The Truth Is Not a Hammer
The kingdom of heaven is not propaganda
“Speaking truth with love” is a cliche that has seemingly fallen out of fashion recently. We used to have the pathology of “all love, no truth.” And now we have the opposite sickness.
There’s a push not just to prioritize facts over feelings, but to give all the facts without any of the feelings. These people think they are spreading the truth, but they aren’t. They are propagandizing it, but they aren’t bringing anyone new into the fold, where truth takes root in the hearts and minds of new adopters. Why? Because that’s not how truth spreads.
Seriously. Think about their primary audiences. Are they convincing people who used to think differently, or are they preaching to the choir? My sense is, the stage is full but the pews are empty.
So how does truth do its best work? You may not like the answer, but I think we can take a hint from the most famous religious text of all time.
Chapter 13 of the Gospel of Matthew contains many of Jesus’ parables — specifically, parables about the kingdom of heaven. There’s a theme I want you to notice about them.
Here are several:
“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field.”
“The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.”
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field.”
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls.”
If you could use one word to describe the kingdom of heaven in these texts, what word would you use?
Loud? Abrasive? Propagandistic? On the contrary.
The kingdom of heaven has small and humble beginnings. Like a hidden treasure. Like a pearl in an unassuming oyster. And how does it spread? Like a seed that grows into a tree. Like yeast that works through the dough.
The meditative traditions know this well. I had a yogi once tell me, “I can teach you things, but true knowledge is not taught. The most important revelations are learned through experience. I can only guide you there.”
The best guides understand that the deepest truths are not taught, but caught.
So, the truth does not win by the sword. It does not win through online debate. And it sure as hell does not win through an executive order. Rather, it wins through relationship, guidance, and revelation when the learner is ready.
Well said! The world is full of the thunder of debate but real truth-seeking happens when open minds exchange thoughts humbly.
Your word to idea ratio is so good. These three were thrilling:
1) "All love and no truth. And now we have the opposite sickness."
2) "The stage is full but the pews are empty."
3) "The deepest truths are not taught, they're caught."
Thanks for putting this out there.