Written by Gavin Palmer practicing a relationship with the Greatest Intentions

Serious content should have version control with historical changes.

• What are my goals?
  • I learn.
  • I give intent.
  • I invite feedback.
  • I give progress.
  • I give outcomes.
  • I seek peace.

What is Truth?

Words are symbols and symbols can attempt to point at the Truth. The territory is real and the map attempts to point at the territory.

What is not Truth?

Words are not Truth when they do not serve our group’s goals. Our group are those who know and share intentions to facilitate cooperation. I see powerful people who are not in my group and do not speak Truth because they do not share my goals for peace on Earth.

People will ask “who are ‘they’?”. The “they” are those people who do not share our group’s intentions and goals.

Familiar Words Used in Strange Ways

My 5 year old son was playing with my 1 year old daughter and he was gently saying “ow, ow, ow, ow” while smiling and enjoying their play time. My wife and I think saying “ow” is not right. We use the word “ow” to indicate pain. We don’t use the word “ow” to indicate pleasure and play. Saying “ow” in this situation is not Truth in our family. We are teaching familiarity with words in context. Notice the similarity between the words “family” and “familiarity”.

This experience of “ow” shines light on what is not Truth. The Truth depends on the definition of words and the way we use words. And so there may be families who use the word “ow” while playing and use the word “ouch” when there is pain. If my family interacts with the other family then both families may be tempted to judge the other family as liars or idiots if we don’t try to learn the way they use words.

This immature judging, or prejudice, between families can play out on larger scales across time and space and culture and institutions. This kind of prejudice is especially rampant among people who will not consider alternative ways of using words. People who cling to familiar ways of using words while stubbornly rejecting unfamiliar ways of using words are prejudiced by my definition be cause they are judging prematurely.

Our first interpretation of the other person’s words is not Truth. We really can’t be sure about the way they are using their words. If we seek to learn the Truth from other people we must be willing to consider new ways of using words so that the Truth known by others may be revealed as something that we have already understood or something that we have not understood yet.

People and Truth

Wise People

Wise people are very careful with their words.

Honest People

Honest people use words with the intent to teach and learn.

Deceptive People

Deceptive people use words with the intent to distract people.

Stubborn People

Stubborn people cling to their ways.

Christian People

Non Standard Definition Related to this Post

A Christian is a person who attempts to be like Christ: a king of kings.

• previous thoughts about the Christian

More Standard Definition Less Related to this Post

A Christian is a person who has invites Jesus to help.

Christ

Christ is the person who serves the Creator and leads the church and the believers to create peace in our world.

Believer

Believers follow the Christians and can become Christians but have not accepeted the yoke of responsibility of becoming a true Christian: a king of kings.

Church

The church is the group of Jews, Christians, Muslims, and Believers working with the Holy Spirit and submitting to the will of the Creator to create peace in our world.

Creator

See the Creator.

Holy Spirit

The spirit of cooperation.

Muslim

A Muslim is a person who practices submitting to the will of the Creator.

Jew

If I try to define the word Jew, I risk being attacked by those who serve mammon.

Mammon

The king of hedonism.

Hedonism

When we sacrifice other people’s ability to access a reliabile supply of clean water.

Friend

A friend is a person who wants what is best for you. A friend is willing to listen and try to understand you.

Home

A home is a place for children to grow and transform towards the good.