This Night...

Many months ago, I began pondering the difference (if there was one) between truth and reality. I listened to the way people talked about both and found that almost always the two are used interchangeably. For example, in a courtroom we are asked if we will "swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you God?" So the question then becomes, is it true that someone was murdered last night? Or, is that instead an accurate statement concerning reality?

For those who have read the Bible, you will know of course the Jesus once stated that he was "the truth". That's a tough one for a society that thinks truth is as an abstract principle - a thing and not a being. Likewise, John (the apostle) said that "God is love". But how many of us understand love as a Being instead of a feeling. And, what do we mean then when we say we love someone? Or, getting back to the original point, how do you "tell the truth" if truth is a being?

Are we missing something?

I don't think that it has ever been True that someone was murdered or that someone was rejected or that someone was unloved. It might have been Reality, but it certainly wasn't True.

There is, of course, much more to say philosophically about this, but I'm compelled to bring this into the practical for the moment. When we interact with each other, we can either interact with our Real Selves or our True Selves. It is considerably safer in the short run to interact with the Real Self. That which is Real is broken and fallen and if I know, for example, that in Reality you are manipulative, then I can navigate the river of our relationship with care and avoid your traps.

Or...

Or we could interact with our True Selves. A word of caution must be said here. To interact with True Selves involves the ability to see what is not visible and hear what is not said. Now, here's an accurate statement if ever there was - we don't even understand each other when we speak plainly face to face. To understand things that are not said and are not seen is potentially even more difficult (though there are some who do this better than others). So to that point, we must realize that even when we try to see the True Self in each other, we who see still have blurry vision. To sum up, proceed with Grace and a delicate sense of self-skepticism. And now...

Safe is overrated.

I am reminded of C.S. Lewis and the land of Narnia. In "The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe", the children ask Mr. and Mrs. Beaver if the fabled Aslan is "safe". The slightly astonished beavers are taken aback by such a question, "No, no! Far from it! You must never think that he safe, for he is not a tame lion."

There is nothing safe about interacting with someone's True Self and being hurt by the same person's Real Self. But then, no one ever promised we'd be safe.

Tonight as I write, I step outside of time and move backwards. In the dark night of a land where stars are not outshone by street lights, there is a celebration, a festival at hand. This is the night when YHWH struck down the first born of the land of Egypt. The night the prisoners were released...

"There was no time for the bread to rise, bake it without yeast! Eat with your shoes on and your staff in your hand! The time of your release has come! You who were slaves, your freedom is at hand!"

And the children ask...
"Why is this night different from all others?"

Mary, do you know? Sons of Thunder, can you hear? Peter the Rock, are you shaking?

"Why is this night different from all others?"

With the death of his first born son, Pharoah summoned Moses and said, "Up, get out of here! You and your people, go and worship your God!"

"Why is this night different from all the others?"

You shall know the Truth and the Truth will set you free.

"Why is this night different from all others?"

Reality hurts. But Truth endures.

posted by Headless-in-GR @ 4/12/2004 10:52:00 AM