A few weeks ago my dad and I were discussing the two ideas of moral relativity and moral absolutes. As we continued our discussion, my mom chuckled to herself from the sofa as she read through the newspaper. After our discussion had wound down a bit, she passed me the paper, and pointed out a comic on the page. It showed two travelers walking along the road. A sign was ahead that said “Trooth” and pointed in the direction they were walking. One of the guys says to the other, “Close enough. Let’s go.”
I have to admit that the timing of that comic made us laugh almost as much as the comic itself. The comic humorously illustrates a belief that many people today accept; they live their lives in its accordance. And while the comic was funny, it’s sad to think that that is actually how a lot of people live. I think that more people live like that than they realize.
This comic has provoked more thoughts in me than the artist ever intended. Is it okay to be “close enough” when it comes to the truth? How close is close enough? How do you know when you’ve arrived? What we believe is true is one of the most important things about us because it affects every area of life. It affects our actions (and inaction). It affects how we relate to other people, and how we don’t relate to other people. Underlying all of these things, what I believe is true fundamentally affects not only my own life, but also the lives of my family, friends, and casual acquaintances.
I feel like I am always on a quest for the truth. I’m always searching, probing, questioning, researching, and thinking; I can’t really stop. I think there are some things we can accept as true, and have assurance that they really are true. That doesn’t mean we choose to be dogmatic about everything we believe. Just because some people are not careful when choosing what to be dogmatic about does not mean that absolute truth does not exist. An inquisitive and open mind understands that there is a possibility of being wrong, but is willing to take that risk anyway based on all of the evidence around.
Is it okay to be close enough?