Choosing to Love What is True

I have been a fan of J.R.R. Tolkien’s work for quite a while. Not only do I enjoy reading and rereading his stories of Middle Earth Hobbits, Elves, and Dwarves, but I find snatches of insight about his personal life, faith, and philosophy intriguing and inspiring as well. Recently I read on an online site the following statement: “JRR Tolkien refused to let his books be read out loud to people until after his death, preferring to keep his words ‘on the page.’”

 This fascinated me. Since he was a philologist (someone who studies the history of languages), I knew from other reading that Tolkien had picked up some quirks from his studies, particularly from Medieval Norse languages and their accompanying myths. He was fluent in the Anglo-Saxon language, also known as Old English, and studied ancient Finnish. He also strongly disliked allegory and bristled at the suggestion that The Lord of the Rings was a parallel retelling of the first and second world wars. It is even said that he had a near-fanatical love of plant life, refusing to cut down or even prune overgrown trees. He was a creative man of strong and sometimes eccentric opinions.

Thus, this latest anecdote stirred a delighted sense of wonder. What might have been his thought processes motivating such reverence for written words (he was Roman Catholic) that he desired his own to be read silently? 

I wanted to know more.

OUCH!

The most interesting thing I ended up learning about this, however, was that it simply was not true. Tolkien never said such a thing. He had no problem with his books being read out loud. I now believe the source I got it from meant the whole thing as a joke.

But why did I find this fabrication so fascinating?

I think its subtle quirkiness made it believable in my mind. I could somehow see such a creative man saying something like this. I knew, after all, that he wasn’t afraid to consider things that flowed against the popular current. Yes, this particular view was very odd. But it felt true. There was part of me that actually wanted it to be real.

I have often heard it said that a good lie is 90% truth. Lies aren’t useful if they’re not believable and at least somewhat attractive.

And so, I’m once again pondering the nature of deception.

Disinformation

People don’t like to admit they’ve been deceived. Whereas I was able to quickly laugh at myself for being taken in regarding Tolkien’s peculiarities, other beliefs are not so easy to let go of. The rash of “conspiracy theories” surrounding COVID19 and vaccines provide lots of examples. People hold on to some of these with religious fervor whether they lean right or left politically. I won’t mention any specific examples to avoid the possibility of offending a reader. Because the truth is, many of those “crazy” conspiracy theories are sounding more and more plausible. There is a lot of truth in many of them. But to find and confirm that last 10% is where many of us drop the ball. And that’s the problem.

 It’s not comfortable to admit, but half truths or statements that are mostly true, is just another way for describing lies. While I tend to believe that most people do not deliberately pass along outright falsehoods (I might be deceived on this), many of us, however, just repeat what seems true at the moment. We have developed a tolerance for deceitfulness – especially if it tickles our ears. After all, 90% accuracy is a pretty good average in most realms.

 But followers of Jesus are called to love the truth and hate lies wherever they may be found. The scriptures are very clear that when we disregard what is true and seek to manipulate facts and reality for our own purposes, we align ourselves with darkness. Jesus was quite clear where lies come from:

 “You are of your father the DEVIL, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44 ESV, emphasis mine).

 Friends with the Devil?

I remember as a child that lies flowed so easily off my tongue. It was so much more convenient to say what served my self interest in the moment than to say what actually was. Eventually, I saw that lying trapped me in my own words and it wasn’t a good way to do life. But it wasn’t until I was an adult that I realized that the realm of all deception is at the center of Satan’s kingdom. It’s his language, not God’s. I am vulnerable to the Evil One when I don’t value and choose truthfulness in all my words and intentions.

 The story of the Serpent in Genesis 3 provides some insight for us. The creature convinced sinless humans to disobey God’s clear instructions . It spoke a lot of truth: the man and the woman wouldn’t die (right away that is), and eating the fruit would give them knowledge like God’s (however, it would destroy them). What he said was technically true but with a lot left out (probably more than 10%). What God told them was completely true and everything they needed to know at that point in their lives. The Serpent spoke half truths that tickled their ears and stirred their pride. And they chose what was pleasing for the moment and lost all that living in the truth had given them.

 Loving the Truth

Truth is the accurate description of reality. When we play with half truths (both speaking and believing them) we lose touch with what is actually real and the result is that we get lost. Jesus said that He is THE TRUTH (John 14:6). In Him we learn to dwell in reality; in Him we learn to love the truth.

 I am still vulnerable to deception. I dread all the skepticism I need to develop to not be trapped by the growing power of Artificial Intelligence. There is a part of me that wants to believe lies, for there are many things I would like to believe are true. That J.R.R. Tolkien had quirky views about his stories being read is only the beginning.

How cool it would be if those photographs of monstrous skeletons on the internet were from real ancient giants. It would also be nice if those extra calories I consume tonight would have no effect on my weight and health in the future. I would like it if that email informing me that a rich widow in Nigeria has chosen me to inherit her millions was true. And my life would be filled with greater convenience if only God didn’t expect me to always obey Him. 

All these things would be delightful (at least for a short while) if only they were true. 

But none of these are even half true.

 Let’s learn to love the WHOLE truth because the One who IS truth loves us.

 Response:

• How much do I value the truth? In others? In myself?
• What kind of half truth might I be susceptible to believing? `
• What kind of half truths do I tell, or at least try to get others to believe?
• How might my attitude toward truth change if I really believed that all my deceiving and lying draw me closer to the Evil One?
• Jesus, show me what it means to be in you who are the Truth!

(Edited and reposted from May 6, 2024 “Choosing to Reject Half Truths”)