Who Knows "The Truth"? What is Truth? Where is Truth Found?

[Bonita]

Rick, having just written my post on the soul, I realize that I forgot to mention another source of comfort from the Spirit of Truth, one I often take for granted, and that is his ability to alleviate loneliness.  What a comfort that is.  They say since Jesus walked this earth and we have gotten to know him, that we would all be horribly lonely without him.  Who hasn’t fantasized about being alive in the first century and meeting Jesus, sitting down to eat with him, listening to him speak, asking him questions and watching him in action?  I have and I do, but the good news is that we don’t have to go any further than our souls to be in his presence.  How comforting is that?

166:3.7 Slowly the apostles and many of the disciples were learning the meaning of Jesus’ early declaration: “Unless you are born again, born of the spirit, you cannot enter the kingdom of God.” Nevertheless, to all who are honest of heart and sincere in faith, it remains eternally true: “Behold, I stand at the doors of men’s hearts and knock, and if any man will open to me, I will come in and sup with him and will feed him with the bread of life; we shall be one in spirit and purpose, and so shall we ever be brethren in the long and fruitful service of the search for the Paradise Father.” And so, whether few or many are to be saved altogether depends on whether few or many will heed the invitation: “I am the door, I am the new and living way, and whosoever wills may enter to embark upon the endless truth-search for eternal life.”

[Richard E Warren]

Bonita wrote:

Rick, having just written my post on the soul, I realize that I forgot to mention another source of comfort from the Spirit of Truth, one I often take for granted, and that is his ability to alleviate loneliness. What a comfort that is. They say since Jesus walked this earth and we have gotten to know him, that we would all be horribly lonely without him. Who hasn’t fantasized about being alive in the first century and meeting Jesus, sitting down to eat with him, listening to him speak, asking him questions and watching him in action? I have and I do, but the good news is that we don’t have to go any further than our souls to be in his presence. How comforting is that?

VERY! Thanks a billion for both enlightening posts on the Comforter.

.It’s noteworthy that John Zebedee alluded to the Comforter more than once. Evidently Christianity has known since the Spirit of Truth’s inception:

John 14:16
And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

John 14:26
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

John 15:26
But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

John 16:7
Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
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Richard E Warren

[Richard E Warren]

Thanks again for insights into your inner life, Bonita. Most instructive.

No study of truth should omit the evolved and traditional view of it. So how does the scholarly community view truth? Wikipedia has a page on it. In the page’s introduction there is this astonishing statement:

Friedrich Nietzsche famously suggested that an ancient, metaphysical belief in the divinity of Truth lies at the heart of and has served as the foundation for the entire subsequent Western intellectual tradition: “But you will have gathered what I am getting at, namely, that it is still a metaphysical faith on which our faith in science rests–that even we knowers of today, we godless anti-metaphysicians still take our fire too, from the flame lit by the thousand-year old faith, the Christian faith which was also Plato’s faith, that God is Truth; that Truth is ‘Divine’…”[6][7]

Friedrich “God is dead” Nietzsche said that!?!

On the same Wiki page is this comment about the intellectual pursuit of truth:

Various theories and views of truth continue to be debated among scholars, philosophers, and theologians.[5] Language and words are a means by which humans convey information to one another and the method used to determine what is a “truth” is termed a criterion of truth. There are differing claims on such questions as what constitutes truth: what things are truthbearers capable of being true or false; how to define and identify truth; the roles that faith-based and empirically based knowledge play; and whether truth is subjective or objective, relative or absolute.

Source/more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truth

You think university and seminary scholars would protest vehemently if truth were to be defined as it is by the UB authors–living? And shouldn’t a new concept of truth be inaugurated, making a distinction between truth with a lower case t, and Truth, upper case? Lower case would indicate relative truth, truth as it is perceived in time and space. And Truth would always refer to Absolute Truth, to God.

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Richard E Warren

[Bonita]

Rick Warren wrote: And shouldn’t a new concept of truth be inaugurated, making a distinction between truth with a lower case t, and Truth, upper case? Lower case would indicate relative truth, truth as it is perceived in time and space. And Truth would always refer to Absolute Truth, to God.

