Truth! What is that?

Truth! What is that?

This election year has been the most exciting I’ve ever experienced. I’ve been glued to the radio, television and my favorite Internet sites. I’ve experienced a wide range of emotions: joy, anger, disgust and fear.  I have been surprised and excited. I've been engergized.  Most of all, I have been worried.  I am still worried.  I’m worried about the truth.  I’m concerned that there is a complete lack of respect for truth. 

In the Internet age we can select any number of facts we desire from a seemingly unlimited catalogue. This is really cool! J I can pick a sound byte from the New York Times, a quote from Fox News or a blog snippet from MSNBC.  If I am really ambitious I can add quotes from the Economic Policy Institute or the RAND Corporation. Then I mix it all up just right so that my idea seems valid.  It is easy.  If I want to - by choice or ignorance - I only have to look at a portion of the truth. I only have to look at the truth that pleases me.  And, if I choose to, I can add some strong pejorative language to denounce a person or group that I disprove of and thinks differently than me.  When I’m all done, I can frame my piece as an opinion and publish it to the world on NowPublic (NP).  (Thank you NP. I sincerely mean that.)  

However, much of what I read, hear and see is one side attacking the other side.  In all my life, I have never seen such a vast amount of opinions / editorials produced so quickly as I have seen this election year.  I see bits and pieces of the truth twisted and being used to push a partisan agenda.  I see this from the Conservative, Centrist and Liberal camps.  For example, lets look at a few quotes:

LIBERAL BLOG ENTRY

"The disastrous policies [this] the Bush Administration followed contributed heavily toward the economic slowdown, but further fueled economic meltdown. You know — Economists [they] say the economy fluctuates in cycles, from soaring, prosperous times, to stagnate moments, to economic slowdowns. BUT, there is no doubt that the failed Bush policies and horrific policy choices have turned a ‘normal’ economic slowdown into economic collapse.  These polices are the same policies that John McCain wishes to carry forward. He simply can’t run from it." 

CONSERVATIVE BLOG ENTRY

In addition, the failures of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were a result of crooked accountants cooking the books to make their bundled loan packages look like profitable risks to the Wall Street banks. These same officials got away with their crimes by lavishing money on mostly Democratic legislators, including Obama, who was the second highest recipient of Fannie/Freddie money in Congress.

CENTRIST BLOG

The name of the blog is "Clowns to the Left, Jokers to the Right".    enough said.

What is the Truth! Who’s right? 

• The left blames the right
• The right blames the left
• The Centrist blames both the left and the right.

I know the truth is out there, but how do I get at the truth?  First, I start with the definition of truth.  I define TRUTH as the knowledge of things as they really are.  Then, I use the "inside-out" approach. This approach has been around for at least 2000 years, but I will start with a more contemporary reference. Dr. Stephen R. Covey - author of the Seven Habits of Highly Successful People, holds an MBA from Harvard and a PhD from Brigham Young University.   Dr. Covey says in his book Seven Habits of Highly Successful People,  "the 'inside-out' approach means to start first with self; even more fundamentally, to start with the most inside part of self:  with your paradigms, your character and your motives."  The part that pertains to truth is the reference to our paradigms.  If we can identify the false beliefs, assumptions and prejudices in our paradigms (aka our cognitive maps), then we draw closer to knowledge of things as they really are: TRUTH!  I believe Jesus said something very similar -- in the larger context of judging others -- in Matthew 7:5 - First take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.  I believe the plank Jesus refers to in my eye represents the imperfections in my coginitive map.   If I can fix the plank in my eye, then I can see things as they really are and I can help others.  Thus, I strive to read a variety of reputable blogs from different ideologies and I examine my own assumptions.  In order to grow, I need feedback.  Therefore, I have to publish to the world in a medium that allows feedback. When I get feedback, I seek first to understand, I listen attentively and actively, I ask questions respectfully and I pursue all that is honorabl,good and true.  

I think truth is one casualty in this presidential election, but I want to revive the truth.  I want the truth and nothing but the truth.  So help me God.