Recognizing Campbell: the Nature of Truth, Odessa American

Floor Speech

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Mr. PFLUGER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to include in the Record an opinion column from the Odessa American titled ``Campbell: The Nature of Truth,'' published May 1, 2025. In it, the author reflects on how society grapples with competing claims of truth and encourages readers to return to foundational and verifiable sources--a theme with deep implications for both our civic culture and the way we approach legislation.

I believe this thoughtful reflection is a meaningful reminder of the importance of clarity, honesty, and shared understanding in democratic discourse. [From the Odessa American] Campbell: The Nature of Truth

Truth is ephemeral in the temporal world. It seems that everyone has his or her own version and whether or not they actually know the truth is open to interpretation and subject to one's own preference or prejudice. It's a key concept in my business, journalism, where truth is the lynchpin. We are bound to be truthful to the best of our ability and we are prohibited from writing anything that we know to be false. We can be fired for doing it.

That's the difference between the Odessa American and publications like the National Enquirer, which publish nothing but stories that they know to be untrue. That's not to say we never publish falsehoods, but we don't do it deliberately. It's that we have good reasons like credible sources and reliable references to believe that what we write is true.

In the case of political candidates, if we had to believe everything they say we would never write anything about them. We're not saying that what they say is true. We're saying it's true that that is what they said. We attribute accurately and leave it to the readers to ascribe credibility or not.

There has never been a newspaper or a book written that had nothing false in it. Only one book is 100 percent true: the Bible. God cannot lie and we may be certain that every word of the Bible is true.

Depending on the translation, Jesus 75-80 times in the Gospels uses the phrase ``I tell you the truth'' or variations of it and in John 14:5 he is even more specific when he says, ``I am the way, the truth and the life.'' So he was not just telling the truth, he was and is the truth. He embodies it. I think Jesus emphasized the truth and the fact that he was always telling it because he understood the inherent deceitfulness of the world. He was saying, if you want the pure truth, look to me.

At the end of Revelation we see the importance of this issue when it says that everyone who loves and practices falsehood is classified with the sexually immoral, murderers and idolators as being among those who will be damned. Of course some people occasionally tell white lies in deference to the feelings of those they love, but then people who are always strictly truthful are often respected for it and their candor is accepted in deference to the values they espouse.

Truth derives from wisdom and like wisdom it is more valuable than much pure gold and sweeter than honey from the honeycomb. The English philosopher Francis Bacon (1561-1626) said truth is the child of time, meaning that it emerges and is revealed through the passage of time, not through someone's immediate authority or declaration.

When we hear things privately or in the public arena, if the truth of them is not discernible we may be confident that time will show the truth. The political writers' adage is that nothing anyone says during a campaign may be true, but during the course of it the truth will become clear and the voters will know whom to vote for from the total body of the dialogue. German philosopher Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) said lying steals one's dignity and we know from Scripture that God wants us to maintain our dignity as Christians by avoiding such things.

Stone-Campbell Church Movement leader Alexander Campbell (1788-1866) advocated for a rational and deliberative understanding of Christianity, firmly rooted in the New Testament. He opposed both speculative theology and emotional revivalism, emphasizing a return to the Bible as the primary source of truth. Campbell advocated for a focus on biblical text and avoided theological systems that relied on philosophical or speculative reasoning.

Truth derives from the wisdom developed through the fear of the Lord and wisdom and truth are indispensable in our pursuit of virtue. How may we obtain these treasures of the Holy Spirit? Of course, through prayer, reading Scripture, attending church and fellowshipping with other Christians.

Pray and ask God for the wisdom to discern truth and succeed in our ever-advancing pursuit of higher and higher virtue. Ask to be empowered to bear well the responsibility of being a link in the multi-generational sustenance and progress of good character in your family. Ask for a complete God-given understanding of the nature and importance of truth and thereby avoid the errors that can set back or thwart your spiritual goals.

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