What is Truth?

Play Video of Truth Statics & Jada Pinkett

Will Smith in newest GQ on his marriage to Jada Pinkett

"Jada never believed in conventional marriage," Will said in a recent interview with GQ. "Jada had family members that had an unconventional relationship. So she grew up in a way that was very different than how I grew up."

The two came to the decision after having long discussions about what it meant to have a perfect relationship. Will Smith has opened up about his open marriage in a new interview with GQ Magazine. According to Smith, him and Jada Pinkett had to have many “significant endless discussions about, what is relational perfection?” he said. “What is the perfect way to interact as a couple? And for the large part of our relationship, monogamy was what we chose, not thinking of monogamy as the only relational perfection.” It seems the power couple made the decision in 2011 after much arguing, so much so that their daughter Willow begged them to stop. Smith says they had to rework their marriage and mold it into something that worked for them. “Marriage for us can’t be a prison. And I don’t suggest our road for anybody... But the experiences that the freedoms that we’ve given one another and the unconditional support, to me, is the highest definition of love” During their 24 year marriage, Smith confirmed that both he and Jada have engaged in sexual relationships outside of their relationship. "We have given each other trust and freedom, with the belief that everybody has to find their own way,” he said.

Will Smith needed some help in the love department when it came to dealing with his open marriage to Jada Pinkett Smith, so he enlisted the help of love and intimacy coach Michaela Boehm to fix his little problem.

Boehm spoke to Insider about why couples are urged to cheat on their significant other, days after Smith, 53, told GQ that his biggest fantasy was to have a “harem” of girlfriends that included actress Halle Berry and dancer Misty Copeland.

According to Boehm, people in relationships cheat due to unexplored fantasies.

“In many people, the gap between what’s expected in a committed relationship and what they haven’t explored for themselves creates problems. That’s why so many people get divorced or cheat, or do strange things within the relationship,” Boehm explained.

She also added that visualizing your deepest and darkest desires and fears “allows you to feel how the experience sits in your body, without any real repercussions.”

Instead of acting out on the feeling, she tells her clients to picture it. Her aim is to remove the shameful stigma around one’s own fantasies.

“A lot of people just go along for all kinds of reasons. There typically comes a moment where enough growing up or exploration has happened and the life chosen as a late teenager might no longer fit,” Boehm continued.

The “Switch” rapper admitted to GQ in the profile cover story that “the idea of traveling with 20 women that I loved and took care of and all of that, it seemed like a really great idea.”

Are Will & Jada anomaly’s or are they beginning to represent the norm?

Let us take a look at some more stats:

The Millennial Spiritual Revolution There are more than two dozen examples of Millennials being substantially more likely than any other generation to reject biblical principles in favor of more worldly spiritual perspectives and practices. Millennials, defined in the CRC research as people born between 1985 and 2002 (i.e., aged 18 to 36 at the time of the survey), are far more likely than any other generation to: Define success in life as happiness, personal freedom, or productivity without oppression Consider an abortion performed to reduce personal economic or emotional discomfort to be morally acceptable Consider premarital sex with someone expected to be their future spouse to be morally acceptable Deem reincarnation a real possibility Be liberal regarding fiscal and social policies Champion liberal theology

Millennials and Absolutes

Millennials were also much less likely than Americans from older generations to hold numerous positions, such as: Being deeply committed to practicing their religious faith Believing that the universe was designed, created, and is maintained by God Believing that human beings were created by God, in His image, but are undermined by personal sin and therefore need to be redeemed through Jesus Christ Accepting the idea of “original sin” Agreeing that the universal purpose of humanity is to know, love and serve God with all of our heart, mind, strength and soul Embracing the Bible as their primary source of moral guidance Believing that every moral choice we make either honors or dishonors God Accepting the notion of God being the all-knowing, all-powerful and just creator of the universe who still rules that universe today Considering Satan to be a real and influential being Participating in religious activities such as worshipping God; praying to God; studying the Bible; seeking and following God’s will; and asking for God’s forgiveness for their sins Identifying as a Christian Believing that after they die they will spend eternity in God’s presence solely because they have confessed their sins and have accepted Jesus Christ as their savior

Defintion:

Pragmatic Theory of Truth: Any idea upon which we can ride … any idea that will carry us prosperously from any one part of our experience to any other part, linking things satisfactorily, working securely, simplifying, saving labour, is … true INSTRUMENTALLY.’

