The Relativity Of "Absolute" Truth

It's funny how people interpret things in contradictory fashions. For instance, in this new age of greater tolerance, non-denominational churches typically gain members at the others' expense. The proponents of non-denominational churches then go on to claim that God is blessing churches that address the importance of being “relevant” to today's more tolerant and pluralistic society. 

What will the dwindling sects claim? That Jesus said the path of truth is very narrow and the general masses turning away from this “narrow path of truth” is incontrovertible evidence that theirs is the one and only “true” path.

Notice how each justifies whatever is in a very ad hoc manner. This is why I say “absolute” truth is simply a concoction of the ego. Alas, this nicely explains why there are so many opposing claims of “absolute” truth.

Who Among Us Causes Wrecks?

Some will say it's the slower of us, others the faster. But in the end, it is essentially neither. How can this be so if wrecks happen with such reckless abandon?

Because it is neither fastness nor slowness in itself that causes wrecks* but the duality of two starkly different and hence contradictory behaviors!

It seems much like politics and religion. Whereas many identify with one belief or style, the remaining must be made wrong or bad because these contradictory beliefs or styles do not lend themselves to cooperation.

*Though once they happen, it is likely fastness or slowness will greatly affect the severity of the wrecks

A Reflection On Perfection

Descartes came to the conclusion that because he had a clear and distinct idea of perfection, it was thus self-evident that such an idea could not possibly have originated from self. For how could any idea of perfection have originated from one who is imperfect, he thought? Therefore, he assumed his idea of perfection could only have been “planted” by God.

This thinking begs for a consensus as to what perfection is. Is it necessarily an objective, one-size-fits-all answer? Not likely. Perfection seems to me a totality of many peoples' oftentimes opposing perspectives.

For Goldilocks was happy with porridge neither too hot nor too cold. Neither was she happy with a bed too soft nor too hard. But this was only Goldilocks' idea of perfection. Obviously the mother and father bear had different ideas as to what perfection entailed. Likewise, my idea of perfection will not necessarily correspond to Descartes'. Or yours for that matter.

Perhaps they are all "perfectly right", though replete with contradictions? If this is the case, does not perfection seem to lose its meaning?

On the other hand, is there one out there arrogant enough to claim his idea of "perfection" is the one, true face of it? Surely so, as there are MANY out there that claim this. But how are we to account for the fact that many of these claims conflict with one another?

To restate, must perfection be an absolute, one-size-fits-all idea? If it is, whose idea represents its "true" face? If it is not, nobody will be happy with perfection because it would in this case be a “mixture” of everybody's oftentimes conflicting ideas of it.

Perhaps one who has a seemingly imperfect picture of perfection might just have the “correct” picture of it. Oh the irony!

An Alternative To Incessant Fighting Over Ideology

The Israeli/Palestinian conflict is a great example whereby controlling thought (akin to Huxley's "Brave New World") could create a peaceful society, at least relatively so. Just “deprogram” all the contradictory dogma both have been indoctrinated with and simply replace it with an identical ideology into both populations. It matters little what it is so long as both believe it. You must worship Mickey Mouse if you want to be spared from a hellish eternity!

My prediction is they would instantly be more friendly to one another! I am not seriously suggesting this be done (assuming it is or ever will be possible), but am simply posing it as an alternative to incessant fighting and arguing over who is supposedly “right”.

Many will say this control of thought would be evil. But upon further reflection, it seems to be the awareness of having thought controlled, not the control itself, that makes it so evil. What if nobody knew thought was controlled simply as a means to get everybody to agree?

If one still thinks this would be a miserable reality, how is it any less so if by not controlling thought people continue to kill and maim each other over differences in "opinion"?

 It seems then that life is forever destined to have misery as company.