Monday, May 3, 2010

The Truth Shall Set Me Free

To define who and what you would like to become starts with five of the most basic questions regarding humanity, weather you are this or that. These questions are related with life, relationship, money, career and health.

What is “life”? Better yet, is there “life after death”? Suppose you could ask God the most puzzling question about existence and life. For the most part, I am inviting you to start thinking as a person capable of doing so. A person who is beginning to understand that when you,” make up your mind” about something, what ever it may be, you set the universe into motion. Forces beyond your ability to comprehend, far more subtle and complex than you could imagine - are engaged in a process, the intricate dynamics of which you are only just now beginning to understand.

You have come this far because we are not alone.

Men have been asking these questions for many years; the interesting twist to this is that I am sharing “mine” with you.

You see, I am five months short of my forty-ninth birthday, and to be honest I have nothing to show for it. If I were to die tomorrow, my funeral would have to be at the expense and mercy of the people who have known me over the years. However, while I was physically sick nine years ago, to the point that most people that came to see me and had doubts whether I was going to make it to another day. That particular experience taught me a very valuable lesson about life. Life I think is not an easy concept to grasp; life is also a relative term.

It is a Sunday morning, 2nd May 2010. While reading a book that came by way of my relationship with God, I came across a statement that he wanted to share with us. It goes like this, “the fastest way to stop hiding out is to tell the truth”. You see, I am still on the subject of life, and then come along a state of this nature.

The interesting thing about this statement is that I first highlighted it on the 14th August 2004; however the change of mind started on the 16th August 1997 in San Diego, California. I decided that I was going write about my life. Since then, I have been documenting some of the highlights. About nine month ago, another divine intervention took place. I met someone who inspired not to remain silent and encouraged me to share with others, my point of view in regards to the Garifuna Reality.

Here I am about to address, “my point of view”, in regards to this expression, “the fastest way to stop hiding out is to tell the truth”. The Bible puts it in another way,”the truth shall set you free"(John-8:31-32). I like this one: “only by much searching and mining are gold and diamond obtained and man can find every “truth” connected with his being, if he will dig deep into the mind of his soul.

Here is something I would like to share with you from the book of John 8:31-32. "If ye continue in my word then ye are my disciples indeed, and ye shall know the 'truth', and the truth shall make you free". In the same chapter John spoke of a woman who had committed adultery. According to the interpretation of the laws by the Scribes and Pharisees this was a crime worthy of being stoned to death. Jesus answered and said, "he that is without sin among you let him first cast a stone at her".

The next verse is deep, it goes like this, "And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one". This is the definition I found in the dictionary about the word conscience:

A knowledge or sense of right and wrong, with an urge to do right; moral judgment that opposes the violation of a previously recognized ethical principle and that leads to feeling of guilt if one violates such a principle.


Ever since I have had the capacity to reason, I've been hearing about the word "truth". I remember my first confession; I was about nine years old at the time. The priest told me, "OK my son please make your confession, tell me the truth."
About a few weeks before my confession took place; my grandmother had baked some Johnnycakes. A combination of mischief and hunger provoked me to take one of the cakes without permission. However; my grandmother had a sense of what I was capable of, therefore she took all the precautionary measures that were necessary, but to no avail.

However, in front of the priest, I felt fear. I was scared to tell a lie because I had this notion that I was in front of a person who was representing God. I remember a feeling of relief, after I confessed to him about the Johnnycake. When he told me that I was free of my sins, it was like taking a load of my back. I felt like a newborn.

Many years later my grandson Malik is now fourteen years old. He was in the care of my grandmother the same person who took care of his father and me, under the same fundamental principles. However, for about five years of his life my grandson could lie at the drop of a hat. Ever since this child was four years old, I've been having the lecture of truth with him. I may not live long enough to know what will happen between my grandson and his grandson about the principle "truth". What this experience has thought me is," the truth is not a theory; instead it is a way of life". Truth is not a "theory" because it is not something taken to be true with proof. Truth is not abstract reasoning; it is not just an idea. Truth is a way of life.

