Karl Cassel

October 10, 2013

Essay II

Let Truth Be Told

Conversation is perhaps the most historic form of

communication, greatly outlasting writing, shaping the world to be

what it is today. The value held in this type of communication within a

community brings a plethora of benefits not only to ones social skills,

but also to their intellectual capacity and ability to form opinions and

make arguments. These abilities shape who we as humans are and

how we function, interact, and grow on a daily basis. Two extremely

influential characters in the evolution of conversation, able to impact

millions of lives even after their deaths, are C.S. Lewis and Martin

Luther King, Jr. These outspoken men fully understood what it meant to

join a conversation and grasp their audience, provoking thoughts in

their minds, and leading them to the discovery of their own opinions

and arguments. Whether it is equality, religion, or any matter to

discuss, it is important to take a stand for what is true.

First, take Lewis for example. The conversation he holds with his

audience in his book, Mere Christianity, takes them on a journey to

discover what true Christianity is actually about. It is difficult to prove

or explain something to be true and give reason to why one puts their

faith in it if they have not experienced any alternatives. Lewis explains

his doubts in Christianity and connection to atheism insisting that the

universe seemed so cruel and unjust with the evil nature of humans

(Lewis 38). He also questioned that if a good God made the world,

why has it gone wrong and become so corrupted (Lewis 38)? To him

there had to be another option from this clouded view of life. As much

as Lewis wrestled with this concept of Christianity and the presence of

a God verse a life of uncertainty, he came to discover atheism turns

out to be too simple of a life for someone to truly grasp (Lewis 39). It

was a depressing and confusing state of mind for Lewis to be in which

is what drove him on the pursuit of that which is true. Finally, Lewis

came to conclusions and brought himself to believe that Christianity is

right and [other religions] are wrong which in turn brought about

peace and understanding (Lewis 35). With his own understanding of

religion developing, Lewis began to enter into conversations with

others; not only helping them come to conclusions, but also sharpening

and hammering down his own newly developed beliefs.

Next, examine Martin Luther King, Jr.s journey to the victory of

spoken truth and his techniques to communicate and bring others on

board his justice and equality bandwagon. The journey to communicate

equality for all men and demand an end to racial segregation required

a great deal of courage and bravery in the face of serious power and

control in which King showed that he was not afraid of the word

tension which was a large part of his direct action strategy (King
16). Nothing was being done to stop the injustice of this time or stand

up for the morals they possessed. It was much too easy to blend into

the crowd and embrace the segregation at hand. King addresses these

people, challenging them to take a stand because the time is always

ripe to do right and though it may not be easy, there is truth behind to

back them up (King 23). King boldly proclaimed this message of

equality and brotherly love which swept the nation bringing awareness

to the situation at hand as well as a great deal of protest and violence.

Through all of these events, King maintained composure, encouraging

people to be headlight[s] leading men to higher levels of justice

through the difficult times of the day (King 28). These truths that King

stood by were made explicitly clear through his passion and the

measures he was willing to take to communicate it to the people of this

time.

Together, Lewis and King share surprisingly similar views on the

topic of truth and the process of determining and proclaiming it. Not

only do these two men serve the same God, but they share the same

idea in that the world offers many options and choices, yet there is

truth that they stand for and strive to explain to others. Love is an

incredible core value within the faith and Lewis explains this, saying, I

cannot learn to love my neighbor as myself till I learn to love God

(Lewis 87) which compliments Kings goal for the nations future of

love and brotherhood and that it will shine over our great nation
(King 32) and into the generations to come. King also explains that

Jesus [was] an extremist in love throughout his time on this earth

(King 25). These two also share ideas on the matter of time and the

fact that it is neutral and can be used either destructively or

constructively throughout the course of ones life (King 230). Lewis

speaks on this matter of the importance and brevity of time, explaining

that one moment disappears before the next comes along which

creates almost a sense of urgency to proclaim the faith Christians

posses (Lewis 167). Timeliness is critical in making truth known to

others because life is brief and not promised to any extent of time.

Lastly, King explains everything to be in Gods timing and that the

eternal will of God [is] embodied in our echoing demands which in the

grand scheme of things are so miniscule (King 30). Lewis backs this up

with the idea that [Gods] life does not consist of moments following

one another, rather, He is so in control that God is not in time at all

(Lewis 167). This simple fact creates such reassurance in the power of

the God that Christians put their faith in.

In my own life there have been countless examples of Gods

faithfulness in the most unique and timely ways such as travel to the

third world and death among friends and family, often involving a great

deal of patience and trust. It is too easy for Christians to take

advantage of the truth right in front of them and begin to wander away

from it and believe the sly lies of this world. Without intentionality in
ones life, the temptation to make the wrong choice or be complacent

is often too strong. Lewis and King embraced this truth in front of them

and sought to make it known to those around them. Their courage and

passion is something I greatly admire and strive to gain. Perhaps the

most important aspect to remember is that these men have done all

that they have only through the power of Christ. This empowerment is

very near to me and I believe that God goes before His people and

guides them on their journeys to seek truth and show others what that

looks like.

To close, the challenge is not try and figure out God and all His

intricate truths, but to seek Him and ask that He will reveal His truth in

a personal and understanding way. This is one of the most difficult

parts of Christianity to grasp because of the lack of tangible evidence

and understanding. This only sharpens ones faith and draws them

closer to the Lord. With guidance from the Lord in His truths, the next

step is to take a stand against the traps of this world and proclaim

these truths boldly. It will not be easy. This, however, does not mean

the Lord will not be there in those difficult times. He has promised to

walk with His people and will help those that call to Him. Lewis and

King sought the Lord daily and in return He rewarded them and used

them to bring many others to Himself that they too may proclaim their

newly discovered truths into the future.

King, Martin Luther, Jr. Letter from Birmingham Jail. Logan, IA: Tale Blazers Perfection

Learning, 1990. Print.

Lewis, C. S. Mere Christianity. London: Fount, 1997. Print.