Absolute Truth is the same as Final Truth, right?  But even as finaliters we won’t know Final Truth, so why bother with something we will never know?  God, as we know him, is a living God, so I’m personally only interested in living truth.  In my mind, I consider living truth to be the one with a capital T, and the so-called truth scholars muse about is intellectual truth, which is not really truth at all, but philosophy.  Philosophy is a material mind level phenomenon, truth is a morontia soul phenomenon.

No wait, I have a better idea.  Truth with a capital T is a possession of the First Source and Center.  Truth on this level is always the same because it is existential.  Truth with a small t is the purview of the Creator Sons (Spirit of Truth).  Truth on this level is relevant, flexible, growing and alive because it is experiential.  What do you think?

 p42:4  2:7.3 Divine truth, final truth, is uniform and universal, but the story of things spiritual, as it is told by numerous individuals hailing from various spheres, may sometimes vary in details owing to this relativity in the completeness of knowledge and in the repleteness of personal experience as well as in the length and extent of that experience. While the laws and decrees, the thoughts and attitudes, of the First Great Source and Center are eternally, infinitely, and universally true; at the same time, their application to, and adjustment for, every universe, system, world, and created intelligence, are in accordance with the plans and technique of the Creator Sons as they function in their respective universes, as well as in harmony with the local plans and procedures of the Infinite Spirit and of all other associated celestial personalities.

[Mark Kurtz]

Y’all can bat the definition ball back and forth for fun and personal acceptance at any level so desired.   But, it seems all of us eventually realize we don’t own truth and therefore can never see the final “affidavit of perfection” , perhaps even as a finaliter as Bonita says.  What civil discourse needs among philosophers and truth seekers is acceptance of impotence for defining finality.  Regarding truth we seek, observe, utilize, admire, share, praise, compare, apply, work to understand and comprehend, and continue to seek for even more and better understanding for the processes and the results.  But, we don’t own any of what we see, borrow, consume, or promulgate.  Truth seeking amounts to progress making, considering all the above.  When progress is no longer desired, then could we say one’s truth is digressing?

The truth is we are partial.  It seems the ride on the pathway of truth seeking that is invigorating!  The ferris wheel goes in a circle, but the ride excites!  Turn over the rocks some more.

[Gene]

So what about the term “finaliter”

how truthful is that?

[Bonita]

Gene wrote:

So what about the term “finaliter” how truthful is that?

A finaliter is a perfected personality.  Final truth is not perfected; it is perfect.  One is experiential, the other existential.

[Richard E Warren]

Mark Kurtz wrote:

Y’all can bat the definition ball back and forth for fun and personal acceptance at any level so desired. But, it seems all of us eventually realize we don’t own truth and therefore can never see the final “affidavit of perfection” , perhaps even as a finaliter as Bonita says. What civil discourse needs among philosophers and truth seekers is acceptance of impotence for defining finality. Regarding truth we seek, observe, utilize, admire, share, praise, compare, apply, work to understand and comprehend, and continue to seek for even more and better understanding for the processes and the results. But, we don’t own any of what we see, borrow, consume, or promulgate. Truth seeking amounts to progress making, considering all the above. When progress is no longer desired, then could we say one’s truth is digressing? The truth is we are partial. It seems the ride on the pathway of truth seeking that is invigorating! The ferris wheel goes in a circle, but the ride excites! Turn over the rocks some more.

Thanks for the thoughtful comments, Mark. Good question about progress. We are told there is no standing still, one is either swimming toward life’s established goals, or drowning in a stagnant pool. There’s little to no treading water, it’s just the nature and limits of being, one of God’s wise rules.

We have been informed that capacity for the reception of truth varies, it is unique for each of us. Our spirit ‘helper’ as Ganid called it, the Spirit of Truth, can increase capacity. But even before it was bestowed, while still on Urantia Jesus was teaching truth, expanding its definition and espousing its value. He well knew he was preparing Urantia’s soil for the planting of, “the last of the spirit endowment designed to aid in the ascending search for God”, the Spirit of Truth.

