“…those who do not believe in truth are more likely, I believe to lie.” – Veith, G. E., Jr. (1994b). Postmodern Times: A Christian Guide to Contemporary Thought and Culture. Crossway, p. 51.

              We live in an age in which fewer people trust that which is labeled as truth, even to the point that one might despair of being able to know the truth, even if it exists. With the existence of truth in doubt or at least a loss in confidence that one can find the truth, the reality of a lie can be doubted as well. With a lie defined as that which is not true, a denial of truth suggests that lies do not exist.

              If one believes that there is no real truth to which one should hold, they may ask themselves why not just create one’s own reality. To claim that one is describing reality past or present without the restraints of truth’s existence means one can make up what pleases them. As Veith states in his book, lying becomes easier and thus more likely to happen.

              The participant of this mind game can simultaneously believe they are not lying as lying cannot exist if there is no truth in the first place, and yet still be lying due to the fact that their underlying premise of truth’s non-existence is erroneous. Our denial of the reality that this universe operates within the reality that truth exists does not change such reality. Truth still rules and a lie is still a lie.

              Yet, such a rationalization whether conscious or unconscious absolves the conscience of many of potential guilt. They play freely with their statements believing there are no boundary lines which when crossed lead to ditches. Their statements and claims wander to and fro between corresponding with reality and contradicting it with lies. They see no reason to worry about lying.

              As this denial of truth and its greater propensity to lie grows in our society, rather than freeing members of that society from truth’s bonds, it begins to limit them in different ways. They cannot be as productive in carrying out life when constantly contradicting reality, effectively trying to swim against the current. Relationally, participants in this rationalization begin to realize as Veith notes that they cannot trust what someone else tells them, when that person is comfortable with lies. When trust diminishes, knowledge begins to lose its foundations.

              In order to avoid the consequences of a society which is losing its belief in the existence of truth with the preponderance of relativistic thought, we must return to a foundation of believing that God has given us truth by which to live. When we believe in truth’s existence and God’s desire for us to know it, we can pursue it. We can strive to pattern our thoughts and feelings in line with the truth we discover. We can live daily as individuals pursuing truth and gather more productively when sharing truth and its pursuits with less need to distrust one another. Only in this approach to life can we hope to lead ourselves and other to whole life.