YOUTH MATTERS: Uncompromising Truth

By Darcy Rogers, Director of Youth Evangelisation

“Proclaim the truth, and do not be silent through fear.”- St Catherine of Siena

Recently I tuned into a podcast featuring Dr Jordan Peterson and Joe Rogan discussing various topics. They were on a quest to discover the truth regarding certain societal problems. I’d like to explore how two of their ideas could apply to our Church and world.

Idea 1: Peterson and Rogan agreed that humans should be unwavering in their appeal to the truth. However, people have become distrustful of political, social and medical evidence, and are now open to new avenues of information. Younger people are particularly naive about how to navigate trustworthy sources and often rely on commentary from social media influencers who may not have their best interests at heart.

The Church offers many places to look for truth in the right places, either through Scripture, the Magisterium, tradition and revelation. St Paul in his final address to the Church of Philippi offers the following advice: “Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 4:6-7)

Idea 2: Peterson argued that humans are preconditioned to tend to anything that cries. We are sensitive to people who are affected by something that offends them or creates emotional unrest. Why is this a problem? Peterson highlighted that not everything that cries is a baby, often it can be a monster (something deceiving). Peterson claimed around 4-5 percent of people exhibit Cluster B personality disorders and use deceit and fear to advance their agendas, rather than pursue genuine intellectual progress. As we accept the thinking of these people, we tend to lose a grip on reality and our sense of good and evil. We begin to accept a contradicting narrative.

So how do we be charitable and loving, without losing the truth we have inherited from God?

We have an opportunity to be uncompromising in the truth which we receive through our personal relationship with Jesus, and the teachings and revelations of our Catholic faith. This needs to influence our interactions with each other, as the truth will free people from the mental prison of fear that conceals their true thoughts, from a fear of offending others.

We must remember that not everyone has our best interests at heart, and we do not have to accept all the narratives perpetuated by media or social movements.

We must hold onto to God’s truth which is charitable, and welcome people into His idea of love. As Paul states, “Let us hold unwaveringly to our confession that gives us hope, for he who made the promise is trustworthy” (Heb 10:23).

We can believe that God and His law is trustworthy through the witness of those who put their trust in Him, from Adam to the Apostles.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jer 29:11).