Why do they call it "The Truth" ? (page 2)

rmt1

Whoever controls the linguistic field of meaning, a field charged with the mostly native but occasionally reprogrammable charge or valence of words and phrases, controls the perception of what is and what is not physically possible, and can overturn or contradict such silly ideas as gravity, causality, thermodynamics. "Truth" is an offensive / defensive linguistic combo. Visualize the Roman soldier with their 'right-handed' gladius of ""Truth"" and their 'left-handed' shield of Faith. When the GB chooses to offend, they charge the word "Truth" with being a single bright light in the darkness, a unique divine mandate to anger the nations, shake loose the meek, separate families. That's their gladius. Its square area (very small) is proportional to the moments in life where the universe conspires to suggest that there may be some organized methodology or ultimate purpose behind the existence of suffering and evil (very few). When the tables are turned, when the flock asks how it is the "Truth" keeps changing, they switch to defensive linguistics. The "Truth" is not a single coherent ordered list of unchanging mathematical or scientific identities or theorems, no, it is more of a fluxing list of best practices whose vector heading changes slightly in time, but which is always within just a handful of degrees of bearing/heading of the actual distant "Truth" on the horizon. Or, the Truth is as far away from them as the horizon, but at least they are pointed towards it more often than anyone else. So, they oscillate between "We have the Truth" and "We have the best wind-tacking bearing towards the Truth", depending on who's listening, who's being impressed, who's being frightened, who's being shamed. Terribly complex calculations they have to perform. The de facto absence of truth lies behind the 'shield of faith'. The square area of the shield of faith (very large) is proportional to the moments in life where one may doubt there is any truth or methodology at all (often). The burning missiles of the Devil are in fact realizations. We don't want them! Frank Herbert's Dune has Duke Leto mention of the Fremen that they have the 'esprit of secret covenant'. The impossibility of the mission, the exorbitant costs of keeping the faith, fall under the "handicap principle" of evolutionary psychology. In short, only those crazy enough to do all this crap (e.g. refrain from cheating the social contract) deserve our material support. Critical to upholding this secret covenant, and thereby the right to use the sword of truth, is the faith that a universe-class authority has bequeathed any truth to any one group at all.

WTWizard

That is a way to make people think it's the one answer out there. Out of many mainstream religions and clubs, this one sticks out as the only one that is the truth.

Or so that's what they want people to think. They have the "new light" and "new truths" words and phrases to keep changing things and get away with it. Of course, when they vacillate frequently, they cannot be telling the truth.

In fact, the "secret society" I joined to slap them in the face is closer to the truth than any cult ever will be. However, it is not called "the truth" or "the way". Why? Because the people in it are encouraged (yes, encouraged) to think on their own (which is the whole purpose of the society). The group is new, and many things are still experimental. People are encouraged to do their own thinking, and that is when errors come to light. Someone sees an error (which there are going to be), and they put it up on a public forum. Others see it differently, and they too put it up and discuss it. Those running it will pick up on these things, and make refinements. However, it is never called "new light" or "the truth", since it's everyone's job to examine it and continually refine it.

Had the witlesses taken that attitude, more people would still be in there instead of on this board. Every time they make a mistake, people would spot it and discuss it. The leaders would adapt it, and correct their flaws. Eventually, people would develop something as close to the truth as you can get (which is more likely to happen on this board than in the witless religion). Very few would leave; those who do would be going back freely. But, they are too stubborn to admit their mistakes--hence, the Tower is coming down.

LovesDubs

Every religion calls their beliefs "The Truth" otherwise we would all believe the same thing and there would be no differences or wars over it.

But then somebody gets an attitude and MY truth is better than YOUR truth starts....and wham somebody's driving a plane into a skyscraper and yelling "Kill the infidels!!"

So it becomes a happy buzz word that the witnesses in particular love love LOVE to toss around like its a badge of honor and you DONT want to be OUTSIDE that INNER CIRCLE of people who are "in the truth" or the guilt sets in.

"So how long have you been In The Truth?"

"I was born In The Truth and my father is an elder and my mother is a pioneer."

"My family has been In The Truth for three generations!"

"Being In The Truth has saved my life!"

"Isn't it wonderful how we have this Worldwide Brotherhood of friends In The Truth?"

"Oh I didnt find The Truth, The Truth found me!"

I seriously think that there may be a fourth part of the Trinity...this entity called the TRUTH. Its a Quadrinity, truth be known

poppers

It's a way of creating exculsivity and separation from everyone else because obviously others then don't have the truth - it is a convenient way of reducing their whole teaching to something memorable yet simple. And as already mentioned, it is a loaded phrase that makes breaking free of the organization all the more difficult. Quite cunning and manipulative.