We live in a world characterized by change. From textbooks to skyscrapers, everything that surrounds us seem to be caught up in a spiral that is in continual motion, always changing. When nothing seems to consist of concrete substance, everything seems abstract, and thus the only thing that is constant is change. In a world that is constantly changing, the biggest challenge that seems to surface is the issue of trust. When certainty is a myth (as is suggested by the philosophies of a changing world), nothing outside the self seems tangible. I can only hold on to what I know to be real, and the only way I can gauge reality is by relying on what I consider to be true.Thus, I define reality via my own thoughts. In such a world, opinion is given such high esteem. Challenging my opinion would be equated to challenging my reality. Thus, we find most of our conversations ending with the phrase "We agree to disagree".
In a world where opinion is 'God' (as is suggested by a world where opinion defines reality), it is by no surprise that our understanding of God becomes subject to opinion. We choose to see God the way we wish to see Him, rather than who He really is. But who would know the nature of God? We may have the philosophies of religion and the holy books that teach us of God, but how certain could we be of their truths? After all, everything is subject to change. At one extreme, I may say " I don't really care" and on the other extreme, I may simply choose to believe whatever I want because it is my opinion and thus, my choice. Opinion seems to have the final say in all things here. The only right decision is opinion, and thus truth itself is replaced by what we think.
And where does the path of opinion lead us? In reality, it leads us to the self. If what I think defines my reality, then my opinion is of great worth.In fact, my opinion is greater that your opinion. Thus, all our thoughts and actions would then lead us to an individualistic mindset, away from a communitarian nature. This leads us to put 'self' over others. Love becomes utilitarian. Relationships become contracts. The very effects of such a mindset is so clearly portrayed in much of the relationships we have on earth. We are kind to those who can repay our kindness. We give only if there is a promise of receiving. Marriage becomes a legal agreement rather than a covenant. Spousal love becomes a price we pay for sex. And what are the results of these effects? Broken families begin when the contract expires. Divorce starts when the agreement cannot be lived up to. Prostitutes become the alternative when spousal love is too expensive to pay. As a whole, the human person becomes a living object. As we are too busy checking ourselves out, we leave our human dignity out of the dressing room.
Does this mean that opinion in itself is bad? No. Opinion in itself has the potential to be right or wrong. The dilemma lies in the quest for the right opinion. Whose opinion is right? Whose opinion can be true? To answer this, we would have to look at truth itself. The nature of truth is that it is constant and unchanging. If no human being can be constant and unchanging, why do we look for truth in the opinions of man? If there can be no truth that arises purely from man's opinion alone, opinions only have the potential to be true if they are in line with the truth. Thus, opinions are only true if they imitate the truth. In my opinion, 1+1=2. My opinion is only true because 1+1 does equal 2. If my opinion is other than this, it is not true. Therefore, the power of opinion in defining the reality of truth is subject to a certain and unchanging truth. In other words, opinion can be transformed by truth, but not otherwise. But this does not lead us to the source of truth. Where can we find truth?
To further this argument in a secular context would be to beat around the bush. A world separated from God and the knowledge of God can never understand truth. In fact, even religion would seem as an opinion. However, keeping with the statement that truth cannot be transformed by opinion, the true knowledge of God cannot be merely an opinion. A knowledge of God that is free from opinion can only be made known to us by God Himself, either through nature or via Divine revelation, or both. Discernment of truth apart from opinion arises from a sincere relationship with God. A relationship, as opposed to utilitarianism, is fuelled by love. Sincerity and openness of heart is an undeniable aspect of love. With sincerity and openness of heart, such a relationship (with God) would transform us to imitate the one we love, who is truth Himself.
Is religion itself a result of opinion? To some degree, yes. However, the birth of religion is simply an expression of mankind's desire for God. Thus, there has to be some element of truth in every religion. However, for religion to stay faithful to the truth, the intervention of the Eternal is necessary. In other words, we need God Himself to reveal that He is with us. True faith begins with the assurance that God is Imanu'el (Hebrew; 'El' means God, 'Imanu' means with us). Any opinion resulting from such assurance, once tested through time, proves to be true not because the opinion itself is true but rather, God Himself remains as He assured (with us). The question is, where can we find such assurance?
Personally, my search for truth has led me back to where I begun....The Catholic Church. You may beg to differ at this point but this is my opinion after all. The deeper we look at Scripture and the teachings of the Church, the more we will begin to recognise the undeniable element of truth, that can only be found when we clear our minds from attachments to opinion. Through God's grace, we see how the plan of God unfolds and continues to do so throughout history, through Christ and His Church. Everything has its meaning, not just historically but also in the current society. We see Christ not just as Who He Is as revealed in Scriptures, but also how he continues to transform society by the 'contra-individual' mindset which is a pre-requisite for the Kingdom of God which we are to portray by our lives. We see ourselves as being more than individuals. I am a part of a big family, where every member means the world to the other. Love seems to be perfected by sacrifice, and thus it points away from the self and towards the other. When we look at the Church's point of view with honest hearts, we would see it as being applicable though often not acceptable. We see how it may work but we also see it as being hard to swallow. To some extent, truth does hurt. Is the pain worth living? Or shall we continue to drown in the comfort of what we think?
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