Basic idea: Whatever leads to the most prosperous conclusion is what is true

Hilter & Stalin- Eliminate your problems which would lead to prosperity

Moral Relativism:is a theory, which claims that there are no universally valid moral principles. Normative ethical relativism theory says that the moral rightness and wrongness of actions varies from society to society and that there are no absolute universal moral standards binding on all men at all times. The theory claims that all thinking about the basic principles of morality (Ethics) is always relative. Each culture establishes the basic values and principles that serve as the foundation for morality. The theory claims that this is the case now, has always been the case and will always be the case.

Basic Idea: The society or culture you live determines right or wrong. It is not a transcendent axiom. It is a social construct. Meaning no culture has a right to tell another culture what they doing is wrong. Essentially morals and values are learned not absolute.

Ex: Female Circumcision, China Forced Abortion, native countries who worship the creation

Situational Ethicist: They look past any standard of right & wrong and simply perform what the circumstances demand. They determine right or wrong based on the situation presented to them.

Basic Idea: Right or Wrong is determined by each situation rather than by a divine standard.

The Early Sciencetist who constructed Racial catagories to justify slavery. Republican Party

Post Modernism:Postmodernism, born under western secular conditions, has the following characteristics: it emphasizes pluralism and relativism and rejects any certain belief and absolute value; it conflicts with essentialism, and considers human identity to be a social construct; it rejects the idea that values are based on developmental realities and also rejects the essential influence of human actions on human destiny. In educational goals, postmodernism emphasizes the institutionalization of pluralism, the strengthening of self-organized morality in learners and in educational principles, avoiding dogmatism, fighting against systematicity and emphasizing on individual freedoms. In educational methods, it emphasizes learner-centered discourse, serious attention to the marginalized people, and the denial of pattern-based ability

Basic idea: Post modernism is a term used to describe a belief that encourages pluralism meaning the blending of cultures without regard to ethical differences. The Post modernist relishes the ethical differences without having an opinion if that ethical belief is right or wrong. The only wrong to the Post modernist “is to say something is wrong” They emphasis the person autonomy to figure out their own moral framework without regard to how that framework affects anyone around them. It emphasis the learner over the teacher. The teacher no longer teaches, nor guides, the teacher simply let’s the learner explore.

Ex Democratic Party

Post-Truth Era: Truth is unknowable and doesn’t matter.

Basic Idea: “Who cares” live your own truth

Result: Cancel Culture: Any word of rebuke, correction or disagreement is considered damaging to the psyche and therefore deemed off-limits

That has lead to:

No children singled out in school for doing well and everyone getting the same reward so kids don’t fell bad

Participation rewards in sports

Starting the score over after two quarters because the score might hurt someone’s feelings.

Teaching not teaching moral and ethical principles, but Teacher simple just letting kids figure things out without an boundaries.

Will Smith & Jada stated that they never put an boundaries on the children. And wherever their mind went they allowed them that freedom.

How has the affected the Church?

The church is not a building it is made up of people from the world.

The people who make up the church are largely biblically illiterate, so these philosophies that undergird our culture are able to invade the church and effectively allow the church to function in the same way as the world.

The Bible predicted this:

2 Timothy 4:1–4 CSB

1 I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus, who is going to judge the living and the dead, and because of his appearing and his kingdom: 2 Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and encourage with great patience and teaching. 3 For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, will multiply teachers for themselves because they have an itch to hear what they want to hear. 4 They will turn away from hearing the truth and will turn aside to myths.

