My Take on “Truth”
I recently came across a statement in a General Conference talk titled “What is True,” and it prompted me to think a lot about how I personally define that little word “truth.” I’m treating this post like a brain dump journal entry to help me process the whole concept. If I’m off-base (and I might be), feel free to throw out your 2¢ and comment with your own thoughts. The quote reads:
"Many on earth today are only kept from the truth because they know not where to find it." Some would have us believe that truth is relative—that each person should determine for himself or herself what is true. Such a belief is but wishful thinking for those who mistakenly think they will not also be accountable to God."
-Russell M. Nelson
I struggled with that statement a bit. To me, truth feels a whole lot more individual than it does absolute. After all, any statement about God as the authority automatically assumes belief in a supreme creator. With roughly 70% of the world not identifying as Christian, where does that leave the beliefs and experiences of millions of Hindus, Buddhists, Jews, and others? Are we to dismiss their perspectives as “wishful thinking” simply because they don’t align with a particular belief system?
From where I stand, everyone’s perspective is molded by a unique mix of geography, education, upbringing, mentors, mistakes, heartbreak, and perhaps more than anything, the algorithm that social media and Netflix have them in. If we’ve got eight billion humans each living out their own story, how can one “correct” truth possibly fit us all? As a parent, I can’t imagine being the keeper of a specific set of ‘truths’ that supposedly determines their salvation but only providing the ‘right’ answer to one or two of them leaving the rest to figure it out for themselves... Yikes.
I stumbled on a video by Dr. Richard Dawkins (that darn social media algorithm at work I guess) that showcases how our experiences shape the way we see the world and how we each form our own concept of “truth.” Now, I’m not a huge fan of his ‘gotcha’ style, but in this case, I think he’s right about how personal experiences influence our worldview. I’ve linked the short clip below if you want to see for yourself:
Beyond scientific givens like gravity (the stuff that keeps your feet firmly planted and your coffee mugs breakable), is there really such a thing as universal truth? Especially in religion? I’m inclined to say no. I tend to see all belief systems—whether it’s Mormonism, Buddhism, Judaism, Islam, or Jedi-ism—as containing their own slice of truth. I love that ancient Buddhist tale of the blind men describing an elephant. Depending on which part they touch, they have wildly different ideas about what this “elephant” is. Elder Uchtdorf puts his own spin on that story (read it here), pointing out how we’re all a little guilty of leaning into beliefs that support our current view of reality. In the talk he states:
“Part of the reason for poor judgment comes from the tendency of mankind to blur the line between belief and truth. We too often confuse belief with truth, thinking that because something makes sense or is convenient, it must be true. Conversely, we sometimes don’t believe truth or reject it—because it would require us to change or admit that we were wrong. Often, truth is rejected because it doesn’t appear to be consistent with previous experiences.”
But here’s the kicker: after making that really good point, Uchtdorf then immediately highlights Christ’s gospel as the ultimate truth, which kind of implies that anyone who doesn’t line up behind that notion is either clueless or stubborn. That position bolsters what I feel is a cultural tendency of assuming a monopoly on truth and brushes aside the possibility that others’ beliefs might be just as valid in their context. It’s like we’re back to labeling non-Christians as the “wishful thinkers” we started with. Talk about ironically blending belief with truth here!
Think about it: each major belief system is embraced wholeheartedly by the people who grew up with it or discovered it later in life. What’s “absolutely true” for me might seem utterly bizarre to somebody in another corner of the world—and vice versa. The fact is: I’m just a country bumpkin born in Salt Lake (at LDS hospital nonetheless) and raised in the sticks of Wanship, Utah. Wouldn’t it be absurd for me to attempt to speak in behalf of all eight billion people out there? I only know what feels right or ‘true’ to me, which is shaped by my personal journey. Realistically, “I don’t know what I don’t know.” And the more I learn about different cultures and religions, the less comfortable I have become thinking that my slice of truth is the only slice of truth.
Yet because we do experience our beliefs as “real,” we tend to reject or dismiss whatever contradicts them. We get stuck in our little echo chambers and assume everyone else is “kept from the truth,” as if we’re the only ones who had it in the first place.
I think it’s human nature to cling to what we believe. It helps us feel safe and secure in this big, crazy, social world. I don’t think it’s a deliberate choice so much as a natural side effect of being raised in certain traditions. Familiar = comforting, so we latch onto beliefs as if they’re ironclad facts which creates formula #2- certainty = closed mindedness. This doesn’t just apply to sweeping ideologies like religion or politics, either. It’s in the small stuff too —like dog people vs. cat people or pineapple-on-pizza lovers vs. the rest of us (the correct and true pizza lovers, obviously). The trouble comes when we fuse our entire identity with a specific belief. Once we’re convinced, we start justifying, reframing, and ignoring anything that might undermine it which causes a disconnect from other people-something I personally want to avoid at all costs.
And what happens when beliefs do shift? Ouchie. The more deeply rooted they are, the bigger the quake when something rattles them. That’s why instead of “doubting my doubts,” (another Uchtdorf classic) I try instead not to over-believe my beliefs. It helps me stay open to all the different truths out there, even if they clash with some of mine. When my defenses shoot up to protect a cherished opinion, that’s usually a red flag that my ego is in the driver’s seat. That’s when I’ll pause and ask: “What belief is under attack here?” or “Why is this so triggering?” More often than not, I discover an insecurity or fear beneath it. From there, I try my best to set aside my own version of “truth” long enough to consider other angles. Sometimes I’ll even pretend I’m completely wrong just to see where that leads. That little mindset hack usually opens the door to fresh insights and growth.
Bottom line: holding too tightly to what we see as “true” has a tendency to create judgment, division, resentment and a whole lot of unnecessary nastiness in the comment section. It also deprives us of the chance to genuinely connect with people who might have something beautiful to share. I’m just as guilty as anyone and there are beliefs I still hold on to. But I like to remind myself never to let those beliefs out weigh the one thing I am 100% certain of: love. I firmly cling to the belief that the more unconditional love a religious system or philosophy has, the more truth it carries with it. If it helps people love each other better, it’s worthy of pursuit in my book.
Anyway, that’s my ramble on truth. Thanks for joining me. I’d love to hear your take, so feel free to chime in if you think I’m off my rocker. Subscribe if you want these meandering thoughts in your inbox as I write them. It’s free and probably less annoying than half the spam you already get.
Much love!
Brayden