We live in a society where it is becoming increasingly difficult to determine what is true. Considering the internet and social media, anyone can post anything. In my study of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I have had to make a significant effort to determine the difference between fact and opinion.
I believe in the power of prayer and that the Holy Ghost can testify of truth. But I also believe that study and effort are significant components of revelation.1 As I have studied Church history, I have had to make judgments about what I believe to be fact, what I believe to be opinion, and ultimately what I believe to be true.
It can be difficult to determine what is true. In the first century A.D., Paul taught that there are “so many kinds of voices in the world.”2 Today, with social media and the internet, everyone has a voice. We cannot simply assume that everything we read, or watch, or hear is true.
The Problem of Perception and Memory
We each see the world in a different, unique way. Have you ever been with someone during an event, and then later as you talk about your experiences, you realize that you both have different memories of what happened?
My first job as a lawyer was in the field of insurance defense. I litigated car accident cases, and it amazed me that two people involved in the same accident could remember it so differently. At first, I thought someone had to be lying. But I have come to understand that we perceive events differently, and because of that, we remember events differently.
I’m no psychologist, but I have enjoyed trying to understand these subjects. One source that I refer to frequently is the Psychology Today website. One article discusses different types of memories, and concludes, “Partners are bound to have different memories of events. They should try to reconcile them, rather than prove whose recall is superior.”3
Another article on Psychology Today discusses how imagination can influence perception. The article focuses on the problem that occurs when “a person does not fully grasp that what is in the mind and what is real are not directly connected.”4 We all think that we know what is real, but it is part of the human experience that what we “perceive” is influenced by our unique life experiences.
As I have searched to discover truth, I have had to question my perceptions and my memories. I have made an effort to determine whether the way I remember things is the way they actually occurred. This has helped me to try and distinguish facts from perceptions that can be influenced by emotion and other factors.
Fact, Opinion, and Bias
Our opinions impact our perceptions and our memories. A fact is something that is objectively true. For example, “it is 70 degrees outside” is a statement of fact (assuming it really is 70 degrees). But when it’s 70 degrees, one person could say “it’s hot outside,” one person could say, “it’s cold outside,” one person could say, “this weather is great,” and another could say, “this weather is terrible.” In those statements we can clearly see the difference between fact and opinion, and we can also see how “opinion” is influenced by our perception and our personal bias (in other words, someone who likes cold weather, or someone who is biased toward cold weather, could think that 70 degrees is hot, whereas someone who has a bias toward hot weather could think that 70 degrees is cold).
We should make an effort to distinguish the difference between a fact and an opinion, but this is becoming increasingly more difficult, largely because of our polarizing biases. In 2018, the Pew Research Center conducted a survey to determine “whether members of the public can recognize news as factual – something that’s capable of being proved or disproved by objective evidence – or as an opinion that reflects the beliefs and values of whoever expressed it.”5 The result turned out to be “only a little better than random guesses.” Significantly, “Republicans and Democrats are more likely to think news statements are factual when they appeal to their side – even if they are opinions.”5
Our bias can impact our perceptions and our ability to determine fact from opinion. An article on the Forbes website concludes, “Identifying your biases is a very important part of the self-awareness journey that leads us to be more emotionally intelligent human beings.”6
In a 2013 devotional address at BYU, Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf said, “Part of our problem in the quest for truth is that human wisdom has disappointed us so often. We have so many examples of things that mankind once ‘knew’ were true but have since been proven false. For example, in spite of one-time overwhelming consensus, the earth isn’t flat. The stars don’t revolve around the earth. Eating a tomato will not cause instant death. And, of course, man actually can fly—even break the sound barrier.”7 As we search for truth, it is important that we recognize our biases, that we distinguish fact from opinion, and that we understand that the wisdom or learning present today can be proven incorrect.
So What?
You may be wondering what this has to do with Church history. As we study the past, we have to work to understand the perceptions of those who kept the records. We have to recognize that our current society is vastly different from the past society we are studying. We can’t let our modern perceptions, opinions, or biases color our view of the people we are trying to understand. If we want to understand people in the past, we need to put ourselves in their place, understand their society, try to learn how they saw the world, and be kind in our judgments.
