Four Chaplains

The Power of Truth

A German torpedo found its target.

In the early morning of February 3, 1943, the Dorchester, a transport for the United States Army, was struck by a German torpedo as she neared Greenland. The ship capsized and sank in less than 20 minutes. Of the 900 passengers, only 229 survived.

Four chaplains were aboard the Dorchester.

Each were of a different faith: Lt. Clark V. Poling, Dutch Reformed, Lt. George L. Fox, Methodist, Lt. John P. Washington, Catholic, and Lt. Alexander D. Goode, Jewish. Motivated by love of God, country, and neighbor, all four had volunteered and trained at the Army Chaplains School at Harvard University. They were journeying to their first assignment during World War II. They preached courage during the chaos. As the ship took on water, pandemonium broke out among the service men, merchant seaman, and civilians. The Army chaplains spread out among them, preaching courage and giving comfort. Where was their strength coming from, in the midst of fear and terror?

They gave their lives so that others may live.

Most astounding in the bedlam enveloping the Dorchester was the act Engineer Grady Clark witnessed. When all of the life jackets had been distributed, the four chaplains removed theirs and gave them to four frightened men. John Ladd, another survivor, testified, “It was the finest thing I have seen or hope to see this side of heaven.”

Survivors were moved by their heroic example.

In nearby rafts, survivors recall seeing the four chaplains as the ship slanted, sank, and disappeared. They were arm in arm offering prayer, four faiths uniting in petition to one God. Some say they heard singing. Every witness was struck by the selflessness, fierce faith, and heroism of these brave men.

This shows us how truth can transform our lives.

The chaplains gave their lives because they were convinced of the goodness of God. They were certain that death would not have the final say; they would soon be with God in heaven. Their love of God gave them courage to lay down their lives for their brothers. Truth helped these four men become the heroes God needed them to be.

Come to the Feast!

Seeking the Fullness of Truth

Which table to choose?

An enormous banquet hall is filled with large tables, ready for a Thanksgiving meal. Some tables are overflowing with a turkey and a great number of side dishes. Other tables have a turkey but seem to be missing quite a few dishes. Many tables do not have a turkey, but they do have some of the side dishes. Wouldn’t you want to be with your loved ones at one of the overflowing tables?

This is an analogy for Christianity and other religions.

The turkey would represent belief in Jesus and having a living relationship with him. The side dishes would represent all of the other truths that God has revealed about himself, and all the gifts that he wishes us to have for our journey with him. So there are tables that do not have a turkey at all; these are the non-Christian religions. And there are tables with a turkey, but with more or fewer side dishes; these are the different Christian faiths.

Are all religions the same?

One often hears, “All religions are equal, so it doesn’t matter what faith a person is.” But since the major world religions make different claims about objective truth, they can’t all be equally true. If Jesus is truly God who became man, then it matters whether one knows Jesus, and we would want to share him with non-Christians! But even the tables without turkey are not bare of all nourishment. This illustrates how Christians can recognize and appreciate that other religions can have certain aspects of truth, such as true moral teachings or insights into God.

Are all Christian faiths the same?

The different Christian churches all have a love for Christ, and share him in common. But there are also many areas of disagreement on important truths, such as doctrines of morals or salvation. This means that in such areas, some churches are mistaken and are unintentionally teaching error, and thus don’t have all of the “side dishes.” In other words, members are not receiving all the gifts and truths that God wants them to have on their journey with him.

Are you seeking the fullness of truth?

As with our banquet example, we want not only Jesus, but also all the other gifts and truths that he meant for us to have. This is what we mean by “the fullness of truth.” We can have many reasons to belong to a particular church, such as our upbringing or having friends there. But isn’t it even more important to search for the fullness of truth, and make sure that we are receiving all the gifts Jesus wants us to have?

Should We Speak Out?

Truth Is Meant to Be Shared

Should Christians speak out?

When Christians attempt to share Christ with others or speak out about moral issues, we are often accused of being “intolerant.” The fear of being labeled as intolerant can keep us from lovingly sharing truth with others.