Several of the 84 Truth, Beauty, Goodness quotes are attributed to the Master, either verbatim or his teachings. The first one is about progress:

  …To do the will of God, therefore, is the progressive experience of becoming more and more like God, and God is the source and destiny of all that is good and beautiful and true…. (1431.2) 130:2.7

 .

…Revealed truth, personally discovered truth, is the supreme delight of the human soul; it is the joint creation of the material mind and the indwelling spirit…. (1459.4) 132:3.4

 

“…Revere goodness and exalt truth. Choose the beautiful in place of the ugly. Love your fellows and reach out for God with a whole heart, for God is your Father in heaven….”  (1461.4) 132:4.6

 

  …He exalted love–truth, beauty, and goodness–as the divine ideal and the eternal reality…. (1583.5) 140:8.31

 

   “…Beauty is always triumphant over ugliness in the hearts of all who are illuminated by the love of truth….” (1738.4) 156:5.5

 

“…Love is the ancestor of all spiritual goodness, the essence of the true and the beautiful….” (2047.5) 192:2.1

 

 

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Richard E Warren

[Mark Kurtz]

There are times when attempts to share truth, or thinking about someone with whom to share, coupled with details of a person’s likely resistance, imagining so, frustrations develop about such resistance.  I am told my home area is within the “Bible belt” (nebulously defined, of course) and that we need to be extra careful.  Hmmmmmmmm.

Thinking about all I’ve heard and read about human resistance, it does seem to me people are effectively saying ‘No’ to God when rejecting anything other than their declared authority document, i.e. the Bible.  Can we say to people something like, ‘Do you want to dare God or say No to God by rejecting something new?’  How can we say what we believe is final when we are not omniscient?  Sharing truth can be joyful with people who are truly open.  Truth can be a marvelous “lens” through which we observe new vistas of possibilities.

My first encounter with TUB was fraught with doubt, skepticism, mockery, curiosity, and some degree of frustration, even some degree of anger.  As time passed, there came to mind joyful feelings and new clarity.  And still more joy later.  Why not share that!!!!!!

Let those who desire new vistas from new truth enjoy to the fullest the experiences of newer and expanded relationships with matter and spirit!

[Richard E Warren]

Mark Kurtz wrote:

There are times when attempts to share truth, or thinking about someone with whom to share, coupled with details of a person’s likely resistance, imagining so, frustrations develop about such resistance. I am told my home area is within the “Bible belt” (nebulously defined, of course) and that we need to be extra careful. Hmmmmmmmm. Thinking about all I’ve heard and read about human resistance, it does seem to me people are effectively saying ‘No’ to God when rejecting anything other than their declared authority document, i.e. the Bible. Can we say to people something like, ‘Do you want to dare God or say No to God by rejecting something new?’ How can we say what we believe is final when we are not omniscient? Sharing truth can be joyful with people who are truly open. Truth can be a marvelous “lens” through which we observe new vistas of possibilities. My first encounter with TUB was fraught with doubt, skepticism, mockery, curiosity, and some degree of frustration, even some degree of anger. As time passed, there came to mind joyful feelings and new clarity. And still more joy later. Why not share that!!!!!! Let those who desire new vistas from new truth enjoy to the fullest the experiences of newer and expanded relationships with matter and spirit!

Yes! And I am finally learning, don’t try to feed truth to those who aren’t hungry.

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Richard E Warren

[Bonita]

Mark Kurtz wrote: My first encounter with TUB was fraught with doubt, skepticism, mockery, curiosity, and some degree of frustration, even some degree of anger.  As time passed, there came to mind joyful feelings and new clarity.  And still more joy later.  Why not share that!!!!!!

Mark, if your first encounter with TUB caused doubt, mockery and anger, why are you surprised that others have the same reaction?  You said it took time for it to sink in for you.  Why not allow others time too?  There’s nothing wrong with exposing people to new ideas even if they slam the door in your face (figuratively speaking).  Let it settle.  The words spoken will register somewhere in their minds and when the time is ripe, may resurface for reconsideration.  That’s what happened to you and it can happen to anyone.  But it’s not our job to force fit our version of truth it into another person’s thought structure.

