Reality, Truth, Fact, Fiction….
In recent memory, I’ve had quite a few lengthy conversations regarding realities and truths. Many people believe they know what the “truth” is, what’s “real” and what isn’t. Generally what I humbly submit to these people is that what is true and what is real doesn’t automatically mean its a fact, or it is what it is. It could very well be fiction. I only say this because these things all lie on the foundation of the “belief” of the individual. What is one’s reality and what is true for an individual all depends on what that person “believes”.
Reality can be defined as simply “an agreement” within ourselves about something we believe. What we believe is what each of us considers true. Two or more people can only share the same reality if and only if they can all reach the same agreement – therefore a disagreement is not only a differing in belief about something, but also a unshared reality. Think of all of the things that there isn’t a common reality regarding – the war in Iraq, what happened with Kobe, whether the Rams will win the Superbowl, or if there is a God. Look around you and where you find two people who don’t get along you’ll find two people who disagree, who believe two different things, who differ in reality.
Its really simple. Person A looks at the box that displays HBO in your room and says “this is a tv”. Person B looks at the same thing and says “no – it’s an elephant!”. One believes that the object is a TV while the other believes that it is an elephant. What is the truth/fact/reality? Well – it is only what YOU believe it to be…. If you really believe it to be an elephant (as crazy as it might sound), than an elephant it shall be to you as a fact and as your reality. It will remain such until your belief is modified, not the object. Even to the outsider looking in saying “that’s stupid – it is obviously a tv” – the only thing obvious is what you believe, or should I say, what your reality is.
So my reality is what I agree upon, the truth rests in what I believe and shapes my reality, and fact or fiction is only a byproduct of the prior mentioned. I think this a pretty powerful concept and far-reaching because its a type of understanding that allows us to respect each other as inviduals with unique beliefs. Why do people of different religions often bicker and fight with others of different religions while touting their official book of the word? Because they don’t share a reality. Someone has to be right and and the other wrong…. In each individual’s eyes, the truth is being told and there is only one truth. “How dare you deny the truth?” they might be thinking in their head.
So with all that said, I know that I believe many different things and have my own unique reality. I believe all things are possible through Jesus Christ. I believe in Jesus Christ. I believe my destiny is great. I believe love conquers all challenges – time, distance, fear, and trust. So these things are a part of my overall reality and responsible for the kind of life I live. When I think of the things i accomplished in my life that were within my control, they were all things I believed I could do. I started an athelete, then a drummer, and became an engineer all through belief that I simply could. We fail the very second our belief does…
If you want to be successful, you’ve got believe that you can be and you must know when you’ve reached the point where you can agree that you are successful.
If you want to be loved, you must be believe that you are worthy of it and agree that you have received that blessing. And so on….. And so on….. A man who changes what he thinks and believes easily changes his reality.
So what is your truth, reality, fact, or fiction?