A false understanding of tolerance has become popular.

In recent years, tolerance has come to mean that one should accept all viewpoints as equally true or good. It is seen as arrogant and judgmental to think that you know the truth in a particular matter, especially regarding faith or morals. It is seen as intolerant to share truth or help another person see that they are making a mistake. We must accept and celebrate everyone’s actions and beliefs, and leave everyone to whatever they want to do.

Should we tolerate a friend driving drunk?

Imagine seeing a friend at a restaurant, clearly intoxicated and about to drive himself home. Is it judgmental or arrogant to recognize that drunk driving is a dangerous and immoral course of action? Is it intolerant to challenge the friend and help him to choose a different course of action? Of course not!

Authentic tolerance means respectful disagreement.

In its original sense, tolerance means that we respect and care for all people, even if we disagree with them on important subjects. Opposing views can be discussed in an atmosphere of mutual respect. For example, an atheist and a Christian could disagree on the existence of God and still hold each other in great esteem. They could respectfully talk about these matters, trying to help each other see the truth, and even be close friends.

Without authentic tolerance, true dialogue ceases.

The irony of our “tolerant” culture is that views contrary to current political correctness are not tolerated. All viewpoints are supposed to be equally true and good, but quite often Christians are rejected as fools or bigots for adhering to Christian beliefs. Christians are expected to change their own beliefs to match what is politically correct. This is the opposite of authentic tolerance.

Christians should share the truth with love and respect.

If we really believe that Jesus is divine, and that knowing him is the source of happiness both now and after death, how can we not want to share this good news? Like Jesus himself, we do not force anyone to our way of thinking, but with love we joyfully share what is good and true!

Always in Style

Truth Is Timeless

Are new ideas more true?

How often people reject an idea by saying that it is “old-fashioned” or “out-of-date!” The underlying assumption is that if an idea is not new, it no longer applies to us today. One author memorably described this mindset as, “the newer is the truer; only what is recent is decent.”

The greatest truths are timeless.

Technology can become obsolete, with new versions of phones and gadgets released each year. In fashion, what seemed so trendy in one year can seem silly the next. But the greatest ideas, the truths worth discovering, are timeless. They remain true for all peoples and all time periods. They don’t expire; they don’t go out of style.

We see timeless truths in science and math.

Scientists spend their lives to discover timeless truths about the world around us. When we discovered that our planet rotates around the sun, we were discovering a fact that will remain true for as long as Earth exists. Similarly, math is the study of timeless principles. The multiplication table, for example, will be as true a million years from now as it is today.

Timeless truths can be discovered in faith and morality, too.

If we discover a truth about morality, it is timeless as well. If stealing is wrong, then it was wrong in the days of Moses, it is wrong today, and it will still be wrong when our future descendants are tempted to steal spaceships from one another. Similarly, truths about God and faith are timeless. If Jesus of Nazareth was actually God in our midst, then this is still the most amazing event in human history, even if it happened two thousand years ago.

Ideas must be explored on their own merits.

Just because an idea has been around for a while, we should not rule it out as unworthy of our consideration. Just because an idea is not fashionable or politically correct at the moment, this does not make it a false idea. In both cases, the idea in question has to be explored on its own merits. Instead of asking, “Is it new?” or “Is it popular?”, we should ask ourselves, “Is it true?”

Are you seeking timeless truths?

The most beautiful truths, the ones that change our lives, are the timeless truths. These truths change our minds and hearts; they bring meaning and joy to our lives. Rather than shunning anything old, we can do the opposite and seek out those truths that have endured from century to century. We can choose to seek out the truth, wherever it may be found, and wherever it may lead us.

Around the World

Truth Is Universal

There are truths that apply to everyone.

For many centuries, people looked around them and assumed that the Earth was flat. Of course, we now know that it is round. The round shape of Earth is an example of a universal truth, one that applies to people of all cultures and backgrounds. Even if some continue to believe that the world is flat, this doesn’t change the reality that the Earth is actually round.

