In taking this class, I have learned more than just factual information such as what Kalam’s argument for the existence of God is, or what eschatology means. In this class, I learned not to take things presented to me at face-value, that our words carry a lot of power and meaning, and also the importance of the truth.
In my experience as a teenaged student in high school, it seems that it is incredibly easy to take whatever information a teacher gives you, quickly memorize it, repeat it on a test or quiz, then forget it as quickly as you learned it. I would assume that this is the experience of most high school students, and I also believe that SLUH students especially have mastered this technique. In this class, however, we were asked to actually think about the information presented and given the time to do so. I have found that this method is not only more effective in truly learning the material, but it also makes the information you learn worthwhile when you think about it for a while and manage to incorporate some of it in you everyday life. This class also stressed the importance of not taking anything for granted, or not blindly believing everything you see. When we were presented with the e-mail picture of the young Middle-Eastern boy getting his arm crushed by a truck, everyone in the class (including myself) immediately believed what the author of the e-mail had said, that this boy was being cruelly punished for stealing. In reality, however, this entire scene was part of a street-magic act, and the boy came out of it completely unharmed. Things such as this are a part of what Fr. Hagan had said when he told the Prep News, “Seek the truth,” and now I see why this is important.
Throughout this class, we have had several assignments pertaining to the importance of the words we say and the power that words have. We learned about euphemisms and how we use them everyday to make ourselves feel better, to shield ourselves from some harsh truths in life such death, old age, or physical/mental handicaps. We also participated in the right speech experiment and monitored how often we lie to others. Through these two exercises, I learned that words carry immense power and could easily be hurtful or dangerous if used carelessly. Lying to someone is never good in the long run. Concealing the truth from others or from yourself almost always has negative effects, especially if you or the person you lied to is forced to face the harsh truths in front of them. It is also important in speaking or writing to choose your words carefully and to be sure to define your terms. This advice is applicable to many aspects of your life from everyday speech to future job applications and interviews. It is crucial that your audience, whomever they may be, understands what it is you are talking about. Individual words or words that are vague or undefined can create a huge barrier between you and you audience, and this barrier can make the truth extremely difficult to find or communicate.
In these past two paragraphs, I have said that it is important to do as Fr. Hagan had said and “Seek beauty ; Seek the truth.” Because of this class I have started to see the importance of the quest for the truth, however difficult it may be. Although, as told thousands of years ago in the story of the Delphic Oracle and Socrates, the complete truth can never be found, the search is still important. The senior class motto four years ago said, “It is not the beginning, nor the end, but the journey that truly matters.” I believe that this applies here as well. In this class, we have been asked to find answers for ourselves and to try and find the truth in our own lives, however elusive it may be. Throughout this journey to find answers, we learn a lot about the people around us, and also about ourselves. In this class I have realized the importance of the quest for the truth and have caught a glimpse of the knowledge this search provides. This is perhaps the most important thing I have learned this semester.