Does Absolute Truth Exist?

D
o
e
s
God
D
O
E
S
Exist?
Absolute
Truth
Or is Everything Just Relative?

© Confident Christians – www.confidentchristians.org – Page: 3
D
O
E
S
Absolute
Truth
Exist?
Is there such a thing as Absolute Truth?
Truth?

D
O
E
S
Absolute
Truth
Exist?
Let’s work backwards and talk about what truth is not…
1. Truth is not what works (pragmatism). Lies can “work”.
2. Truth is not what makes us feel good. Bad news can be true.
3. Truth is not what the majority says. 51% can be wrong.

D
O
E
S
Absolute
Truth
Exist?
4. Truth is not what is coherent/understandable. A conspiracy can
agree on a set of lies.
5. Truth is not what was intended. A good intention can be wrong.
6. Truth is not what is comprehensive. A long/detailed presentation
can arrive at a wrong conclusion.

D
O
E
S
Absolute
Truth
Exist?
7. Truth is not how we know. Truth is what we know.
8. Truth is not what is believed. A lie believed is still a lie.
9. Truth is not what is publicly proved. A truth can be privately known
(like buried treasure).

D
O
E
S
Absolute
Truth
Exist?
Knowing what truth is not, let’s now define what it is:
1. Truth is that which corresponds to reality.
2. Truth is that which matches/corresponds to its object.
3. Truth is simply telling is like it is – what is really real.

D
O
E
S
Absolute
Truth
Exist?
Greek word for “truth” - alētheia
Literally means to “un-hide”; “hiding nothing”. It indicates
that truth is always there, but must be revealed or
discovered.
Hebrew word for “truth” - emeth
Literally to have a “firmness”, “constancy” and “duration”.
It implies an everlasting substance.

D
O
E
S
Absolute
Truth
Exist?
What are the key attributes of truth?
Truth naturally excludes and is narrow
2 + 2 = 4
…not 5 or 100 or…

D
O
E
S
Absolute
Truth
Exist?
Truth is known by/corresponds to its referent
Person 1 Person 2
The dog is on person 1’s left but on person 2’s right…

D
O
E
S
Absolute
Truth
Exist?
Truth is discovered and does not change over time
We may grow in our knowledge of the truth, but it was always there.
• More exact truth may be discovered, but is always existed.
• For example, we now know the earth revolves around the sun.

D
O
E
S
Absolute
Truth
Exist?
Absolute truth is demanded and critical in life.
• Health. “We accidentally gave him too much of the medicine…”
• Finances. “I’m sorry sir/ma’am – there’s no money in your account…”
• Transportation. “I thought red meant go…”
• Advertising. “This is false advertising…”
• The Witness Stand. “I swear to tell the relative truth…”
• Relationships. “You lied to me…”
If consequences exist for ignoring truth in the physical world, what about
ignoring truth in the spiritual world?

D
O
E
S
Absolute
Truth
Exist?
Absolute Truth is immune to:
1. Sincerity.
2. Belief.
3. Desire.
If these facts about absolute truth apply to the natural world, why
think they won’t apply in the spiritual world?

D
O
E
S
Absolute
Truth
Exist?
What is Absolute Truth?
Truth that is true…
• For all people
• In all places
• For all time
Isn’t this impossible? For example…

D
O
E
S
Absolute
Truth
Exist?
Challenging the concept of Absolute Truth…
A person walks into a room and asks three people “Is it cold in here?”
Proof that truth is relative to the individual…?
Yes,
it’s
Cold
No,
feels
OK.
Feels
Hot to
Me

D
O
E
S
Absolute
Truth
Exist?
The right question: “What’s the temperature of the room?”
It’s absolutely true that it’s 70°. Truth may affect different people
different ways, but it doesn’t mean 3 different temperatures exist.
It’s
Cold
Feels
OK.
It’s
Hot
It’s 70°

D
O
E
S
Absolute
Truth
Exist?
Does Truth matter? A simple example:
• “Want to go ice skating tonight?”
• “Is the ice thick enough?”
• “Who cares?” (the postmodern response)
You could die…

D
O
E
S
Absolute
Truth
Exist?
In the absence of absolute truth, power rules.
Without a source of absolute truth, Nazism,
Racism, or any movement could be imposed, and
labeled true and acceptable.
In World War II – every Nazi soldier had a belt buckle that said “Gott Mit
Uns” – “God is with us”. Was that true?

