TRUTH

I watched the film “In My Country” this morning. The story line deals with the reconciliation process between the white Afrikaners and the native people of South Africa following the end of Apartheid. It got me thinking about the difference between the TRUTH and the truth.

These days you hear and see a lot of diplomacy and partial truth. It’s like people don’t want the weight of a guilty conscience on one hand, but don’t want to bring the TRUTH to light either. “Let’s not play the blame game” has become the mantra of both liberals and conservatives when accountability is discussed, at the expense of correcting wrongs, and ensuring they don’t happen again. Relationships, alliances, allegiances, fears, and insecurities seem to be the driving forces behind this kind of thinking, and I believe it’s more prevalent now than ever.

I’ve found in the last few years that most folks just don’t want to “know” the TRUTH. It’s also become clear to me that most people aren’t consciously aware of it. However; below this denial there is a quiet part which understands that if they “know” something is wrong, they might have to do something about it to make it right. This may involve taking an unpopular stand, and the risk of disapproval. Instead they choose not to “know”. People avoid the risk of disapproval and being ostracized at the cost of TRUTH. That really troubles me.

I know it may seem that I come across as brutal, hard, and judgmental, but I don’t care. I’ve heard this before. A lot of people don’t like my directness, but I’m not here to make friends. It’s just not a high priority. Maybe if I didn’t have the one friend that I have, I’d see things differently. I believe I’m here to tell the TRUTH when I see it, and I’ve learned that doing so upsets people.

Here’s some TRUTH:

1) The love of money IS the root of most evil.
2) Comfort is a state of mind if you have the basics.
3) You can be dumb and tell the Truth.
4) You can be smart and tell the Truth.
5) You cannot be afraid and tell the Truth.
6) Every time you harm another knowingly, you harm yourself.
7) Some people stay in the kitchen (in spite of the heat) for much longer than
they should.
8) Not everyone has your best interests at heart.
9) Knowing that #8 is TRUTH does not mean you are paranoid.
10) Today, when the mainstream media is reporting on something,
they're avoiding the report of something more controversial.
11) Usually #10 involves the TRUTH.
12) Humor is not always the answer or the means.
13) Anger is not always something to avoid in yourself or others.
14) “Always” is a loaded word, as is “forever”.
15) Silence can be deafening.
16) When you start being silent about things that matter you start to stop
living.