Truth
Bill Peresta, Channing Church, Newport, RI
Date: _______________

Small Group Ministry
Group Session Plan

Opening Words:
	Believe those who are seeking the truth; doubt those who find it. – Andre Gide
	Most truths are so naked that people feel sorry for them and cover them up, at least a little bit. – Edward R. Murrow
	Some minds remain open long enough for the truth not only to enter but to pass on through by way of a ready exit without pausing anywhere along the route. – Elizabeth Kenny
	In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act. – George Orwell
	The truth will set you free. But first, it will piss you off. – Gloria Steinem
	The great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie -- deliberate, contrived and dishonest -- but the myth -- persistent, persuasive and unrealistic. – John F. Kennedy
	We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote: …A free and responsible search for truth and meaning; – 4th Principle of UUA

Check-In

Topic: Throughout our lives we have been taught the importance of telling the truth, seeking the truth, and being truthful in relationships, in business dealings, and in our lives in general. At the same time, a survey of the American public revealed that sixty-six percent agreed with the statement, “There is no such thing as absolute truth.” … that two people could define “truth” in conflicting ways and both be correct.1
	What is your view of “truth”? Do you see it as “absolute”, i.e., the same for everyone; or “relative”, i.e., depends on the situation or the observer?
	Was there a time in your life when knowing, or telling, the truth was important?
	How is it possible that two people can define truth is conflicting ways and both be correct?
	If truth is relative and not the same for everyone, how can people ever hope to agree on anything? How can we ever hope to live together in peace and harmony?
	What role do you think religion plays in presenting, or unfolding, the truth?
Sharing/Deep Listening

Conversation

Likes and Wishes

Closing Words

The beginning of wisdom is found in doubting; by doubting we come to the question, and by seeking we may come upon the truth.  – Pierre Abelard

1Gene Edward Veith, Postmodern Times, (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 1994), 16.