TRUTH OR DARE

Some people enjoy games, such as truth or dare. Some do not mind answering questions like “What is your biggest fear in a relationship?” Others love the adventurous nature of the “dare” side of the game, like calling up your crush and declaring your love for him/her.

I am not a fan of this game. The reason is simple. I do not trust people enough to let the warped minds of others dictate what I do. My mind can come up with enough things for me to do to get into trouble.

As far as truth is concerned, if you were worried about letting your skeletons out of the closet, you are probably not playing the game. Everyone has their secrets, and no game will force them to tell you.  

I try to tell the truth all of the time. My life is an open book. If you want to know something, ask. My wife does not always like this part of my personality. She has to be certain to remind me, “This is not for public knowledge.”

I seem to have a reputation for being honest. I remember a time when I saw a young woman I know walking out of a building with her husband. She spotted me and told her husband to wait just a moment. She came all the way across the room and asked me what I thought of her hair. I told her my opinion and then asked why she walked away from her husband just to ask me that question. Her response was that I was the only one she knew that would really tell her the truth. I thought this was a sad commentary on the people around us.

What ever happened to honesty?

All I see on social media is lies told in memes, “news stories”, and in people’s comments. It seems that people do not want the truth. They only want to believe their point of view regardless of facts. They believe all sorts of incorrect reporting but disregard the truth if it goes against what they want to believe.

Most people claiming to be open-minded are extremely close-minded unless you agree with them. No one likes to be wrong, but sometimes we are. When truth comes out against our point of view, should we not change our point of view? This depends on the source of the “truth.” Some of our sacred “credible” sources are just biased. Adding opinions and interpretations to facts can distort the truth.

People say,” do not believe everything you read (or hear).” Jokes are sarcastically told like “it was on the internet, it must be true.” Yet, people still believe every picture with added words that someone made up on the internet and every article written that coincides with their belief system.

We need to check our sources. We need to seek truth. We need to be more open-minded to the confirmed facts. Differing opinions are not always wrong. Practice telling the truth, but do so in a loving way.

I say all this, but the truth remains, “this is America (or whatever country in which you are living). You have the right to be wrong.”