Any customer can have a car painted any color that he wants so long as it is black. — Henry Ford

Remark about the Model T in 1909, published in his autobiography My Life and Work (1922) Chapter IV.

If I could write one statement that would pretty accurately sum up how most people live in relationship to the truth, it would be this:

Any person can tell me any truth they want to tell me, as long as it makes me feel comfortable and happy.

Ridiculous?  Yes.  Said out loud?  Never.  The default sub-conscious mindset of most people much of the time?  Definitely.

As I have already written, there is no point on the truth journey where the option of denial is not available.  But for those who choose to stay on the journey, the next step after finding truth and facing truth is following it.  Finding the truth simply involves being exposed to it.  Facing it means admitting that the truth is true, and moreover, that the truth is true about you.  (We have little difficulty facing the truth about other people).  Following truth means intentionally deciding to move out of falsehood and make one’s home in what is true.  The journey isn’t easy and there are some things you’re going to need to bring with you. Continue Reading…

After we have found the truth (been presented with it in one way or another), we make a choice about whether or not to face it.  Simply being told the truth does not cause us to admit that it is true.  Those who after hearing the truth, slip back into denial and mythology, have chosen not to face it.  I haven’t used much scripture in my blog because I want people other than Christians to be able to feel at home here, but in this case I cannot help it.  Scripture just speaks too clearly about this:

John 3:19-21 (The Message)
19 “This is the crisis we’re in: God-light streamed into the world, but men and women everywhere ran for the darkness. They went for the darkness because they were not really interested in pleasing God.
20 Everyone who makes a practice of doing evil, addicted to denial and illusion, hates God-light and won’t come near it, fearing a painful exposure.
21 But anyone working and living in truth and reality welcomes God-light so the work can be seen for the God-work it is.”

God-light streamed into the world, but men and women everywhere ran for the darkness.

When light comes into our lives but we run for the darkness, that’s denial.  That’s retreating back into mythology and illusion.  That’s refusing to face the truth.  By the way, don’t over-spiritualize this.  Don’t assume this is referring to “spiritual truth” only.  In fact, there’s no such thing as spiritual truth.  Continue Reading…