Sacred Truths

Here we use the term sacred truth in a general sense to cover whatever those in a particular community consider sacred. When someone says doing this is a " must or must not", be alert to realize this may be sacred in the community. When virtually all community members profess such dicta they become sacred within that community. Shared experience leads to simple stories told and retold that weave a protective cocoon of justifying myth around the truth. To say myth is not to say fantasy. A myth is simply a story that illustrates a truth, and provides us with an example of the value of the truth. Another way to identify a sacred truth is that believers display emotion when the dictum is questioned, or someone appears to deny that truth. Sacred truths and their myths shape our collective sense of right and wrong. They help communities cooperate.

Sacred truths appear in differing sizes, weights, and consequences. When they are too specific, as in “bureaucratic nonsense,” or too general, as in “we strive for efficiency,” they can become a burden to the organization. Likewise, when an organization obeys a once important truth beyond its utility, the organization can lose touch with reality. Not all truths are true forever. Not all truths should be sacred forever. But change is difficult especially when it involves deeply held expectations. The shock that can follow when circumstances compel an organization to denounce a verity usually leads the community to design a sort of truth-maintenance organization – a governance institution – to overcome and prevent a recurrence of this pain. When they can, wise leaders set up such a governance institution before they experience the agony of watching a sacred truth shatter in full view of the community. Note that we recognize sacred truths more for what they do for or to organizations than for their actual content. Sacred truths have great consequences because they come from a deeper place than do the laws of institutions. They also differ from social habits. Some specific behaviors can be sacred, and/or legal, and/or social habit. Furthermore, the expectation may move back and forth from one category to another. What is sacred to one person may not be to another. But greater sharedness means greater social coherence--an aspect of power

To the extent that a group’s identity nests in a sacred truth – which is normal, and an individual’s identity ties to the group, then what psychologists call the “principle of agency” can take over. The person substitutes the group's conscience for his or her own. We recognize this when someone says “I was only following orders.” Collective habits of mind and action that serve sacred truths tend to substitute for individual reality testing. In the long run this can be problematic. The power and utility of a sacred truth derives from the belief system of its adherents. As with all politics, power is situation specific. Communities affect their members. Community decision making that seems consonant with community expectations will flow smoothly. Maintaining relationships that support such beliefs will be less costly than challenging sacred truths. Within a given situation, therefore, you increase your power, at least in the short term, by aligning with sacred truths. This will speed decision-making and help cement relationships.

Sacred Text

Sacred truths enshrined in texts carry special weight in human affairs. Both the U.S. Constitution and the Bible, because they are “fixed” in text, permit each generation to appeal to the text as its inspiration for a “new old” interpretation of truth. Every U.S. officeholder swears to uphold the constitution. Arguments ensue over interpreting the text, but no one may challenge the text itself, and the process for amending the text is daunting. However, text can also stand against a new reading, despite new realities, because text has ceremonial value apart from its meaning.

The mission statement on the office meeting room wall remains the motto under a new manager, under new team members, even though an entire transition of the team – because each team needs an identity, and the words serve that need. Community arises and remains within the team because its members revere the text. In the “communion” of communication within the office, words on the wall dampen a group’s need to reanalyze “Who are we” or “What is our goal.” A sacred text can even answer new questions because it is the authoritative source of answers. Regardless of attachment to the text, the reality is that eventually certain words will lose their original meaning. Sooner or later, citizens will advocate positions contrary to their community’s standards. They will not be able consistently to maintain their positions against changing circumstances. They will undertake political action to move forward.

Sacred truths are positive or negative in impact. They resist change because our beliefs make and define who we are. Thus, we have a strong tendency to stick with whatever we believe. Our motives tend to meld with our religious convictions to bring the religious into the political. The sacred is good; the profane, bad. The good is us; the bad, others. Our inclination to avoid examining sacred truths stems from the very nature of “belief” as opposed to “fact.” One may argue about facts or prove and disprove them logically. Beliefs are what they are. Thomas, the Bible reports, said that unless he touched the wounds in Jesus’ hand and in his side, he would not believe that Jesus had risen from the dead. Thomas was looking for provable facts. Jesus replied to doubting Thomas, “Blessed are they who have not seen and yet have believed.” Millions attend church, synagogue, and mosque regularly to have their beliefs reinforced, not tested. Whatever we come to believe is sacred. If we were to change, we would become unbelievers. To “unbelieve” is to change our very being into an “unbeliever.” To “unbelieve” is to become a threat because the unbeliever reduces solidarity and weakens the community. Unbelievers are put outside the community. Unbelieving can become a sin. Unbelieving is to reject the community that gives us sustenance. While this language is religious, it nonetheless captures an important reality about the role of sacred truths in community. When we invest ourselves similarly in nonreligious aspects of life, we actually add them to our religion.