January 17, 2008
In the February issue of The Writer magazine, I learned of a new word coined by a television comedian. This word was named Word of the Year in 2006 by Merriam-Webster, so I’m a bit red-faced at being behind the times. Nevertheless, the definition of this word is quite familiar.
The word is “truthiness.” It comes from the current thinking that facts do not matter; perception is everything. In other words, truthiness means that something is true because a person believes it’s true, even if it is false.
The article linked this word to the way current political candidates rework language so they can say something no one wants to hear and make it sound good. Words like “increased taxes” are massaged to “necessary revenue enhancements.”
As I read the article, I linked it to the way this kind of thinking has almost obliterated the concept of absolute truth. It has particularly affected the Gospel and given people yet another reason to reject it.
Not that this reason has never existed. Long before this word was coined, people would say about the claims of Jesus Christ, “That is true for you, but it is not true for me.” For them, truth is about their perception. If it doesn’t feel true, or seem plausible, or they don’t want to believe it, then it isn’t true.
Truthiness affects how a person thinks they can be saved from sin and go to heaven when they die. Absolute truth says that Jesus died for our sins, and by believing in Him we can have eternal life. “But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe” (Galatians 3:22).
Truthiness ignores the claims of Christ and the clear teaching of Scripture. Instead, it says “If I’m a good person, God will let me in.” Millions of people believe this, mostly because pride wants it to be true. Because so many think this way, in their minds the ‘gospel of good works’ must be true, even though God’s Word declares that it is false.
Truthiness describes the thinking in cults also. My brother told me that because there are so many followers in the religious group he belongs to, and because all of them are convinced they are right (and everyone else is wrong), then his cult must be the true ‘faith’— even though what he believes is contrary to what the Bible says.
I’ve tried to point out the illogical side of truthiness to a few people. For instance, if someone told me my house was on fire and I felt that it wasn’t, obviously my opinion or perception is more than risky. If the house is on fire, perception will not change that reality. A call to the fire department might, but if I am unconvinced, my opinion could mean disaster, not only for my house but my very life.
Politicians and salesmen and others use euphemisms to cover up words that might make them unpopular or expose the flaws in their views, or in what they are trying to sell. The idea of making it sound good helps people to think it (whatever it is) is good, or good for them—even if it isn’t. This is not only deceptive, but insincere. Even those who cannot decipher their truthiness language can sense that something is not right. How can a person vote for the best candidate (or purchase the best car) without having clear information?
The same question applies to spiritual matters. Who can make an intelligent decision about the claims of Jesus Christ if the message is massaged to the point of being palatable—but no longer true?
I thank God that He doesn’t waffle or massage His words. Some of what He says is difficult to understand, but that is seldom the real problem people have with it. They don’t like what they do understand. Sadly, instead of exploring the truth and God’s solution for it, this so-called enlightened generation, including its cults and isms, think that the best way to deal with plain truth is to rework it into truthiness. That way, they reword the Bible, or its message, into something people like to hear. Their version is no longer true, but at least they can sell it to those who prefer truthiness to truth.
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