Episode 33 - Ten Spiritual Truths: Bear Witness to Truth

Bearing false witness can be about lying, but it is much more. It can also describe the ways we see another or ourselves falsely. It is what we do when look at another and see lack, limitation, what's missing, inferiority (or superiority) or what's wrong with them. These are some of the ways we judge our brothers and sisters (and ourselves) in the relative world, instead of seeing their Divine Truth. Beholding and giving voice to the Divine Truth is what living spiritually is all about!

NOTES:

Ten Commandments: boundaries for a fulfilling life, challenges for a spiritual life

All major religions have some form of ‘rules for life’

Exodus 20: “Then God spoke all these words: 

1. ‘I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods before me.’

2. “You shall not make for yourself an idol, of any form.”

3. “Do not misuse the name of God.”

4. “Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy.”

5. “Honor your father and mother.”

6. “You shall not kill.”

7. “You shall not commit adultery.”

8. “You shall not steal.”

9. “You shall not bear falsewitness against your neighbor.”

Bearing false witness = Slander, gossip, character assassination, spreading/indulging in false rumors, testifying falsely, making false accusations; also…failing to come forward with the truth about another when we know it

"Don't use your words to harm another." 

Bearing false witness can also describe the ways we see another false. It goes beyond lying about someone with ill intention. It is what we do when look at another and see lack, limitation, what's missing, inferiority (or superiority) or what's wrong with them

Dialogue Questions:

What does this Spiritual Truth mean to you? What are other ways that we bear false witness?

Look at your life and reflect on the ways you may have born false witness against your neighbor. What happened? How did you feel? What was underneath that? 

When you have experienced the impact of someone bearing false witness against you, what did you do to bring yourself back to the Truth (bearing true witness toward yourself?)

What steps can you take to more clearly see the Truth in the others in your life?

What else does this mean?

Why does this matter?

Affirmation

No matter what I may hear about another person, or what offense or injustice I may experience personally, none of this alters the Truth that God abides within them as a beautiful and Holy Presence. I bear witness to this Truth and to nothing else. Every individual is a spiritual being, a son or daughter of the living God, in the process of perfect Divine unfoldment. I behold God's presence in everyone.