Science and math explore universal truths.

Science and mathematics are based on the central premise that it is possible to discover universal truths about nature and the world around us. For example, since chemical reactions are consistent from place to place, we can design car engines that work anywhere in the world. Likewise, “3 x 3 = 9” is a mathematical reality that holds true in every country and culture.

We don’t create truth; we discover it.

When we discovered that the Earth is round, we didn’t create its shape. We simply observed the Earth as it truly is. When we write out the multiplication table, we are discovering mathematical principles that have always existed. We are able to discover laws of science and mathematics which exist independently of our personal preferences, feelings, or experiences.

We can seek truth together with mutual respect.

When we recognize that universal truth exists, we have a shared position by which we can seek truth together. When two people disagree on a scientific matter, for example, they can discuss the evidence on each side. In a respectful way, they can work to arrive together at a better understanding of the truth.

Moral and religious truths are universal truths.

We can discover truths which apply to everyone in the areas of faith and morality, too. For example, if humans have a moral obligation to treat one another as persons rather than objects to be used, this is a truth that transcends cultural differences. It is a truth we discover, but do not create. Similarly, if God exists (or does not), this is a reality that applies to believers and non-believers alike.

We can seek such truths in respectful discussion.

If two people disagree on the question of God’s existence, but they recognize that this is a reality greater than their own opinions or preferences, then they have a foundation for a respectful discussion. There is no reason to attack one another on a personal level. Instead, they can present the reasons for their positions in a friendly manner, seeking to arrive together at a fuller understanding of the truth.

Pickpocket or Good Guy?

Relativism in Real Life

Someone took your phone.

You feel a tug at your clothes, and you realize that your phone is no longer in your pocket. A man is walking away with it in his hand. “Stop him!” you yell. “That guy stole my phone!”

Does it work to make up our own truth?

As we explored in previous messages, relativism is the idea that moral and religious truth changes from person to person. In matters of morality and faith, there are no truths that apply to everyone: we all make up our own truth. As a theory, it sounds like a nice way to help everyone get along. But in real life, relativism quickly falls apart.

Can we say that an action is wrong?

If relativism is true, then the man who took the phone could rightly say, “Stealing may be wrong for you, but it’s okay for me to do.” Similarly, we would have no right to complain when someone cuts us off in traffic, speaks rudely to us, or breaks into our house. After all, who are we to force our personal standards of morality upon them? If everything is just a matter of opinion or personal point of view, then nothing can really ever be off-limits.

Can we take a stand for what’s right?

If relativism is true, then we cannot fight against evil. In the example of the pickpocket, there would be no reason for the bystanders to act when you call for their help. “Who am I to judge whether it is wrong for him to take your phone? What’s true for you is true for you, what’s true for him is true for him.” If we accept relativism, then we have no logical basis to take a stand for anything, since there is no right or wrong that applies to everyone.

Can we discover truths beyond ourselves?

If relativism is true, the pickpocket in our example cannot discover answers to important questions such as, “What is the purpose of my life?” It would be like a math teacher telling the students that whatever answers they put down on the exam will be counted as correct. The exam would quickly start to seem pretty pointless. In a similar way, if we are all supposed to make up our own answers to life’s biggest questions, we are easily left with a sense that there are no true answers. This leads to a quiet sense of despair, which we often try to hide through constant distractions, such as social media, television, sports, and work.

Thankfully, truth can be known!

Instead of relativism, we can embrace the traditional, common-sense way of approaching truth: religious and moral truth can be known, and such truths apply to people of all cultures and time periods. We have no problem saying to the pickpocket, “It is wrong to steal.” We can confidently stand up against evil. We can search for answers to life’s biggest questions, discovering a purpose in life that goes beyond ourselves.

Vanilla or Chocolate?

Subjective Truths and Objective Truths

We all like different flavors of ice cream.

You say that you prefer vanilla, while your friend says that he prefers chocolate. These kinds of statements are subjective statements, meaning they claim something about a particular person.

