Truth Doesn't Matter

Or so it would seem

Cross and Culture, 10/24/23

Recently released court documents unveiled some eye opening quotes regarding the high profile death of George Floyd.

“…there were no medical findings that showed any injury to the vital structures of Mr. Floyd’s neck. There were no medical indications of asphyxia or strangulation,” according to the doctor who performed the autopsy.

“He said to me, ‘Amy, what happens when the actual evidence doesn’t match up with the public narrative that everyone’s already decided on?’ And then he said, ‘This is the kind of case that ends careers.’”

It was confirmation of what had already been fairly easy to deduce from the evidence produced at trial: Derek Chauvin did not murder George Floyd.

Despite this fact, Derek Chauvin will still continue to serve many years in prison for murdering George Floyd.

But why bring up a three year old case? Why dwell on the past?

People seem to have the same attitude toward Covid revision—who cares, that was years ago. Why can’t we just move on?

Of the thousands of pulpits that held a sermon on racial justice following Floyd’s death, how many have offered retractions regarding the details of this story?

Of all the preachers, writers, and social media posters who scolded their fellow Christians for not “loving their neighbor” by obeying some now-debunked Covid regulation, how many have apologized?

Sure doesn’t seem like a lot.

But the apology isn’t the point. It’s not a matter of “I told you so” or “I was right, you were wrong.” It’s the message sent by the bold proclamations based on untruths, and the correction that never comes.

The only conclusion one could draw from this is clear:

The truth doesn’t matter.

Just as the examiner admitted in the Chauvin trial, narratives matter more than truth.

Before I’m misquoted, let me be clear: I believe truth matters. I assume you do, too. But for those who try to sweep old falsehoods and misunderstandings under the rug and get mad when anybody points them out, the unavoidable conclusion of their actions is that truth doesn’t matter.

As social media has devolved to the point where everything is politicized and we are expected to take a side on every story that comes down the pike, the truth gets battered and bruised daily. Because the news cycle moves so quickly, there’s rarely an accounting for yesterday’s falsehoods.

So, way too many Christians log in and unquestioningly share the latest lies because they sound good or they fit a narrative. We have to be above this. We have to treat truth as sacred.

“Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord,
But those who deal truthfully are His delight.”
- Proverbs 12:22

The way to treat the truth as if it matters comes down to two simple steps:

First, admit it when you get one wrong.

I’ve gotten a lot wrong over the years and, believe me, retractions are never fun. I misread the critical theory issues with BLM for some time. I definitely got duped by the first couple months of Covid regulations. I got it really, really wrong on Christians and political issues (as I’ll be writing on soon). I probably still have some things wrong today.

Being wrong does not destroy credibility, though. It can damage it for a time, sure. But the only thing that can destroy it is refusing to own up to the mistake. When you immediately move on and continue to speak boldly despite repeatedly getting things wrong, you have zero motivation to ever get the truth right.

Second, develop a healthy sense of skepticism to everything placed in front of you.

When you get something wrong and you own up to it, the social cost of eating crow causes you to look with a sharper eye the next time.

And as we’ve seen, the news is not truth. It is narrative. Therefore, nothing should be taken at face value. A love for truth does not give us a need to be first. It gives us a need to be factual.

As we’ve already seen with Israel and Palestine, false information flies from all sides. But no matter what war, event, or political issue is pushing you to proclaim an opinion, staying back and letting the dust settle is rarely a bad idea.

Our postmodern society says truth doesn’t matter.

Our actions say whether or not we agree with them.