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APOLOGETICS . TRUTH. TRUTH. JOHN 18:37-38a What is TRUTH? John 14:6 Is there a difference between the WAY, TRUTH, LIFE. TRUTH. WHAT IS TRUTH SIMPLE QUESTION TO ASK HARD QUESTION TO ANSWER. TRUTH. Definition: The quality or state of being true.
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APOLOGETICS TRUTH
TRUTH • JOHN 18:37-38a • What is TRUTH? • John 14:6 • Is there a difference between the WAY, TRUTH, LIFE
TRUTH • WHAT IS TRUTH • SIMPLE QUESTION TO ASK • HARD QUESTION TO ANSWER
TRUTH • Definition: • The quality or state of being true. • That which conforms to reality, fact, or actuality. • Do you think that is complete? • Why?
TRUTH • Definition leaves room for interpretation • What is reality • What is fact • What is actuality • How does perception effect the truth
TRUTH • Paradox of the ball against the wall • Col. 2:8 • In order for truth to be defined properly it would have to be factually and logically correct • In other words “TRUE”
TRUTH • WHAT IS TRUTH NOT • Error • Self – contradictory • Deception • It could be true that someone could be deceptive but the deception is not true
TRUTH Publix Chocolate Moose Tracks Ice Cream is Delicious True or False?
SUBJECTIVE TRUTH vs OBJECTIVE TRUTH • How can a statement be both True and False? • I wasn’t talking about the object • what is the object? • I was talking about the subject (me)
SUBJECTIVE TRUTH vs OBJECTIVE TRUTH • This is a Subjective Claim • It is a claim about a Subject
SUBJECTIVE TRUTH vs OBJECTIVE TRUTH Publix Chocolate Moose Tracks Ice Cream is Medicine that Cures Diabetes. True or False?
SUBJECTIVE TRUTH vs OBJECTIVE TRUTH • This is a Objective Claim • It is a claim about a Object • Objective Truth • True for all people, in all places, at all times to whom the claim applies
SUBJECTIVE TRUTH vs OBJECTIVE TRUTH OBJECTIVE • Either True or False • Can be wrong • About Things SUBJECTIVE • NEITHER True or False • Can’t be wrong • About Feelings
SUBJECTIVE TRUTH vs OBJECTIVE TRUTH • Examples of Subjective Truth • Hair Color • Food Choices (except Brussels Sprouts, (martian heads), those are just wrong) • Media (Books, Movies, TV, etc…)
SUBJECTIVE TRUTH vs OBJECTIVE TRUTH • Examples of Objective Truth • Historical Events • Math & Empirical Sciences • Ethics and Morals • Religions How can ethics and moral and religious truth be objective?
SUBJECTIVE TRUTH vs OBJECTIVE TRUTH Lets look at Moral and Ethic claims Atheists Say that Moral/Ethical Claims are All Relative This is called RELATIVISM
RELATIVISM In relativism, all points of view are equally valid and all truth is relative to the individual. “Something can be true for you, but not necessarily for me.”
RELATIVISM • Lets look at claims and responses • “Something can be true for you, but not necessarily for me.” • This is an example of a “Self-Defeating Fallacy” • It contradicts itself, so it must be false • So “What if thatisnt true for me?”
RELATIVISM Claim: You cant know truth. Response: How do you know that?
RELATIVISM Claim: There is no Truth. Response: Is that True?
RELATIVISM Claim: You shouldn’t judge. Response: That seems like a judgement.
RELATIVISM Claim: All truth is relative. Response: That’s not true for me…
RELATIVISM Claim: Only science can give us truth. Response: Is that a scientific truth? or Response: What lab experiment was done to conclude that?
RELATIVISM Claim: You shouldn’t force your morality on people. Response: Is that your moral view?(yes) Then, why are you forcing it on me?
RELATIVISM Claim: God forgives those that obey their conscience.
RELATIVISM Lets look at Religious Claims All Religious/Moral claims are Relative to the Subject Christianity is not based on my preference It is based on Historical Fact
RELATIVISM Either Jesus Lived a Perfect Life, Was Crucified, and Resurrected, Or He Wasnt
RELATIVISM So what does that say about the Bible? If There’s No Truth, Then No Book Written by an Atheist can be True Either
SUBJECTIVE TRUTH vs OBJECTIVE TRUTH OBJECTIVE • Either True or False • Can be wrong • About Things SUBJECTIVE • NEITHER True or False • Can’t be wrong • About Feelings
RELATIVISM vs ABSOLUTE What is relative? If Truth is relative to you, then what causes you to change your opinions? Are there such things as absolute? What would happen if everything were relative? then that would be absolutely true
RELATIVISM vs ABSOLUTE What would happen if everything were absolutely true? Then we couldn’t have such things as personal preferences or things that change.
RELATIVISM vs ABSOLUTE Examples: Positive 7 is always greater than positive 5. absolute or relative? Blue is a better color than green? absolute or relative? can I change my mind?
RELATIVISM vs ABSOLUTE Unfortunately more and more people cannot distinguish between absolute truths and relative truths. We put our feelings, preferences, etc.. above absolutes to make them more palatable.
RELATIVISM vs ABSOLUTE Example: someone saying “it is true for you that Jesus is the only way to God, but to a Muslim, Mohammad would be the only way.” What is wrong with that statement?
RELATIVISM vs ABSOLUTE Such statements ignore the logical possibility of having two “only-ways” to God. We have to be able to distinguish between the two.
RELATIVISM vs ABSOLUTE We cannot argue when absolutes and relatives are mixed up. We have to be absolutely sure about what it is we know.
RELATIVISM vs ABSOLUTE If there is such a thing as truth, then we should be able to find it. If truth cannot be known, then it probably doesn’t exist. But it does exist, because you are here I know that is true.
RELATIVISM vs ABSOLUTE If we are to determine if there is such a thing as truth apart from cultural and personal preferences, we must acknowledge that we are then aiming to discover something greater that ourselves.
SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE So where does this knowledge of truth come from?
SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE Tradition Things that were taught to you parents, school, church, etc… You could also call this “Authority” If you are raised in a Hindu family, you’d most likely be a Hindu
SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE Reason We have a logical mind The Laws of logic Specifically the Law of Non-Contradiction Sometimes, we’re too emotionally attached to our views
SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE Experience Our Events/History Personal Encounters
SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE Emotion How we feel Stalin, Hitler, Suicide-bombers Emotions can inform us about truth.
SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE General Revelation What we observe in the natural world Science/5 Senses Psalm 19 and Romans 1 claim the natural world proclaims the glory of God
SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE Special Revelation Specific information revealed by God in the Bible
SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE What are your “Primary Sources of Knowledge?” Tradition Reason Experience Emotion General Revelation Special Revelation which do you tend to rely on?
SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE Generaliztion Catholics – Tradition (church doctrines) Philosphers – Reason Charismatics – Emotion, Experience Scientist – General Revelation (observation) Postmodernists – Experience (“works for me”)
SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE Which are Objective and which are Subjective? Tradition Reason Experience Emotion General Revelation Special Revelation
SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE Which are Objective and which are Subjective? Tradition Reason Experience Emotion General Revelation Special Revelation Subjective
SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE Which are Objective and which are Subjective? Tradition Reason Experience Emotion General Revelation Special Revelation Objective