Assertional Truth

The possession of what is true is a focal point for a great deal of trouble in the world. Truth that is held up as true solely on the basis of God pronouncing it through a person or text is assertional truth. Ascribing the validity of the truth to a source that lies beyond examination with our mind, places us in the dark and forces us to rely upon blind faith. Blind acceptance of asserted truth may result in religious zealotry. A zealot can use this “truth” to rationalize behavior that harms others who do not share it. People who do not agree about the validity of the pronouncement source have difficulty coming to accord with those that insist upon its authority.

Rational Faith starts from the unity of God’s creation and uses the gift of our mind to examine the truthfulness of things. I am not advocating moral relativism. Murder is the theft of another person’s right to exist which we all share and hold dear. It is this reason and many others that murder is wrong. It isn’t wrong simply because God says its wrong in a religious text or through a prophet.

Assertional truth is not a problem, when the believer does not impose his or her belief on others. The result of pushing unverifiable truth upon others ranges from mild irritation at best to terrible human cruelty and violence at its worst. I see no reason to accept something as true if there is no way to examine it with my mind and personal experience. If the asserted truth ostracizes a person or group whose only “sin” is the denial of that “truth”, I reject it as callus zealotry.

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Published:: 4.7.07 / 10am

Category:: The Architecture of Rational Faith

Jack Caldwell 8.5.07 / 2pm

You are absolutely correct. The war we are now in is in part the result of one group trying to impose their beliefs on another. This has happened over and over through the centuries. Even the Christian church has persecuted those of their own ranks because they refused to believe in a doctrine or action imposed by the church. The Crusades were fought and blood was shed for the purpose of imposing certain religious beliefs upon another. If we ever get to the point of true freedom, religious or otherwise then we will rid the world of much of the war and bloodshed it has experienced since the beginning of recorded history.
You have great insight.Thank you for this site. Keep up the good work.

callus 2.7.08 / 7pm

callus…

I Googled for something completely different, but found your pageand have to say thanks. nice read….

top 2.11.08 / 7am

cool site…

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top 2.18.08 / 8pm

Thanks, this is good stuff….

Jason Clegg 4.3.08 / 5am

I’m supporting this idea all the way! I can not imagine who would disagree with it. On the whole – make posts like this more often.

Jason 8.3.08 / 1pm

But what of Truth that is given directly from God? I agree, one cannot (and should not even try to) push their beliefs upon others, but all too often an invitation to get the Truth straight from the Source is mistaken as a “my way or the highway” approach. Maybe there are those who base *none* of their beliefs on the written or spoken words of others, but base *all* of their beliefs on what God Himself has told them, and then only invite others to do the same. This would not be an example of Assertional Truth, but it would only be able to be examined and observed by those who have actually spoken with God. This, by the way, would encourage us to reach more and more towards Him as we all strive to communicate directly with Him, which would then accomplish many of His goals for us, and making us happier and better people.

I’m one who has learned Truth “straight from horses mouth”, so-to-speak. Anyone else’s experiences with God, whether in the Bible, in modern times, or when/wherever, only back-up and support what I’ve learned first-hand, and that’s all I ever use scriptural things like that for. They are far from the source of my knowledge, but rather they just back-up the knowledge I know from God.

None of us should rely on Assertional Truth when we have the ability to know all Truth for ourselves right at our fingertips!

Steve Crawford

Assertional Truth

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