I have faith in letting the Spirit of Truth do his own work.  I say what I believe is true knowing that it is a relative representation of truth that may not fit into another person’s thought structure the way I present it.  It doesn’t matter.  The important thing is to share it and let Michael do his own work in translating it to the other person in his own time.  If I stay out of it, chances are it makes his work easier.  It’s not our kingdom; it’s his.

p1932:1 178:1.16 Do not forget that you are commissioned to go forth preaching only the good news. You are not to attack the old ways; you are skillfully to put the leaven of new truth in the midst of the old beliefs. Let the Spirit of Truth do his own work. Let controversy come only when they who despise the truth force it upon you. But when the willful unbeliever attacks you, do not hesitate to stand in vigorous defense of the truth which has saved and sanctified you.

p1592:6 141:6.4 Do not strive with men–always be patient. It is not your kingdom; you are only ambassadors. Simply go forth proclaiming: This is the kingdom of heaven–God is your Father and you are his sons, and this good news, if you wholeheartedly believe it, is your eternal salvation.”

[Richard E Warren]

Sage advice Bonita:

 …Let the Spirit of Truth do his own work.… 1932:1 178:1.16

How does “he” work?

…in every dark hour, at every crossroad in the forward struggle, the Spirit of Truth will always speak, saying, “This is the way.” ^{(383.2) 34:7.8}

We can recognize a certain amount of truth through ordinary experiences and experiments. But divine truth receives the validation, the “conviction”, of the Spirit of Truth. Disseminating this confirmed and living truth makes us happy. The quality of the truth we live and give is the measure of our spiritual progress. Becoming personal yet perfect living truth is the supreme goal of the ages.

This Spirit of Truth appears after religion, philosophy and science have lifted society to that level whereon revealed truth can be recognized, studied and adapted to local life. But the roots of Truth always lead back to Paradise where truth, beauty and goodness exist in absolute perfection–in Father. They are the conceptual pillars of God’s character and nature on which we build the framework to comprehend and eventually live spiritual reality.

The Spirit of Truth arrives after divine visitations like Jesus’ appearance on Urantia 2100 years ago. It is a bestowal of the Father of all gifts down-stepped to little worlds like ours through our Bestowal Sons, the Michaels. Jesus was Michael number 611,121st’s identity when on Urantia. He is now the provider and sustainer of the Spirit of Truth on millions of worlds of the ‘local universe’. His Spirit Comforter is gradually and tenderly leading Nebadon’s worlds into an age of “light and life”, even perfection.

…When Jesus was on earth, he lived his life as one personality–Jesus of Nazareth. As the indwelling spirit of the “new teacher,” the Master has, since Pentecost, been able to live his life anew in the experience of every truth-taught believer…. ^{(2062.10) 194:3.1}

The Spirit of Truth is what the name suggests. It is a personal, ever ready, ever true guide to assist us in choosing the best route to the divine shining on Paradise, to perfection of truth discernment and living. This Spirit sustains our truth seeking souls while we acquire basic cosmic education here in the flesh. Next stop–the Mansion Worlds–where we will attend schools of truth, goodness and beauty. The SofT will sojourn with us there too.

…The bestowal Spirit of Truth which invests the human minds of Urantia is unerringly responsive to truth–the living spirit relationship of all things and all beings as they are co-ordinated in the eternal ascent Godward…. ^{(647.4) 56:10.13}

It should be noted there is no individualized Spirit of Goodness nor a Spirit of Beauty. Can we assume those two will be found within, or at least adjacent to the Spirit of Truth since all three are elements of love?

…Divine goodness is more fully shown forth in the loving ministry of the manifold personalities of the Infinite Spirit. But love, the sum total of these three qualities, is man’s perception of God as his spirit Father…. ^{(647.8) 56:10.17}

We are told the SofT and beauty are intimately connected:

…The spirit which my Father and I shall send into the world is not only the Spirit of Truth but also the spirit of idealistic beauty…. ^{(1732.4) 155:6.11}

Richard E Warren

[Bonita]

Rick Warren wrote: It should be noted there is no individualized Spirit of Goodness nor a Spirit of Beauty. Can we assume those two will be found within, or at least adjacent to the Spirit of Truth since all three are elements of love?