If you dig deep enough into the mind of your soul, you will find that the truth is connected with your "being". The truth is within every human being. In the book of John 14:6 Jesus said these words," I am the way, the truth, and the life. If you dig deep into the mind of your soul you will begin to understand that everything is written in one sentence." Truth is a way of life".

“The truth shall make you free” is another quote from the Bible. In times like these when so much is going on, it can be difficult to find the “truth” within. Sometimes we are like a child in a candy store, confused by what the eyes can see. The world that we are a part of today has found ways to disguise the “truth” with deceptive intelligence. We have wolves dressed up in sheep clothing. We have design masks to hide behind, pretending to be something that we are not.

I was once that child who sat in front of a priest scared to death. Fear is one of the most powerful enemies of the “truth”. Fear will distract you from the truth; fear will trap you in ways you'll never imagine.

I was very much like the woman in the parable. I had a past, and was scared about what people would say or think about me. My life was on hold because I felt dirty and unworthy. I was concerned about how I would be judged by the people who thought they knew me.

Just ride with me for a little while. You see, like so many of my brothers and sisters out there I have been searching for the truth. The quest for the truth in my life began to intensify about thirteen years ago and still continues. Thirteen years is a frame of time, it has allowed me to dedicate with conviction, my search into a zone where many are called but few are chosen.

The truth in many regards is a concept that hasn't been easy to grasp from my point of view, because man has been trying to hide the truth like a secret. When it comes down to the truth, it is so much like the light, it is self evident. It is also grounded with some fundamental principles; usually all you need is just a little common sense. Take for example the meaning of this statement," once you are born, a day will come when you will have to die". Let me try to keep it simple, at this point I am talking about a physical death, from dust to dust type of scenario. Another example would be: the sun will always rise in the east and set in the west. What I am saying here is this: these are truths that man can never change. Brothers and sisters you and I will never stop the sun from shinning, we won't stop the rain from falling.

I also believe that the Spirit of truth I am talking about lives in us. I chose the word live, because I am talking about something that is alive with energy. The truth is a form of light. To understand this, sometimes a comparison has to be made with the darkness. Now the darkness is like death, it has no life.

Is the truth a relative term? Can something be true whether you believe it or not? My opinion to the first part of the question is "No", but the answer to the second question is "Yes". However one has the choice to believe something or not. This I am convinced that a man that does not believe in something will have the tendency to believe in anything.

If the truth is relative, then it will be at my disposition to change it to please my satisfaction. If the truth is relative then it will be something that we can twist and turn when ever we please.

The standards in my opinion are set by Jesus when he said in John14:6 “I am the way, the truth and the life.” Allow me to set the record straight, I have no background in theology; I am not an expert on the subject of religion. I am a simple believer. I do believe that there is a Supreme Being. If you choose to call him God, Allah, or Buddha, that is just fine with me.

Au-le
Lubara Huya

1 comment:

Joe said...

Regarding Truth, I believe there are two types of truth - relative truth and absolute truth.

My idea of Truth can best be defined in terms of a multi-faceted diamond. Each of us owns a "facet" of the truth which is relative, but it is simply an aspect of the Diamond of truth. Relative and Absolute truths are not "right and wrong" but are just different.

Another analogy is the analogy of three blind mind holding on to different parts of an elephant. One blind man is holding the tail and thus thinks he's holding a donkey. Another blind man is holding one of the feet and thinks its the trunk of a tree and the third man is holding the trunk and thinks its a snake. None of the men are correct because the truth is they are each holding a separate part of the Elephant.

How does one reconcile "Fear of the Lord is the Beginning of Wisdom" with the quest for Truth? I'm thinking (and have read) that the Fear spoken of here is not a fear of authority but rather a reverence/awe/respect that one has to one's parents - filial fear if you will.

I'm no theologian either... I'm a believer and traveler on the path just as you are. Keep 'em coming! (the posts)