Friday, August 23, 2024

What is truth?

 In today's world, our minds are overwhelmed and confused. The current opinions and discoveries of science determine our world view, although many people are now sceptical of climate science.

What the great thinkers of the past taught is, in many people's eyes, long outdated and no longer relevant.

Many consider the mainstream media somewhat reliable. Others think the opposite.

They believe what politicians or newspapers claim is nothing but lies. These people firmly believe in unconfirmed conspiracy theories.

But as I see it, we are inundated with opinions and alleged facts. Is everything in the mainstream media true? Of course, it isn't. But is everything false? Really?

Are all conspiracy theories false? No. Are they all true? Nonsense!

Some claim that the Antichrist will be a Muslim. Others claim the Antichrist will be King Charles of England. Some claim the Antichrist could be Bill Gates.

Are all conspiracy theories true? Simply impossible, because one theory excludes others.

A wise person does not believe everything, but he who believes nothing is not wise either.

The problem is that we cannot know infallibly what is true and what is false, regardless of whether the information comes from the mainstream media or from alternative sources.

Jesus lived in Israel 2000 years ago. For many modern and post-modern people, this means that the story of Jesus is a trivial legend.

But the Bible is still relevant. All over the world, there are 7 days in a week. One day is supposed to be a day of rest. It wasn't like that everywhere, and not always. 

The seven-day week comes from the Jewish scriptures, the first part of the Christian bible.

There are many religions in the world, but only a few so-called ‘great religions’.

Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The founders of the great religions claimed to teach eternal truth and reality. All were human, but all but one claimed to be only human.

Only one claimed to be God himself, Jesus Christ.

“You are not yet fifty years old,” they said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!”
“Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!”
Jn 8:57–58 NIV

Many people have claimed to be God, but none has been recognised throughout the world as a great teacher.

In Islam, Jesus is said to be a great prophet. Many Hindus, Buddhists and humanists respect the teachings of Jesus, but they ignore what Jesus said about his identity.

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
Jn 14:6–7 NIV

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die;
and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
Jn 11:25–26 NIV

No wise person can say this without being God himself.

Who was Jesus? A wise man? A wise man must be humble. Jesus said he was humble. A humble man does not say what Jesus said if it is not true.

I once heard a funny story. A man was visiting a psychiatric hospital.

    A patient came up to him and said:

Do you know who I am? I am Napoleon.
The visitor asked who had told him that.
The patient replied proudly, ‘God told me!’
Then a loud voice was heard from another patient: ‘I never told you that!’

Jesus was more than a great teacher of wisdom.  

Jesus was either a mentally ill egotist, or a brazen deceiver, or he was and is God's eternal Son.

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