D
O
E
S
Absolute
Truth
Exist?
The most common anti-absolute truth ideologies:
All the above views are simply agnosticism in the end – a belief of
unbelief.
• Relativism – denies absolute truth.
• Skepticism – doubts all truth.
• Post-modernism – affirms no truth.
• Pluralism – states all claims are true, even opposites.
• Agnosticism – says you can’t know the truth.

D
O
E
S
Absolute
Truth
Exist?
Relativism - “All truth is relative.”
Ultimately, relativism is self-defeating – it cannot stand up to its own
truth claim.
A question: Does that include the above statement?
• If so, then the statement is meaningless
• If not, then absolute truth exists (at least for one claim).

D
O
E
S
Absolute
Truth
Exist?
More reasons why relativism doesn’t work…
When the relativist says “There is no truth” they are asking you not to
believe them. So don’t…
• You just can’t deny some things – it’s absolutely true you exist (you
have to exist to deny your existence).
• No one would ever be wrong about anything.
• The world would be drowning in contradictions.
• The relativist believes the absolutist’s claims are false.
• Relativism is an “all sail and no anchor” philosophy.

D
O
E
S
Absolute
Truth
Exist?
Skepticism - “I doubt all truth.”
Ultimately, skepticism is self-defeating – it cannot stand up to its own
truth claim.
A question: Should we be skeptical of skepticism?
• If so, then why even consider it?
• If not, then we can at least be sure of one thing – skepticism
• Descartes reasoned to God via the understanding that he
couldn’t doubt the fact that he was doubting

D
O
E
S
Absolute
Truth
Exist?
Post-Modernism - “I affirm no truth.”
Ultimately, post-modernism is self-defeating – it cannot stand up to its
own truth claim.
A question: Do we affirm the truth that there is no truth?
• If so, then at least one truth exists.
• If not, then the original statement is meaningless.
• Postmodernism is an epistemology that holds to the limitless
uncertainty of words, with meaning having no point of
reference.

D
O
E
S
Absolute
Truth
Exist?
Pluralism - “Everything is true.”
Ultimately, pluralism’s claims are not logical.
A question: Is this woman
both pregnant and not
pregnant? Does the
pluralist believe the
exclusivist’s claims are true?

D
O
E
S
Absolute
Truth
Exist?
Pluralism “tolerates” everything. But is this good?
tol·er·ance: Leeway for variation from a standard. Physiological
resistance to a poison. (American Heritage Dictionary)
Tolerance is actually an engineering term and is a measure of how far
something (a bridge, engine, etc.) can be skewed from what is good/the
standard/true before it breaks.
Pluralism is actually exclusive – it says it’s true and all else is false

D
O
E
S
Absolute
Truth
Exist?
Agnosticism - “You can’t know truth.”
Ultimately, agnosticism is self-defeating – it cannot stand up to its own
truth claim.
A question: Do you know if that’s true?
• If so, then at least one truth exists.
• If not, then why believe in agnosticism?

D
O
E
S
Absolute
Truth
Exist?
More objections to absolute truth…
It’s arrogant to claim you have absolute truth…
• Is it arrogant for a math teacher to insist 2+2=4?
• Is it arrogant to claim only one key will fit a locked door?
• Is it arrogant to truly be right about something?
• Truth does not depend upon the attitude of the one dispensing it
Relativism is just another synonym for disbelief or agnosticism.

D
O
E
S
Absolute
Truth
Exist?
You’re narrow minded …
• Truth, by definition, excludes all opposites
• Truth, by definition, is narrow (2+2 only equals 4)
• The logical law of non-contradiction says that something cannot
be both “A” and “Non-A” at the same time and in the same
sense.
Real truth is black and white. All people may be equal, but not all truth
claims are.

