Truth feature
UU Church Today, Spirituality & Theology

Fluidity of Truth: Linear and Non-linear truth




What is linear and non-linear truth? Truth can be defined, or at least described as, that which is in accordance with fact or reality—seen and unseen, known and unknown. In other words, truth is constantly revealing itself.

Contrary to popular concepts, truth is not static or stationary. Truth is organic. Truth constantly shifts and evolves, expands and even improves with time and with the truth seeker’s personal growth and spiritual maturity.  

Fluidity and flexibility

There are varying dimensions of truth that defy containment or restraint. Unless we as humans stay fluid and flexible, truth can feel stoic, defeating, or disastrous. Staying fluid and flexible enables us to influence and even change truth as we know it, experience it and perceive it. That’s what fascinates me most about the concept to truth. It’s malleable to our own understanding and relationship with it.

Earthly Truth is linear. Spiritual truth is non-linear.

Linear truth is facts and figures arranged and extending along a line. Such as 2+2=4.  

Non-linear truth is reality evolving, expanding, and changing consistency. Non-linear truth can change in a connected and orderly fashion. It can be random, spontaneous, and non-predictable and incalculable.

Non-linear truth is both spiritual and mystical as well as factual in the moment. Non-linear truth can often shift or evolve into a present momentum that demands immediate investigation or observation without investigation.

It’s like visiting a museum without knowing what to expect, but being interested, curious and prepared to inspect on the spot as and when the exhibits appears.

Static fact or truth can easily become stagnant and as the old axiom says, familiarity breeds contempt. Pure, non-linear truth is informative, transformative, entertaining, engaging and creative. Otherwise, truth would only be lifeless facts and stats that don’t invigorate the human spirit. This month at All Souls, we’ll be discussing and discovering aspects of truth that relate to the development and expansion of our humanity, community, and individuality.


Join us at All Souls on every Sunday in May, 2019 to explore the theme of Truth. We’d love to have you with us in-person or online, together in community and covenant.Live stream services are at 10:00 a.m. CST for our Traditional service or the 11:30 a.m. CST Contemporary service.
Listen to all our services, including The Point, Humanist Hour (Sundays at 11:30 a.m.) on our weekly podcast, too.

Check out All Souls in the UU World article, The Gospel of Inclusion: A black Pentecostal bishop embraces Universalism, befriends a Unitarian minister, and shakes up the largest congregation in the UUA.

Read more from Carlton Pearson in our 4-part series, Four Perspectives Becoming One.

Carlton Pearson’s Experimenting to Find our Symphony
Cassandra Austin’s Coming Home from War
Jane Newman’s Reflections on a Journey
Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar’s Opening Doors for a new Home

1 Comments

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    […] us at All Souls on every Sunday in May 2019 to explore the theme of Truth. We’d love to have you with us in-person or online, together in community and covenant. Live […]

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