In my study of Church history, I have encountered many voices that I admire. One of them is Steven C. Harper, a professor of religion at BYU.8 He has talked about history and the difference between a “true story” and a “historical narrative.” He discussed this in a devotional address at BYU called “How I Became a Seeker.”9 After sharing a personal account of an event in his life, he said: “That is a true story. Well, it is actually more complex than that. It is a historical narrative. . . . [S]ome ingredients of a historical narrative are selected objective facts. And then some more ingredients . . . are subjective facts—the ones that you can’t verify . . . . Another ingredient in my story is interpretation. By interpretation, I mean the way that I endowed facts with meaning beyond what you or I can prove or disprove. I took all those components and arranged them to serve my present purpose of priming you to think like a seeker.”9 In discussing the difference between a “historical narrative” and a “true story,” he asks the significant question: “How can we know what is true and trustworthy?”
That is the primary question we need to consider as we study Church history. We should look for what is true, but to do that, we should make an effort to determine what sources are trustworthy.
Ultimately, I find it a bit ironic that the question about how to discover truth in Church history is answered by the first and perhaps most significant account in Church history. Joseph Smith, as a seeker of truth, went to God in prayer.10 In his First Vision, he saw God the Father and Jesus Christ. This example teaches us that God answers our prayers, and as the source of all truth, God can help us discern what is fact, what is opinion, what is bias, and ultimately what is true. As I have studied, researched, pondered, and prayed, I have concluded that I believe that this is God’s work, that Jesus Christ is our savior and redeemer, and that Christ organized this Church to help us come unto Him. That, to me, is a significant statement. It means I believe Joseph Smith. I believe he saw what he said he saw. I believe he was called of God as a prophet. Other than God the Father and Jesus Christ, Joseph Smith was the only person present at that event, and I take his word for it. Because God the Father and Jesus Christ were also there, they can help us know that it did happen. I believe that I have received a response to my prayers through the power and influence of the Holy Ghost.
What do you know?
What do you believe? Do you trust your memories? Are you willing to humble yourself and think that maybe, just maybe, someone else’s recollection or understanding of an event could be more factual than yours? Are you willing to listen to someone else and consider that their opinion might contain truth? Are you willing to try to understand your biases and recognize that those biases might impact your perception of the world? Are you willing to call upon God in prayer and live the way He wants you to live if it is true? If we want to be a seeker of truth, we need to set aside personal bias and be willing to accept truth wherever we discover it.
References
- Doctrine and Covenants 9:8; Richard G. Scott, “How to Obtain Revelation and Inspiration for Your Personal Life,” Ensign, May 2012, 45-47.
- 1 Corinthians 14:10.
- Steven Stosney, Ph.D, “Why You and Your Partner Remember Things Differently,” Psychology Today, Jun. 16, 2021, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/anger-in-the-age-entitlement/202106/why-you-and-your-partner-remember-things-differently.
- Tom Bunn, L.C.S.W., “When Imagination Is Mistaken For Perception,” Psychology Today, Feb. 23, 2013, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/conquer-fear-flying/201302/when-imagination-is-mistaken-perception.
- “Distinguishing Between Factual and Opinion Statements in the News,” Pew Research Center, Jun. 18, 2018, https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/2018/06/18/distinguishing-between-factual-and-opinion-statements-in-the-news/.
- David Galowich, “Understanding Biases And Their Impact On Our Perceptions,” Forbes, Sep. 19, 2018, https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2018/09/19/understanding-biases-and-their-impact-on-our-perceptions/?sh=7c580caa7859.
- Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “What is Truth?,” BYU Speeches, Jan. 13, 2013, https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/dieter-f-uchtdorf/what-is-truth/.
- Steven C. Harper, “About Me,” https://stevencraigharper.com/about-me/.
- Steven C. Harper, “How I Became a Seeker,” BYU Speeches, Jun. 8, 2021, https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/steven-c-harper/how-i-became-a-seeker/.
- Joseph Smith-History 1:11-20.