Loving the Truth

Mike Hosey, Elder

"Truth is so obscure in these times, and falsehood so established, that unless we love the truth, we cannot know it."  - Blaise Pascal.

Pascal lived and died in the 15th century, but he remains one of the greatest contributors to western science and thought in all of history. He was a great mathematician, scientist, physicist, and philosopher. His work impacted almost all of the physical sciences. It transformed some of them. There isn't much technology today that doesn't owe something to him. 

He was a Christian.

And his quote above nailed it (precisely because he was a Christian).  Read it again. Carefully. Think about it. 

In the past, I've defined the core of love as commitment. This rings true even in Pascal's statement. If we are not committed to the truth, then we cannot know it. 

Blaise Pascal 1623-1662

As a practical behavioral truth, this is self evident. Take gossip, for example. If we hear someone speak negatively about a person, and we assume that what we have heard is true, but never analyze it to see if the statement is consistent with what we already know about the person, and especially if we never touch base with that individual face-to-face, then we are not committed to the truth and we won't know it. Nor do we deserve to know it. And if we then spread the report, then there is much evidence that we don't love the truth. Instead, it appears, at least in that instance, that we love what tickles ears and inflames discontent. 

As a spiritual truth, the bible speaks much about Pascal's assertion. It describes Jesus as the word (John 1:1-12). And Jesus tells us that if we are committed to His word then we will know the truth and the truth will set us free from our sin. (John 8:31-32). 

He also tells us that He is the truth (John 14:6).  And reminds us that if we are not committed to Him that we cannot be his disciples (Luke 14:26; Luke 14:33) and therefore cannot fully know the Truth.

Just like in the 15th century, truth remains obscured by falsehood. In fact, it is more obscured today. But Pascal's statement stands firm. The more one is committed to the truth, the more of the truth one is likely to know.