A Book of Isaiah Ten Commandments’ Moment: The Truth Be Told

On a daily basis we confront matters of truth and opinion. The truths are the “2+2=4″‘s of life. Opinions are a different beast. With opinions, we veer off into a matrix of probabilities. Terms such as certainty, reasonable, likely and possibly are entertained and are cemented in as some form of truth. Inherently, opinions are murky and often lacking veracity.

Opinions are confounding. They are democratic; everyone can offer one up. As such, bad or flawed opinions compete in the open market place of ideas as much as valid and well-founded ones. sadly, with Humanity, sometimes, bad or flawed opinions win!

Opinions are subject to conflict. With litigation, I am frequently confronted with opinions and their varying probabilities. In modern times, sometimes the actual truth does not matter in law. It is not unusual that I win cases based upon what is “more likely” than not. In essense, a sliver beyond a mere coin flip rules.

While the Ten Commandments focuses on dishonesty, the Book of Isaiah provides some clarity with respect to opinion formation. “Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and who view themselves as understanding.” Isaiah 5:21. Isaiah speaks of perspective. Often, people are trapped by their own points of view. They only take the time to see what they can see. They don’t bother to see what others see.

This notion is both well-known and practiced. In the United States, in times of a catastrophic event, the locals want the country’s President to tour their area. They want their Chief Executive Officer to see what they see. They desire to shape their leader’s understanding and opinions by providing him or her with more data. Presidents who have failed to visit disaster sights have been lambasted and labeled as “uncaring”.

In reading many online internet comments concerning recent online controversies, it is apparent that many individuals act reflexively in expressing their opinions. They take little time, if any, attempting to understand the other side. As a practicing litigator, failing to understand the other side can be costly. Cases are often won and lost by simply by destroying the other side’s position.

Not too long ago, I published a post which some people found insulting and offensive. One individual queried whether I was being serious or insulting. The reason for this confusion was that I literally, for the most part, copied or parroted the mainstream views. I was not offering up my opinion, but was rather building a mirror upon which these individuals could see themselves, their ideology, and their belief system.

In sum, for all of those who navigate through life, beyond addressing the truthfulness of recounting events or fundamental facts, individuals must also form opinions. The maintenance of fundamental beliefs should not be an impediment for looking beyond oneself to see the viewpoint of others. As one reads the Prophets, expressions of unpopular opinions is part and parcel of the role.

Be well!!

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