*Admin Note - Political debate will not be tolerated in this thread. This is meant to be a philosophical discussion.
Well, with that introduction, I hope it belongs in this section. I think this is my first thread in the Philosophy forum. I was listening to the White Horse Inn podcast yesterday and the word Truthiness came up. It's been adopted as an actual word in the OED and was Merriam-Webster's Word of the Year in 2005.
Who coined the term? Satirist Stephen Colbert. A good article is here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truthiness. The monologue:
Now you know why I don't want this to descend into a political debate. It is easy to pick on President Bush but the reason why this monologue is so biting and funny is that it represents American society so accurately and cuts to the heart of its folly.
I remember, distinctly, a political debate I had with my step-mother about 3 years ago. She ended up leaving very angry with me though I had not truly given offense - she just didn't like my arguments. I walked upstairs to apologize to her nonetheless and she would not accept my apology for her being upset. She said: "I can't debate you on the facts but I know how I feel about these things."
I guess this is a long introduction to get us to talk about the consequences of this kind of philosophy. What are the consequences for us within the Church? How do we actually present the Truth to a culture where an idea is held for its "truthiness"? How do we gently deal with those who are caught up in this folly and how do we rebuke the impenitent fool?
Well, with that introduction, I hope it belongs in this section. I think this is my first thread in the Philosophy forum. I was listening to the White Horse Inn podcast yesterday and the word Truthiness came up. It's been adopted as an actual word in the OED and was Merriam-Webster's Word of the Year in 2005.
Who coined the term? Satirist Stephen Colbert. A good article is here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truthiness. The monologue:
I will speak to you in plain, simple English. And that brings us to tonight's word: 'truthiness.' Now I'm sure some of the 'word police,' the 'wordinistas' over at Webster's are gonna say, 'hey, that's not a word.' Well, anyone who knows me knows I'm no fan of dictionaries or reference books.
I don't trust books. They're all fact, no heart. And that's exactly what's pulling our country apart today. 'Cause face it, folks; we are a divided nation. Not between Democrats and Republicans, or conservatives and liberals, or tops and bottoms. No, we are divided between those who think with their head, and those who know with their heart.
Consider Harriet Miers. If you 'think' about Harriet Miers, of course her nomination's absurd. But the president didn't say he 'thought' about his selection. He said this:
(video clip of President Bush: ) 'I know her heart.'
Notice how he said nothing about her brain? He didn't have to. He feels the truth about Harriet Miers.
And what about Iraq? If you think about it, maybe there are a few missing pieces to the rationale for war. But doesn't taking Saddam out feel like the right thing?
Now you know why I don't want this to descend into a political debate. It is easy to pick on President Bush but the reason why this monologue is so biting and funny is that it represents American society so accurately and cuts to the heart of its folly.
I remember, distinctly, a political debate I had with my step-mother about 3 years ago. She ended up leaving very angry with me though I had not truly given offense - she just didn't like my arguments. I walked upstairs to apologize to her nonetheless and she would not accept my apology for her being upset. She said: "I can't debate you on the facts but I know how I feel about these things."
I guess this is a long introduction to get us to talk about the consequences of this kind of philosophy. What are the consequences for us within the Church? How do we actually present the Truth to a culture where an idea is held for its "truthiness"? How do we gently deal with those who are caught up in this folly and how do we rebuke the impenitent fool?