D
O
E
S
Absolute
Truth
Exist?
Science is the only source of objective truth
• Mathematics
• Logic
• Metaphysical truths
• Ethics
• Aesthetics
Or… The statement ‘Science is the only source of objective truth’
The following cannot be proven scientifically:

D
O
E
S
Absolute
Truth
Exist?
David Hume/A.J. Ayer – Truth statements must either be
(1) Tautologies (e.g. all bachelors are unmarried men) or
empirically verifiable (i.e. testable via science). Therefore,
all talk about God is “meaningless”.
Since Hume and Ayer’s definition is neither a tautology or
empirically verifiable, it is meaningless and does not meet
its own test of truth.

D
O
E
S
Absolute
Truth
Exist?
Absolute Truth doesn’t apply to morals (right/wrong) …
Absolutes apply in the area of morals too. Find one person who believes
that torturing babies is morally OK.
A question: If you are married (or plan to get married one day),
do you want your spouse to be relatively faithful to you, or
absolutely faithful to you?

D
O
E
S
Absolute
Truth
Exist?
How most approach truth/knowledge in religion
Mind Heart
Objective Proof Facts
Science Binding Truth
Opinion Faith Values
Subjective Freedom Religion

D
O
E
S
Absolute
Truth
Exist?
How most should approach knowledge in religion
•Objective
•Verifiable
•Proof
•Truth
•Facts
•Faith
“Facts have nothing to do with religion” – Immanuel Kant, Prussian Agnostic

D
O
E
S
Absolute
Truth
Exist?
How can “faith” be objective?
Many people believe that faith is something you have in the absence of
truth and evidence. “Faith” does not mean believing in something that
just makes you feel good. The Greek word is “pistos”, which literally
means “trust” – something/one in whom confidence can be placed;
reliability; that which evokes trust; state of believing on the basis of the
reliability of the one trusted; pertaining to being worthy of belief or
trust; conviction of the truth; the character of one who can be relied on.
“Faith means not wanting to know what is true.” – Frederick Nietzsche, Atheist
There is a difference between Faith That and Faith In.

D
O
E
S
Absolute
Truth
Exist?
Augustine’s Proof for God from Absolute Truth
1. There are timeless and unchanging truths
• Absolute doubt is impossible (Descartes – we know we are doubting)
• I exist (I must exist to deny my existence)
2. Unchanging truth cannot be caused by:
• Sensible things because the unchanging and independent cannot be
caused by the changing and dependent (can’t give what you don’t have)
• Finite minds (for truth is independent of our minds and thus our minds
are ruled by it)
3. Therefore, there must be a timeless and unchanging Mind causing these
unchanging truths

D
O
E
S
Absolute
Truth
Exist?
The End Results of Concluding Absolute Truth Exists
• Hard Agnosticism is ruled out as a belief system.
• Relativism is ruled out as a position.
• Postmodernism is ruled out as a belief system.
• We agree that we can know things truly as they are.
“The great curse of modern philosophy is the almost universal prevailing
rebellion against intellectual self-discipline. Where loose thinking
obtains, truth cannot possibly be grasped, whence the conclusion
naturally follows that there is no truth.” – Etienne Gilson

D
O
E
S
Absolute
Truth
Exist?
Absolute Truth does indeed exist
• Absolute Truth is correspondent in nature.
• Absolute Truth is exclusive by nature.
• Absolute Truth is narrow by nature.
• Absolute Truth is a powerful and life-changing thing.
“The Contrary of a Truth can Never be Demonstrated.”
- Thomas Aquinas

D
o
e
s
God
“Any commitment, it seems, depends on two distinct elements. It presupposes
certain beliefs [to be true] and it also involves a personal dedication to the actions
implied by them.” – Roger Trigg, philosopher

D
o
e
s
God
D
O
E
S
Exist?
Absolute
Truth
It Does!

Does Absolute Truth Exist?

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Does Absolute Truth Exist?