What Is Truth?*

* MESSAGE OF ATTY RONQUILLO C. TOLENTINO, FORMER VICE GOVERNOR OF AKLAN ON THE OCCASION OF THE CONVENOR’S MEETING OF THE AKLANON MOVEMENT, FOR TRUTH AND ACCOUNTABILITY, PLAZA CANTEEN, PASTRANA PARK, MARCH 6, 2008, 5:00 P.M.

What is Truth?

Truth has many definitions and meanings.

Consider these views about truth;

“Truth is the foundation of all knowledge and the cement of all societies”-Dryden.

“What we have in us of the image of God is the love of truth and justice.”-Demosthenes.

“Every violation of truth is a stab at the health of human society.” – Emerson.

“Truth without charity is often intolerant and even persecuting, as charity without truth is weak in concession and trustworthy in judgment. - But charity, loyal to truth and rejoicing in it, has the wisdom of the serpent with the harmlessness of the dove.”-J. Swartz.

“Much of the glory and sublimity of truth is connected with its mystery. – To understand everything we must be as God” - Tyron Edwards

“The finest and noblest ground on which people can live is truth; the real with the real; a ground on which nothing is assumed.” - Emerson.

“The withholding of truth is sometimes a worse deception than a direct misstatement.”

“Truth is not only violated by falsehood; it may be equally outraged by silence.” – Amien.

“The most natural beauty in the world is honesty and moral truth; for all beauty is truth. True features make the beauty of the face; and true proportions the beauty of architecture; as true measures that of harmony and music. In poetry, which is all fable, truth still is the perfection.” – Shaftesbury

Ever since Pontius Pilate asked on what is truth, the question had become rhetorical although truth in law is evidence.

The Pilate question was a consequence of Christ’s proclamation that He has come into the world to witness to the truth.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that the Old Testament attests that God is the source of all truth. “His word is truth. His Law is truth. His faithfulness endures to all generations.”

Rightly has it been said that man tends by nature towards truth. He is obliged to honor and witness to it. They are impelled by their nature and bound by moral obligation to seek the truth.

St. Thomas Aquinas, In Summa Theologiae said: “Truth as uprightness in human action and speech called truthfulness, sincerity or candor. Truth or truthfulness is the virtue which consists in showing oneself true in deeds and truthful in words and in guiding against duplicity, dissimulation and hypocrisy.

In a country that prides itself to be a government of laws and not of men, truth should come as an important requirement of good governance. The official denials that we often read and hear from the government without evidence are often seen as justifications for a wide credibility gap.

The clamor for truth, accountability and reform should continue on a sustaining basis if we intend democracy to survive. /MP