Let us define Truth:

Truth: That which corresponds to reality

mathematical truths: 2+2=4

Cosmological truths: The Sun rises in the east and sets in the west

scientific truths: What goes up must come down

Spiritual Truths: The component parts of mankind are Body, Soul & Spirit. The Body is decaying but the Soul & Spirit are eternal.

Philosophical Truth: The anti-thesis to truth is false. Something cannot be both true and false at the same time.(The Law of non-contradiction)

Tell the Story of Jesus and Pilate

Pilate’s Dilemma

John 18:28–32 CSB

28 Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas to the governor’s headquarters. It was early morning. They did not enter the headquarters themselves; otherwise they would be defiled and unable to eat the Passover. 29 So Pilate came out to them and said, “What charge do you bring against this man?” 30 They answered him, “If this man weren’t a criminal, we wouldn’t have handed him over to you.” 31 Pilate told them, “You take him and judge him according to your law.” “It’s not legal for us to put anyone to death,” the Jews declared. 32 They said this so that Jesus’s words might be fulfilled indicating what kind of death he was going to die.

Pilate did not want to get involved

Pilate tried to kick the can down the road, that is why Jesus went to Herod as well.

Pilate did not want any part of this petty issue.

Pilate was forced to get involved because this was a Capital Case. The Jews were seeking the death penalty.

II. Pilate’s Diagnosis

John 18:37–38 CSB

37 “You are a king then?” Pilate asked. “You say that I’m a king,” Jesus replied. “I was born for this, and I have come into the world for this: to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” 38 “What is truth?” said Pilate. After he had said this, he went out to the Jews again and told them, “I find no grounds for charging him.

(37) “You are a king then?” Jesus basically says “it is as you say!” Then he makes this declarative statement. “I was born for this, and I have come into the world for this: to testify to the truth” This is Jesus saying I became a baby putting on human flesh to bring a revelation and that revelation is “my testimony to the truth”

Jesus is saying in this statement: Truth is not situational, Truth is not Relative, Truth is not cultural, Truth is not opinion, Truth is knowable, Truth is Transcendent, Truth comes from one singular source, Truth is absolute and Truth is Binding.

(37) “Everyone who is of truth listens to my voice” Those who are truly my children recognize my voice because they live their life being guided by truth not lies.

Pilate knew what Jesus was proclaiming notice how he responded.

(38) “What is truth?”

Pilate ask the wrong question: He asked “what is truth?” instead of “Who is truth?” This will make you preach right here. Jesus is claiming something far more powerful than “I preach truth!” Jesus was saying “I am truth!” Pilate was aware of all the great philosopher’s of Greece and Rome: Plato, Socrates, and Aristotle and many others who all made Truth Claims. Jesus was claiming something far more glorious and Pilate missed it.

Jesus has just given Pilate the gospel. Even at his death he is evangelizing. Pilate response is kurt and somewhat dismissive. He is saying what makes your message special. What makes you any different than all of the great Philosophers in Rome. Everyone had a message of truth. Pilate is telling you in this verse that he is a religous Pluralist: No one religous group has a monopoly on truth.

When there are many truths there are no truths only opinions.

(38-40) Pilate tells the Jews this is an innocent man. Pilate is following Roman Jurisprudence believing it to be unlawful to execute an innocent man. He is doing alright now but things turn

Pilate shows us who he is in the next part of the narrative found in Luke 23:13-25

