Friday, November 11, 2005
Universal Truth
There are a lot of opinions about Universal Truth. One is that it doesn't exist; each person has his or her personal truth, which is a very fluid thing, i.e., situation ethics. Other opinions are that Universal truth is found in the ancient wisdom of the Masters. This is more of a universal spirituality than universal truth, as it proclaims every man is God incarnate. Ironically, these two opinions are Siamese twins, just one is dressed up fancier. Both are based on the premise that each person has the final say over judging whether his or her behavior is right or wrong.
Another opinion about Universal Truth is that it's found in the Bible; God, not humans, judges the morality of personal behavior. God's Word is Universal Truth, because He's the omniscient creator of the universe and His Word is final authority. This opinion is much more stable and dependable than the other(s), because the definition of right and wrong never changes.
In fiction, the "moral of the story" represents a Universal Truth. If the Universal Truth is unique to the character, then the author is promoting the first opinion that everyman is God. The moral of this kind of story then is confined to the strict set of circumstances within the plot. It surrenders any relevancy to the lives of the readers, because personal truth is personal--it says nothing of value about someone else's life. Though readers may find the story entertaining, when they close the last page, the predominant question in their minds will be, "What was the point?"
A Biblical perspective of Universal Truth takes the stand that certain behaviors benefit humans regardless of cultural or physical boundaries. The "moral of the story' may be love conquers all, or freedom is worth the ultimate price, or integrity is a better reward than wealth. These are truths that any reader anywhere can tap into, whether or not his or her life exactly fits the circumstances of the plot. Consequently, when readers finish a book with a Biblical Universal Truth, they have an answer when they ask themselves, "What was the point?"
Another opinion about Universal Truth is that it's found in the Bible; God, not humans, judges the morality of personal behavior. God's Word is Universal Truth, because He's the omniscient creator of the universe and His Word is final authority. This opinion is much more stable and dependable than the other(s), because the definition of right and wrong never changes.
In fiction, the "moral of the story" represents a Universal Truth. If the Universal Truth is unique to the character, then the author is promoting the first opinion that everyman is God. The moral of this kind of story then is confined to the strict set of circumstances within the plot. It surrenders any relevancy to the lives of the readers, because personal truth is personal--it says nothing of value about someone else's life. Though readers may find the story entertaining, when they close the last page, the predominant question in their minds will be, "What was the point?"
A Biblical perspective of Universal Truth takes the stand that certain behaviors benefit humans regardless of cultural or physical boundaries. The "moral of the story' may be love conquers all, or freedom is worth the ultimate price, or integrity is a better reward than wealth. These are truths that any reader anywhere can tap into, whether or not his or her life exactly fits the circumstances of the plot. Consequently, when readers finish a book with a Biblical Universal Truth, they have an answer when they ask themselves, "What was the point?"
