The Bible reports Pilate asked Jesus: "What is truth?" People have been asking ever since...
Our courts speak of "the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth." Lovers claim it, liers manipulate it, historians often decide for themselves. Such as those who did the research for THE KING'S SPEECH, a movie predicted for an Oscar.
But now here's where this truth thing gets sticky. Anglophiles are cheering the film. A few Anglophobes are questioning it. They rightly say the resigning Edward was a Nazi sympathizer. However, they go on to say so really was the entire Royal Family (itself of German descent). Even the British Lion -- Churchill -- is reported to have sided with Edward until it became politically inexpedient.
Life often shows us the truth that is best, is the truth that serves us best. Perhaps counted among such truths are the legends of everyone from Marco Polo and Columbus to Washington and Lincoln; from the likes of saints to Santa. And yet -- in the name of truth -- some historians have resurrected each only to revile them. With hidden faults, failures, affairs and pretensions. Now, just before the Oscars, it's Churchill and the Royal Family.
When old enough to have heard such indictments time and time again, the senses are dulled to them. However, what of the children? What of the young, unformed minds we are always talking about? How does truth best serve them? Delivered raw and bawdy? Or packaged with a few lies and lace?
Historians may find those questions easy. Parents, teachers and clergy will not. For it is their challenge to raise the young with at least as much hope as history. Better yet, hope emerging from that history! FDR and Reagen were good at that. So were my unflinching parents. Now lets see how Oscar handles it.
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I wish Jesus were here to answer that question once and for all!!
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