It is regrettable that relatively few people who call themselves Christians ever take the time to study the teachings of Christ for themselves. Many of them are content to practise watered-down versions of Christianity while others treat the message of Christ as if it were a ‘smorgasbord' where anyone can ignore whatever is inconvenient or unappealing. The majority appear to maintain little or no contact with their church communities and a large number eventually reject Christianity altogether. Similar patterns are evident in other religions.

There are many reasons why people might abandon their religion:

• It does not solve their problems or deal adequately with issues that concern them.
• It appears to be out of touch with reality and irrelevant to our times.
• With ‘advancing science' they see no further need for religion.
• They had unpleasant experiences associated with it.
• It appears to prescribe a life of continual suffering and heavy burdens.
• Every pleasure was associated with feelings of guilt.
• They see hypocrisy, corruption and perversion among the clergy.
• They are more attracted to other things.
• They cannot see its effect in the lives of others.
• They cannot see a need for it in accomplishing their goals.
• They are unable to accept the teachings or the rules.
• It is not socially acceptable among their peers.
• It has become more fashionable to dabble than to be committed.
• They had practised it only for external reasons.
• They see it as inhibiting their personal growth or their freedom.
• They do not get the proof their intellect demands.
• They perceive it as demanding impossible perfection.
• It is associated with hell and damnation.
• They lacked encouragement from those around them.
• They fear the subject and perceive it as overwhelming.
• They do not find the church services stimulating.
• There was little community spirit and mutual support.
• It failed to provide an adequate explanation for the meaning of life and existence.

The decision may be understandable and often the religion is rightly rejected for it bears little resemblance to what it was originally intended to be. On the other hand, sometimes people do not look deeply enough and are swayed by inappropriate criteria.

Possibly none of these apply to the reader and he is simply interested in pursuing his understanding. Either way, it may be fruitful to return to some of the important basics and build from there.

The Search for Truth

Within human nature there appears to be a yearning for a kind of knowledge that is consistent, dependable and permanent; a knowledge that can form a deeper foundation for life, puts everything else into perspective and will not have to be unlearned again later. It may be described as the ‘quest for truth.'

There are those who believe that the truth is to be found in one of the great scriptures or the writings of some philosopher. Many hold that science is the only pathway to its discovery, while others who have become disillusioned with traditional approaches might turn to mysticism. A number of people follow a guru they revere or use various techniques to try to discover truth within themselves. Each of them will generally find a measure of both enlightenment and disappointment, for no single perspective ever reveals the complete picture, only fragments that are visible from certain points of view and obscured from others. In every source, one also confronts the problems of credibility, error, obscurity, ambiguity and relevant ignorance as well as all the natural difficulties of communication - even if we assume that there is complete sincerity and no intentional deception.

Every person who seeks the truth has a religion or philosophy in the practical sense, even if it is informal and evolving. It embraces what he believes he has found and its implications for the way he should live. While most people are guided into one of the established systems through their social environment, some make a voluntary choice.

Why would a person choose to be Christian rather than Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim, Jewish, Shinto, Bahai or perhaps adopt some very simple or non-spiritual philosophy? The answer depends partly on the scope of one's interest. This can range from an extremely limited view that is focused on nothing more than the isolated superficial self in the immediate present, to one that is eternal and universally inclusive of everything in its greatest depth. Religions are like maps with suggested paths. For a person near the first extreme, almost any rough sketch will be adequate and very little trust will be needed. On the other hand, someone who desires, or is forced by circumstances, to move beyond his own familiar territory, will probably want one that is more comprehensive and more trust will be required. The common assertion that all religions are equally good, is generally meaningless and unhelpful, for as in science, some theories (maps) must eventually emerge as more credible. A comparison of various belief systems is beyond the scope of this book, however, a person who is seriously facing this question should try to learn enough about each of his options and draw his own conclusions. Naturally, there will be areas of disagreement that cannot be resolved until more conclusive indications emerge sometime in the future, but he may find that most of them contain something useful and a number of them have much in common. It is hoped that after reading this book and investigating any other sources according to his inclinations, he may be more enlightened.

The Relativity of Truth

It has become popular in some circles to reject the existence of absolute truth, and one regularly hears statements like, ‘it may be your truth but it is not mine '. Unfortunately, such assertions tend to suggest that truth is arbitrary. If that were indeed the case, its relevance to life in a greater context would be extremely limited and it would hardly be worth pursuing. We can only function effectively as a community to the extent that some perception of truth is shared and extends beyond our limited selves.

There is often some misunderstanding of relativity. This is best explained by an example. Suppose that I believe the earth is flat, and you think it is round. In this instance, the truth is clearly not relative to each of our preferred beliefs, but it is relative to the scale of observation: Within a small area the shape of the earth may be reasonably flat, while over a much greater distance the curvature becomes more obvious. Truth may be subtle, elusive or the subject of vigorous debate. It can be relative in the sense that it may need to be qualified, but it is never arbitrary.

Christianity and Truth

In the final analysis, being a Christian involves seeking to live well in a deeper, more comprehensive and enduring sense, and this subject is considered more fully in the next chapter. However, our inner state of being cannot be separated from its contributing factors such as meaning, security, peace of mind, personal growth and effectiveness in day to day living, and all of these ultimately depend on truth. Truth, however, is not simplistic, for in that case there would be little to learn. In the light of our earlier discussion it would be reasonable to assert that the whole truth in any instance is more likely to be perceived through the unity, harmony and relatedness of several different perspectives.

The sincere Christian naturally accepts Christ as the centre of truth that is essential to his vitality. Nevertheless, he welcomes truth whatever its immediate source. In this respect, Christianity must encompass what is true and good in all religions, philosophy, science and everything else. Properly speaking, there is no ‘Christian truth' as distinct from any other truth. There is only ‘truth'.

Christianity is not a closed book of rules and tenets, but a way of thinking, acting and living. It is a foundation for building and a pathway of exploration. It is about life and all of its experiences, human strengths and weaknesses, ideals and the very imperfect reality. It is directly or indirectly connected with everything. Another way of saying this, is that a relationship with Christ can be the cornerstone of one's life and the immovable reference point. However, like the ability to reason, it is not a substitute for ongoing education and personal development, but intended to assist in their achievement. While Christianity guides, cautions and enlightens, it does not seek to diminish our freedom of thought and action overall, but ensure it and increase it with truth and wisdom.

* * *

Two questions are of immediate relevance: ‘Where does the search for truth begin?' , and ‘How is accepting and following Christ conducive to fulfilment and enduring happiness?'

The answer to the first question is ‘anywhere', and this book is intended to be helpful in that endeavour. However, one must first appreciate the essential difference between telling the truth and a lie, and between honest communication and intentional deception. One must cease to regard deliberate falsity as an acceptable means of accomplishing goals. Without these, a person will not be sensitive enough to recognise truth when he encounters it. Like anyone else, the Christian cannot avoid the natural problems of identifying truth, but he should at least be committed to its pursuit and try not to enlarge the problem for others.

"Journey of Insight: an Invitation to Christianity"
©Carl Jacob

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