I\u2019m sure you know this clich\u00e9: \u201cThe first casualty of war is truth.\u201d But here\u2019s a twist on it that also makes sense: \u201cThe first casualty of certainty is truth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My initial Google search for this statement suggests to me that I may have invented it myself. It may even be true. So please hear me out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An early 15th century definition of certainty is the \u201cfull assurance of mind, exemption from doubt.\u201d I\u2019ve met numerous people whose sense of certainty embraces that exemption from doubt. I\u2019m rarely comfortable in their presence, in no small measure because they often want to make their experience of \u201ccertainty\u201d my obligation. And I\u2019m certain I don\u2019t want to be forced to be certain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, I\u2019m prone to ask: What\u2019s the origin of this intractable sense of certainty?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I suspect our desires for certainty are directed by what we fear and\/or what we love. So, let\u2019s consider fear and love as contributing to our deep desires for certainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I offer these contrasting statements as overstated examples. But let them prompt your own examples. \u201cFear-certainty\u201d keeps doubts from being expressed. \u201cLove-certainty\u201d encourages doubts to be expressed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fear-certainty depends on \u201ceither-or\u201d choices. Love-certainty depends on \u201cboth-and\u201d choices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fear-certainty rejects questions of accountability\/transparency. Love-certainty welcomes questions of accountability\/transparency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fear-certainty depends on intimidation of others. Love-certainty depends on persuasion of others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fear-certainty lies to manipulate others. Love-certainty seeks the truth that affirms others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fear-certainty requires an enemy. Love-certainty invites enemies to become friends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fear-certainty believes in the love of power. Love-certainty believes in the power of love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now, I know that these descriptions are not as clean as the words suggest. I\u2019d like them to be, however. I\u2019d like them to be more either-or, like the wonderful Native American story about the two wolves in which a grandson confesses to his grandfather about his internal struggle. The grandfather speaks of two wolves, one dark and evil, the other one light and good. The grandson then asks, \u201cWhich wolf will win?\u201d The grandfather simply says, \u201cThe one you feed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019ve liked this story for many either-or reasons. Then, I recently read an interpretation shared by Michelle Weimer, a personal coach. It reminded me to think more in both-and terms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She found another version of the two wolves story that spoke of the good qualities each wolf possesses that we all need. The grandfather says to his grandson, \u201cIf you feed them right, they both win.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He described the good qualities of the dark wolf \u2013 tenacity, courage, fearlessness, strong-willed and great strategic thinking. Then he spoke of the light wolf\u2019s qualities \u2013 compassion, caring, strength and the ability to recognize what is in the best interest of all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The new version of the grandfather\u2019s summary? \u201cFeed them both and you will be closer to living in peace, grandson.\u201d A common synonym of peace is \u201cwholeness.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is the language that speaks to me. I can see this grandfather\u2019s view of the two wolves in a fuller way. They need each other, like healthy \u201cliberals and conservatives\u201d need each other when it comes to religion and politics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Our current religious-political climate generates far more fear than love,like two wolves demanding to be fed without regard to each other. Certainty can be like the wolves:fear and love demanding to be fed without regard to each other. Yet, they each have values the other needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I could suggest how those values might work together. But please take on the task of figuring out for yourself how they might work together in your own life. Doing so, you feed your own certainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Rev. Paul Graves<\/strong> is a retired elder member of the Pacific Northwest Conference of The United Methodist Church.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Certainty shaped by fear demands silence and obedience. Certainty shaped by love invites questions and conversation. What if both kinds of certainty\u2014like the two wolves of the Cherokee story\u2014have something to teach us? In a new post, Rev. Paul Graves asked us to consider that in a polarized world, perhaps truth isn\u2019t the first casualty of war, but of unchecked certainty. Feed both wolves well may be the way to peace.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":24162,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[74,16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24161","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-opinioneditorial","category-pacific-northwest-conference"],"yoast_head":"\n