New Life #324 –  Truth And Falsehood
Dr. Michael Laitman in conversation with Oren Levi and Yael Leshed-Harel

Summary

What is the meaning of truth and falsehood in our lives, according to what are they defined, in which cases is it possible to relate to falsehood as truth, and is it possible to reach absolute truth?

We don’t know what truth is. Every generation has different values; each person changes during his life.

It is human nature to think constantly only about oneself and one’s own good. If so, what kind of truth can there be here? For me, truth is what is good for me and falsehood is what is bad for me.

All of our lives are one big lie. I want to exploit everyone for my own good, but I hide this. It follows that there is no absolute truth or absolute falsehood; everything is a matter of expediency. This is very prominent in politics.

Even when a person does something good for someone else, it is only because he feels close to him. It follows that truth is our nature, meaning our desire to receive, to control, to exploit everything for our good.

Our children are less hypocritical than we are. We received an education about how to speak nicely and so forth. This has no power over them.

Once there were ideals, Socialism, Zionism. Today it is clear that everyone appeals only to himself and everything is a lie. Today there is no power in making an investment. It is even possible to download everything for free on the Internet with the press of a button.

What a person thinks of as his truth is basically the result of the education he received. When the question, “What am I living for?” is awakened, I have an opportunity to get closer to discovering the truth about myself.

In the Torah it is forbidden to lie, for its goal is to raise the person to the height of, “You shall love your friend as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18), to the truth. Accordingly, falsehood is anything that doesn’t bring me to love of others.

The higher power is entirely love, giving and bestowal. There are no lies in it. I am the opposite, and my work is to become like it.

Truth and falsehood are relative. A white lie is a beneficial lie. It is necessary to check if the goal is for the good of others or a different goal. What must always guide me is the good of others, detached from my own self-interest. A man must compliment his wife for the sake of peace at home. The higher truth of “and you shall love your friend” is obligatory.

It is up to us to define the aspiration to love others as the goal of life. Without this, all of our lives would be false.

There are people who have a tendency to lie. They can also change. They specifically have a tendency toward creativity.

When advancing toward the truth, love of others, in the framework of the family, we go through all kinds of states. Each one must help others through giving a good example, showing that he is making an effort to love. How does one deal with a child who lies in the family?

Conclusion: If we define love of others as the goal of our lives, it is called living in the way of truth.
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From KabTV’s “New Life #324 –  Truth And Falsehood,” 3/23/14

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