Tuesday, 7th November, 2006

Interpretation and Religious Language

I was looking forward to this lecture but it was not what I expected. I always enjoy debates on literature and felt I was quite good at interpretation and able to grasp difficult constructs. I enjoy finding meaning, realizing God as more “Truths” are revealed through reflection and empathy with other people. But I was thrown by the statement “There is no such thing as fact” ref – Nietzsche.

I would happily disagree not only with Nietzche (which I often do) but also with our lecturer Paul who said he was able to find "some" accord with this statement.

Fact or truth, is essential to life, something we hold dear in our hearts, the meaning to life. The perception of the truth can be different from one view point to another, but it is an account deemed to be factual.

Last week I visited a woman in hospital, she is in her 90s and had lost her daughter a few days earlier. She was unable to pray to God and had doubts. “Why would he take her instead of me” was her question. After sitting with her and listening for half an hour, at least she found some comfort in the fact that I cared, and that I was able to pray for her.
Plenty of facts in a true account; there are no lies or hidden meanings. She was devastated, ready to pass on herself, but instead she had to face the death of her beloved child.

My Thought for the day

“If there is no such thing as fact, how can there be pain and doubt!”