Theme: Not apologetics, but personal integrity and humility are the first
steps towards finding truth. The pathway to truth is through the heart, secondarily through the mind.
With
respect to “Plato, Moses, and Aristotle” Page 157 - 163
1) Discuss the 3-column chart on page 159. Three different perspectives of reality. How does each view of ultimate reality shape life in the day to day? Which column best represents your life?
2) If we, here in the West, don’t think deeply about these questions about foundational truth - then what will inevitably shape our lives, by default?
Discuss: People who don’t do basic philosophy will be led / brainwashed by those who do.
Basic
philosophy is simply the ability to reason logically down to foundational
truths / assumptions.
People who don’t do theology will be led by those who do. Berean Christians. Acts 17:11
A Reference Guide - The standard for truth in the various global spheres
- In Christianity - Revelation - the Bible (In practice however for far too many - we look to the leaders we “like”)
- In the West - scientific evidence / logical reasoning
- In the East - truth is intuitive Becoming quiet so truth can be “dropped” into our minds / heart “That flash of insight / the light turns on / Enlightenment” The collected writings of the sages
- In Islam - Revelation - the Quran from Allah, the Hadiths (traditions) from the First Community In practice - Truth is found in trustworthy elders (community authority “Leaders critically examine for truth. The rest simply accept their teachings.” Islam is more an Oral tradition - unquestioning submission to Allah / Elders.
3) Discuss: Today there is a strong tendency to avoid thinking about these foundational questions. Our postmodern culture has made these issues irrelevant. Postmodernism teaches - life is short, it’s an accident, create your own meaning, ultimately life is irrelevant, death is the end of me (ie. no judgement day), the key value today is fun, live for today, complete your bucket list, no need to address the big issues, they are far too divisive and ultimately irrelevant etc.
To what degree have I absorbed (been
brainwashed by) these sentiments?
With respect to “The Challenge of Circular Reasoning” page 167 - 170
4) Discuss the reality of brainwashing in every culture, in our culture and subculture. How do we avoid this trap? How do we prevent / minimize the brainwashing effect as we mentor and disciple the next generation? Discuss the relationship between education and indoctrination.
By way of example - According to Einstein: A Life, a biography published in 1996, he was devoutly religious as a child. But at the age of 13, he “abandoned his uncritical religious fervour, feeling he had been deceived into believing lies”.
Christians would in turn argue that Einstein was shaped by (brainwashed?) by modernism’s foundational assumptions - reason and science are the pathway to truth.
How do we respond to experts in
our culture? Can experts be wrong, brainwashed
as well?
5) Explore
our human dilemma of needing solid answers, yet having to make
heart assumptions,
because we simply do not have the ability to verifiably prove the “truth
claims” we need to
make. (solid answers to meaning, purpose of life, what is truth,
right or wrong, what comes
after death etc.)
With respect to “A Short History of the First Principle, the Axiom for “What is Truth?” pages 171 - 174
6) What is accepted as “obvious truth” in our North American culture? Consider the following: culture’s truth standard, - reason working through science
- cosmology, origins - by chance over billions of years
- meaning / purpose of life, - ultimately there is none - we are accidents on an accidental planet. We each need to make our own meaning as best we can with what nature has given us.
- morals, ethics? - all have evolved / are the result of majority consensus, subject to change, to each his own
Discuss the reality that within any belief system like atheism / Christianity faith assumptions become concrete facts in practice and in discussion. We hold to them religiously.
7) Consider the reality of human pride. How does pride shape our thinking, our search for truth? Discuss the reality of our many limitations, our life choices, our physical, emotional, intellectual spiritual limitations. (Sidebar Page 173)
8) Discuss: My truth is first of all something that I love ie “something I want to be true” rather than something I logically know to be true.
- The epic error of Modernism may be the declaration that we are rational creatures.
- The epic error of Postmodernism may be the claim that “what I feel is truth for me”
- We are driven far more by our wants and our fears, by our subconscious drives.
- We are far more vulnerable to twisting and manipulating facts than we realize,
With respect to “Reality Checks … “ page 175 - 179
9) The best that we can do in our effort to find truth is to examine and harmonize the confirmed facts from science, from history, from experience. Discuss the danger of twisting known facts so that it supports the truth position that I want to be true. How can we avoid this temptation? How can we promote honesty, personal integrity in processing known facts?
With respect to “Religion’s Reality Checks through Careful Responses to Critics” (Page 188 - 9)
10) Compare Christianity’s approach to criticism with that of Islam’s or Atheism’s.
With Respect to “External / Internal Validation” (Page 193 -195)
11) Share stories as to how truth was affirmed by the Spirit in your
life.
12) Reread
and discuss the short section “An Honest Question” page 194. Do you agree
/
disagree
with the suggested approach? In evangelism we ask others from different
faiths to consider
our truth claims. Should we be willing .
diligent in considering theirs as well?
Wrap up
John
14:6 In Judeo-Christian thinking truth is a person, not
simply a dogma. What
difference
does that understanding make in our search for truth?
Matthew 13:10 – 17 This difficult passage describes the challenges facing us when stuck in our own “truth”. The root problem is “hearts that have become calloused.” Consider the impact of human pride / lack of humility, lack of awareness / acceptance of our creature-liness / the reality of our limitations / our brokenness.
How can we encourage these missing heart attitudes (in ourselves / in others)?
How does God attempt to develop these heart attitudes in us? How does he attempt to break through all of our defenses?
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