Does this quote shine any light on that question:

56:10.17 Universal beauty is the recognition of the reflection of the Isle of Paradise in the material creation, while eternal truth is the special ministry of the Paradise Sons who not only bestow themselves upon the mortal races but even pour out their Spirit of Truth upon all peoples. Divine goodness is more fully shown forth in the loving ministry of the manifold personalities of the Infinite Spirit. But love, the sum total of these three qualities, is man’s perception of God as his spirit Father.

[Richard E Warren]

Bonita wrote:

Rick Warren wrote: It should be noted there is no individualized Spirit of Goodness nor a Spirit of Beauty. Can we assume those two will be found within, or at least adjacent to the Spirit of Truth since all three are elements of love?

Does this quote shine any light on that question:

56:10.17 Universal beauty is the recognition of the reflection of the Isle of Paradise in the material creation, while eternal truth is the special ministry of the Paradise Sons who not only bestow themselves upon the mortal races but even pour out their Spirit of Truth upon all peoples. Divine goodness is more fully shown forth in the loving ministry of the manifold personalities of the Infinite Spirit. But love, the sum total of these three qualities, is man’s perception of God as his spirit Father.

It does!

Richard E Warren

[Richard E Warren]

Ever since Pentecost (May 18, 30 AD) the Spirit of Truth has been an unfailing revealer, comforter, adviser, affectionate friend and wise philosopher to every soul that welcomes him. We are never forced to accept divine help, but the Spirit of Truth is always available to point us away from error–untruth, and toward the Father of TRUTH on Paradise.

Genuine religious experience becomes more common and more profound on worlds where the Spirit of Truth has been bestowed. He causes our expanding religious experience to coalesce with the indwelling spirit guide, the Adjuster, to provide us with the philosophical foundations of an impregnable faith. Faith rests on genuine religious experience, and is supplemented by revelations of divine truth, personal and epochal.

…On the day of Pentecost the religion of Jesus broke all national restrictions and racial fetters. It is forever true, “Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” On this day the Spirit of Truth became the personal gift from the Master to every mortal…. p.2063

It is not well known that the Pentecost bestowal marked the end of the possibility of spirit invasion, so called ‘demonic possession’ by rebel beings. Some still believe in it, the Catholic Church still practices exorcism. The pouring out of the Master’s Spirit of Truth also effectively terminated the Lucifer rebellion. And when this Pentecost Spirit was inaugurated, social and religious progress was quickened, limitless human potential was unleashed. Urantia has made more spiritual, social and material progress in the last two thousand years than in any period before.

The Spirit of Truth is the local expression of Universal Truth and another source of our wisdom. He offers the spiritual assistance needed to create a righteous character that allows us to advance in wisdom, love, and service over time and in eternity. We never own this Spirit, but he is one of our personal, loyal and faithful companions on the long, long trip to Paradise.

When we allow it, the Spirit of Truth transforms us and supplies the wisdom and direction to know and do Father’s will. And he always affirms that we are children of God, ever consorting with the presence of the Father, that “still, small voice” within, the one that hails from Paradise.

Truth, beauty and goodness are divinely intertwined concepts that attempt to convey Father’s real and partially fathomable nature. When we know one we will in some measure realize the other two. Symmetry of development is required. Spiritual, conceptual and material balance are essential to soul progress. The Spirit of Truth is the great revealer of God’s nature, and that nature is best known and realized by a soul in equal pursuit of perfection in goodness, truth and beauty. Recall these lines pointing to the need for balance?

…At one time the hope of the survival of Occidental civilization lay in the sublime Hebraic concepts of goodness and the advanced Hellenic concepts of beauty…. (1011:15) 92:6.17

 

…The great mistake of the Hebrew religion was its failure to associate the goodness of God with the factual truths of science and the appealing beauty of art…. (43:2) 2:7.9

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Richard E Warren

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