III. Pilate’s Declaration

Luke 23:13–25 CSB

13 Pilate called together the chief priests, the leaders, and the people, 14 and said to them, “You have brought me this man as one who misleads the people. But in fact, after examining him in your presence, I have found no grounds to charge this man with those things you accuse him of. 15 Neither has Herod, because he sent him back to us. Clearly, he has done nothing to deserve death. 16 Therefore, I will have him whipped and then release him.” 18 Then they all cried out together, “Take this man away! Release Barabbas to us!” 19 (He had been thrown into prison for a rebellion that had taken place in the city, and for murder.) 20 Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate addressed them again, 21 but they kept shouting, “Crucify! Crucify him!” 22 A third time he said to them, “Why? What has this man done wrong? I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore, I will have him whipped and then release him.” 23 But they kept up the pressure, demanding with loud voices that he be crucified, and their voices won out. 24 So Pilate decided to grant their demand 25 and released the one they were asking for, who had been thrown into prison for rebellion and murder. But he handed Jesus over to their will.

(13-15) Pilate calls a meeting of the chief priest and tells them Neither me or Herod found any grounds to execute. This is an innocent man.

(16-18) They all cried we don’t want Jesus we want Barrabus. We want him instead of this man Jesus.

(20-22) Pilate tries to reason with him, but the bloodthirsty crowd wants the blood of Jesus to flow. They shout Crucify! Crucify. Pilate could not even talk or reason. The Crowd is shaking the whole city. Crucify him. Remember this is Passover, all the folks from the suburbs of Jerusalem are downtown in the city.

(23-25) Pilate threw his hands up in frustration. Pilate then washed his hands signifying he is not primarily responsible for the death of Jesus.

Why would such a powerful Governor emasculate his authority and make a decision against his own conscience?

Pilate was a politician first(He wanted to stay in the good graces of the Empire.

Pilate was under a corrective action plan already:

Pilate was installed as the prefect of Judea by Emperor Tiberius.

Pilate friend Sejunas hook him up with the job, because he knew the Emperor

Sejunas fell out of favor with the Emperor and ended up getting executed.

Pilate when he entered Judea put the face of the Emperor all over the place. The Jews detested this move because of the 2nd Commandment “you shall not make any idols”

Pilate refused to take them down. So the Jews started to revolt. Pilate threatened them with death and they told him we will die for this.

Pilate eventually removed the pic of the Emperor, because his role was to keep the peace not start a small war.

Pilate was on thin ice and he knew.

John 19:12–13 CSB

12 From that moment Pilate kept trying to release him. But the Jews shouted, “If you release this man, you are not Caesar’s friend. Anyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar!” 13 When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus outside. He sat down on the judge’s seat in a place called the Stone Pavement (but in Aramaic, Gabbatha).

(12) Notice the text: The Jews knew he was in trouble back home as well. Look what they said. If you release this man who claims to be a king you make yourself an enemy of the Emperor(and we will tell on you!)

The Jews knew they had the upper hand that is why they keep yelling when Pilate spoke.

What happened to Pilate understanding of Jesus innocence?

You remember what Situational Ethics was: Truth is not absolute, Truth is based on what is best in a situation. Pilate decided that in this situation it was better to execute and innocent man. Than have a revolt which would have certainly guaranteed his execution at home.

You see mankind has been playing with truth since the beginning of time. This is not a millennial problem this is a sin problem.

How has this type of situational truth seeped into the church?

We need to make worship more fun if we want people to come and the church not die

Pastor needs to preach sermonette so people don’t get bored and stop showing up

Pastor don’t step on peoples toes when they come to church.

We need to accept that times are changing with sex behavior and gender or else the church will die.

In all of these scenarios the objective is keeping the church alive(which is God’s job not ours)

So even when we know something is untrue or contradictory to the word we will do it so that we can be accepted by the culture.

In these cases he have departed from truth and have gone the way of Situation Ethics.

The Great Philosopher and Comedian Dave Chapelle said it best:

“Our culture has accepted two huge lies. The first is that if you disagree with someone’s lifestyle, you must fear or hate them. The second is that to love someone means you agree with everything they believe, say, or do.

Both are nonsense. You don’t have to compromise convictions to be compassionate.” –Dave Chappelle

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