The Gift of Contemplation

Ultimately, truth is the conveyor belt on which freedom is delivered but what is truth?

The purpose of this piece is to encourage Humans of the Earth Planet to embrace genuine curiosity about everything without which much of what we consider to be human progress would be impossible. We must not become so "woke" that we allow our own conscious and unconscious biases to rob us of an enviable future.

I truly (here goes that word again, truth) believe that the ability to change one’s own mind is one of the most underrated of all ability types.

To be able to admit that one's sphere of knowledge is limited such that when one comes across a superior view point, one is able to change as required. It would seem that this ability (contemplation) is a gift that is possessed by only a few today.

For the very first thirty years of my life, I professed Christianity as a religion. I was one of those who fiercely defended the faith against the darts and arrows fired by those who identify as atheists. I was convinced that there was no other way apart from the Christian boulevard.

In my defence, I was born into Christianity and it was all I knew. Verses such as "No other way to God except through the man Jesus Christ" gave me ammunition to ward off any contrary views. I have since matured and learn to consider the genuine questions that people have about the veracity of the claims within the Christian faith and any other faith system.

Just so we are clear, I am not here to advance any anti-Christian rhetoric. Far be it from me to pursue such path besides, doing so would be counter to the point which I wish to advance which is the need for more people to be more accommodating and respectful of other people's point of view.

It is perfectly okay to have a strong point of view (this is perfectly human) but to understand that others too have a right to believe whatever they choose to.

No, I am not suggesting that everyone become a free-thinker (whatever that means), but I certainly hold the view that we should learn to be more respective of other people's worldview. None of us have a monopoly of view.

I believe that there is really nothing more elegant than a mind that can be changed in the face of superior argument.

I am on a search for meaning and truth and the irony is not lost on me because the very nature of truth presents a true challenge for anyone in pursuit of it. Some have defined truth as the property of being in accord with fact or reality. In everyday language, truth is typically ascribed to things that aim to represent reality or otherwise correspond to it, such as beliefs, propositions, and declarative sentences.

The above description of truth is easily met with many obvious challenges one of which is the nature of facts and reality. Yes, if truth is the attribute of something being in accord with fact or reality, what happens when reality is rigged? what happens when facts are doctored?

We live in a notoriously noisy world where lies often masquerade as truth. In this era of Information-Industrial Complex rife with concealment, disinformation and misinformation as seen with Fake-news and Deep-fakes, mankind must consciously contend for truth because truth is the key to freedom.

If truth is the attribute of something being in accord with fact or reality, what happens when reality is rigged? What happens when facts are doctored?

When I say conscious contention, I am affirming that this would require an active choice to understand others even as we seek to be understood. It does not mean that we would all agree but that we would be prudent enough to be willing to be wrong.

It is okay to change your mind. Afterall, we are human beings.