is the distinction between "truth" and an "illustration of truth"?

 

[variant]

What exactly is the distinction between "truth" and an "illustration of truth"?

You can tell a story that illustrates a point that is true, which is not literally true.

 

[durangodawood]

You can tell a story that illustrates a point that is true, which is not literally true.

A point that is true is truth. Not second rate, or weak truth. But genuine true truth.

 

[variant]

A point that is true is truth. Not second rate, or weak truth. But genuine true truth.

Green eggs and ham is fiction, it illustrates a truth, the story is not true.

I'm not saying this isn't genuine, just different.

 

[durangodawood]

Green eggs and ham is fiction, it illustrates a truth, the story is not true.

Yes. The story is invented. The point it makes could be truth, if its true.

 

[variant]

Yes. The story is invented. The point it makes could be truth, if its true.

It illustrates a truth, rather than reporting one (I suppose I could say it demonstrates truth but I like the "painting a picture" metaphor better).

Since fiction is generally not "overall" true, we can speak about the various specific truths that might be found in a work of fiction.

But, to say it is just "true" loses some of the point.

If I were to say for instance "Moby-Dick is true" you would have no idea what I was talking about.

If I were to say "Moby-Dick" illustrates a truth about how revenge can consume us, then you get the point of what I am saying.