
Truth vs. Opinion
Updated: Mar 9, 2021
Universal truth is not someone's opinion, it's absolute - as such, it benefits all.
It's important to differentiate between truth and opinion, because the vast majority of the world has a belief system based on opinion, not necessarily on the truth. Outside of school, most of what you have learned through life experience, relationships with family, friends, and those that you feel are credible, is based on some truth, but mostly it's based on someone's opinion. It is colored by what appeals to you and your way of thinking. Why is this important? It's important because what you believe to be true is the foundation for your thinking. If what you believe to be true is really just
“What you believe to be true is the foundation for your thinking.”
opinion that you have accepted as the truth, and that opinion is flawed, then your thoughts will carry that flaw into actions and everything that flows from them.
The Perfect Example
Say when you were young, a family member made a comment about you as not being good at something. Then, sometime later, a friend made a similar comment about that very thing. All of a sudden, you begin paying attention to that particular thing and concluding that maybe their comments are valid. Something happens after that. Maybe a mistake you've made that seems to confirm those thoughts, and now your belief system is starting to kick in. Before you have had the chance to know the truth about it, you believe that you are not good at that particular thing. Or maybe someone said something about you being ugly or fat or weird, and after hearing that 2 or 3 times you begin to believe it. Think about it, this has probably happened to you more than once in your life. I can tell you this, it has happened to you many times in your life, in various ways, without your really focusing on the fact that you are creating a false belief based on someone's opinion. You are creating a false belief based on comments that are not necessarily true.
Universal Truth
Now, universal truth is knowledge that is absolute. As such, it is shared by and benefits all. What I am talking about is knowledge of substance that has been revealed to humankind throughout the centuries by respected intellectuals, philosophers, men of science, and creative personalities. For instance, we all have a soul, that is the truth. This knowledge is not subject to opinion or variation, it simply is as it is. It cannot be altered in any way to fit someone's ideals, beliefs or agendas. It's verifiable information that you can seek out and confirm, given the time and desire. It's simply the truth, not opinion.