Subjective statements depend on the person.

A subjective claim can be true for one person and false for another. The statement, “vanilla is the most delicious flavor of ice cream,” would be true for you as a vanilla fan and false for your chocolate-loving friend. Subjective statements can’t apply to everyone, since they refer to our particular opinions, feelings, and experiences.

But there are facts we can all know about ice cream.

Your friend says of a particular scoop of ice cream, “This ice cream is green. It weighs 70 grams. It contains 7 grams of fat.” These are objective statements. They describe characteristics of the ice cream itself, unrelated to our individual tastes or preferences.

Objective statements are either true or false.

If your friend is speaking about the top scoop of ice cream in the photo, then he is incorrect. The ice cream is not green; it is actually more of a brown color. Since objective statements describe an object outside of ourselves, then these statements are either true or false. Their truth has nothing to do with our opinions, feelings, or experiences.

If something is objectively true, then it is true for everyone.

As another example, imagine office workers in a conference room. One says, “I’m cold!”, while another declares, “I’m too hot!” They can both be right; these are subjective statements. But if one says that it is 65 degrees in the room, and another declares that it is 70 degrees, then they can’t both be right. The temperature is an objective reality; it is a reality outside of ourselves.

Issues of faith are objective statements.

When Christians say, “Jesus of Nazareth rose from the dead,” we are not making a subjective claim but an objective claim. It is not a claim like “I’m cold,” but rather a claim like “it is 70 degrees.” Either Jesus rose from the dead, or he did not. If this is true, it is true for everyone. If this is false, it is false for everyone.

Relativism makes all moral and religious claims to be merely subjective.

As we described in our previous message, our culture teaches us to consider moral and religious truth to be relative to each person. In other words, these are just subjective claims, matters of personal preference which change from person to person. In our next message, we will explore some of the problems with this approach.

Lost in the Woods

Can we know truth or not?

Is truth dependent on our feelings?

Imagine that a group of friends are lost in the middle of a vast wilderness. They know that heading north is the only way for them to survive. Although they have a compass, they decide to toss it into the woods, saying, “No need for that! North is whatever direction each of us wants it to be!” Everyone scatters in their own direction, and most end up hopelessly lost.

Does truth change from person to person?

Clearly, it wouldn’t make sense for hikers to act this way in real life. But isn’t this how our culture now expects us to act when issues of faith or morality are raised? When discussing God or what is morally right, we are told that there is no true answer; it all depends on our personal feelings or opinions. People will say things like, “What’s true for you is true for you, what’s true for me is true for me.” This way of approaching truth—that moral and religious truth changes from person to person—is called relativism.

We are lost without truth.

Relativism may seem sophisticated or “nice,” but it actually keeps us from pursuing truth together. If religious and moral truth changes from person to person, then we can have no common ground to explore together the most important questions of human life. Instead of searching together for truth, each of us is left to wander alone in the wilderness, guided only by our individual feelings and opinions.

Truth is “that which is.”

In our example, when a hiker points in a direction and declares, “North is that way!”, the statement either corresponds to reality or does not. Traveling in that direction will either bring one closer to the north pole, or it will not. When a statement corresponds to reality, we say that the statement is true. Truth is “that which is.” The location of the north pole doesn’t depend on our feelings and preferences; such realities are the same for everyone.

We can know truths about faith and morality, too.

In the same way, there are realities of faith and morality that do not depend on our feelings or opinions. If God exists, for example, he exists for everyone, whether people believe in him or not. If attacking innocent students at school is wrong, it is wrong for everyone. This is the traditional, common-sense way of approaching truth: religious and moral truth can be known, and such truths apply to people of all cultures and time periods.

Truth is ours to discover!

When we recognize that there is truth outside of ourselves, it is good news! It means that we can discover answers to the most important questions, such as the meaning of life and the existence of God. We can have meaningful discussions with others who disagree with us, seeking the truth together in an atmosphere of mutual respect. In this message series, we will be exploring these beautiful aspects of truth.