April 8, 2021 at 5:17 p.m.
It's our obligation to pursue truth
It's our obligation to pursue truth
To the editor:
Growing up, I was taught the importance of telling the truth, even if it hurt.
Honesty is a highly regarded character trait that helps define a person as credible. The depths of meaningful relationships with others is heavily dependent on being truthful.
But what is true today?
How can you be truthful about information you share if you lack clarity of the reliability of those alleged facts?
And how does relative truth, which is influenced by perspective, play into this?
I love the taste of fish, but my wife doesn’t. Who's correct in describing whether or not it’s worth eating?
We live in an information age with access to various forms of media at our fingertips. However, having more information doesn’t increase the amount of available truth. Sometimes information is deliberately skewed to achieve other goals — like gaining power or wealth, for examples.
This reminds me of Arthur Sackler who, in the 1960s, used the persuasive power of advertising to promote the use of Valium. His team pitched directly to doctors that this pill was a remedy for all kinds of ailments. Within the following decade, and billions of dollars in profits later, his pharmaceutical company was accused of not warning of the drug’s addictive potential. Yet years later, the same advertising strategies were applied (and acceptable) to market another opiate painkiller — OxyContin.
On a more personal note, I can’t help but reflect on an invasive surgery I had over five years ago. At the time, my surgeon claimed the benign tumor on my pancreas that I’d been monitoring for several years with my doctor had a 30% chance of being cancerous. I had it removed and later questioned the need for the entire “whipple procedure.” The surgeon simply said that I might have developed pancreatitis. I now daily deal with surgical hernias in my abdomen and malabsorption of some nutrients for something that might have happened.
Fortunately, that experience led to my hesitancy in having a recommended triple bypass surgery a year and a half later. With prayer intervention intensifying my feelings of reservation about the upcoming surgery, I postponed the procedure. A second catherization allegedly confirmed that the blockage still existed in the arteries, but I declined the bypass surgery anyway.
Since then I’ve had no issues with my heart. Last spring — three years later — I decided to get a second opinion. The cardiologist had me complete a stress test. I passed with flying colors. The doctor shared his interpretation of the images that were taken of my heart three years prior. He determined those images indicated that two of the arteries needed no attention, while the third may have benefitted from a simple stint. He described me as a 1% heart risk.
These examples of distorted truth — motivated by pride, greed or whatever — are not intended to undermine the integrity of all skilled professionals or corporate entities that truly aspire to positively influence mankind. There is a plethora of honest and well-intended people, which can even include many political figures, that desire to ethically serve the public, to share, and act on what is true.
Ultimately, every individual has the responsibility to seek truth, regardless of how daunting this task may appear. Sorting out truth amidst the deluge of information we are constantly inundated with can be extremely challenging. This is why some call on God for clarity and discernment — not out of weakness, but to acknowledge that He’s the expert in the matter. For Jesus said that He’s the way, the truth and the life.
Although most of us are raised with the instructions to be truthful (even if it hurts) and that “honesty is the best policy,” not all people are committed to this selfless quest. It’s a hard truth to accept, but unfortunately some have other motivating factors that draw a stronger allegiance.
Truth can be found, but you must seek it. To simply accept an assertion based on a seemingly astute presentation is a discredit to the mind you’ve been gifted with. As the only truly intelligent species on earth, we’re obliged to pursue truth.
Sincerely,
Doug Johnson
Rural Portland
Growing up, I was taught the importance of telling the truth, even if it hurt.
Honesty is a highly regarded character trait that helps define a person as credible. The depths of meaningful relationships with others is heavily dependent on being truthful.
But what is true today?
How can you be truthful about information you share if you lack clarity of the reliability of those alleged facts?
And how does relative truth, which is influenced by perspective, play into this?
I love the taste of fish, but my wife doesn’t. Who's correct in describing whether or not it’s worth eating?
We live in an information age with access to various forms of media at our fingertips. However, having more information doesn’t increase the amount of available truth. Sometimes information is deliberately skewed to achieve other goals — like gaining power or wealth, for examples.
This reminds me of Arthur Sackler who, in the 1960s, used the persuasive power of advertising to promote the use of Valium. His team pitched directly to doctors that this pill was a remedy for all kinds of ailments. Within the following decade, and billions of dollars in profits later, his pharmaceutical company was accused of not warning of the drug’s addictive potential. Yet years later, the same advertising strategies were applied (and acceptable) to market another opiate painkiller — OxyContin.
On a more personal note, I can’t help but reflect on an invasive surgery I had over five years ago. At the time, my surgeon claimed the benign tumor on my pancreas that I’d been monitoring for several years with my doctor had a 30% chance of being cancerous. I had it removed and later questioned the need for the entire “whipple procedure.” The surgeon simply said that I might have developed pancreatitis. I now daily deal with surgical hernias in my abdomen and malabsorption of some nutrients for something that might have happened.
Fortunately, that experience led to my hesitancy in having a recommended triple bypass surgery a year and a half later. With prayer intervention intensifying my feelings of reservation about the upcoming surgery, I postponed the procedure. A second catherization allegedly confirmed that the blockage still existed in the arteries, but I declined the bypass surgery anyway.
Since then I’ve had no issues with my heart. Last spring — three years later — I decided to get a second opinion. The cardiologist had me complete a stress test. I passed with flying colors. The doctor shared his interpretation of the images that were taken of my heart three years prior. He determined those images indicated that two of the arteries needed no attention, while the third may have benefitted from a simple stint. He described me as a 1% heart risk.
These examples of distorted truth — motivated by pride, greed or whatever — are not intended to undermine the integrity of all skilled professionals or corporate entities that truly aspire to positively influence mankind. There is a plethora of honest and well-intended people, which can even include many political figures, that desire to ethically serve the public, to share, and act on what is true.
Ultimately, every individual has the responsibility to seek truth, regardless of how daunting this task may appear. Sorting out truth amidst the deluge of information we are constantly inundated with can be extremely challenging. This is why some call on God for clarity and discernment — not out of weakness, but to acknowledge that He’s the expert in the matter. For Jesus said that He’s the way, the truth and the life.
Although most of us are raised with the instructions to be truthful (even if it hurts) and that “honesty is the best policy,” not all people are committed to this selfless quest. It’s a hard truth to accept, but unfortunately some have other motivating factors that draw a stronger allegiance.
Truth can be found, but you must seek it. To simply accept an assertion based on a seemingly astute presentation is a discredit to the mind you’ve been gifted with. As the only truly intelligent species on earth, we’re obliged to pursue truth.
Sincerely,
Doug Johnson
Rural Portland
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