Roger Harty: How To Recognise Truth

.

THERE is an old saying which can apply to any aspect of life and it goes like this; There is your opinion, my opinion and then there is the truth.

This brings me nicely to my title – how to recognise truth.

To me, truth is easily recognisable once it passes the three following paradigms.

If someone is claiming to tell you a truth it should have these three characteristics.

1. Truth is not based on my opinion or your opinion.

2. Truth always works.

3. If someone is telling you a truth they should tell you in a firm but gentle voice.

Let’s examine the above in the order they are written.

No 1.  Truth cannot be based on opinion – yours or mine. The reason is, should your opinion change or my opinion change then truth changes. But truth can’t change. Truth therefore is based on fact not opinion.

No 2.Truth always works. It’s a truth because it works and it works because it’s a truth. Simple as!

No 3.  If someone is really telling you a Truth then their voice should deliver the message in a firm but gentle manner. The reason being is that if they are telling you a truth then they don’t have to convince you. If it is True it is True.

Whether you believe it or not is irrelevant and in fact if you shout or raise your voice then it can have the opposite effect as it sounds as if you have a vested interest.

This is what Jesus meant in the Gospel when he asked His disciples to spread His word.

Call to a house and spread My Word ‘ I Am(is) The Way’. If you are welcomed then great, and if not, dust off your feet at he door and spread the word to the next house.

How do we recognise it is a truth? Because it works and it always works.  Jesus says I Am is Way.

Question; What is the difference between I Am and living in the now? They are one and the same thing, you may as well be arguing over the difference between a tomatoe and a tomato!

He said I Am (is) The Way. He didn’t say I was or I will be, He said I am.

Ultimately what he was talking about was being present. Being present to His eternal love and joy. Whether you believe it or not, or understand it or not, is irrelevant. All you need to know is that it is a truth and it is a truth because it works.

That is why mindfulness is so popular – it works!

Just like air you don’t have to believe in it or understand it to breathe it, and to appreciate what it brings to your life.

The only time you have a problem with air is when you don’t have it.

• Next week I am going to write about — The original author of mindfulness.