WHAT IS TRUTH: THE WORDS ONLY PONTIUS PILATE DARED TO ASK

For the most part, the words that I share in this narrative journey will be ones that complement the narrative.  They are words that I have found significant in describing where I am now.  But on occasion, there might be a word I bring to the story that I need to talk about, that no longer contributes to the narrative.  Today, I bring such a word.  It's "Truth".

Truth is a loaded and explosive term for me.  It has been for a while.  Truth seems to be like a feral cat that frequents multiple homes on its daily journey for food.  One homeowner that feeds the cat in the morning will say... "That's my cat", but then the cat moves on and gets lunch from another house.  Again, the next homeowner declares "That's my cat, he comes every day for lunch."  And the cat moves on to the next house for supper, again being claimed to be the property of the next home.  Maybe that cat has access to the house and might stay awhile before moving along.  But at the core of the identity of that cat, it belongs to no one.  That is "Truth"

I liked one of the definitions put out by Webster for this word.  

 "Conforming to fact and reality to the utmost extent that these are discoverable by the human mind."

Even Webster admits there is a limit to what truth can offer the conversation.  The human mind is the limit.  We are the limit.  Which means that beyond us as humans and our interpretations of the facts laid before us, there really is nothing beyond that we can call truth.  

Webster equates "ascertained fact in science" with "sound, reliable doctrine in religion".  Those two camps have been on a battle ground for centuries.  How can one word mean both things?  It's why the word "truth" has no place anymore in my narrative.  I hold that word at arms length, only passing it in conversation by other human minds that seem to think that cat belongs to them.  

I don't do much, if any, bible reading anymore.  I find more camaraderie now with this old dictionary that I do with the bible.  But if anyone were to ask me what my favourite verse is at this current time, I would have to quote the man who stood before Jesus with the question of all time.  "What is truth?"  I admire Pilate. When confronted with what most people would just believe on faith, Pilate asked the question.  If my memory serves me correctly, he didn't get an answer to that question before sentencing Jesus to death.  I wonder if an answer would have changed history.