Thought for the Week Rev Rob Hilton, Christchurch.

TWO teenagers were talking in the pub, exams over, time to relax, and reflect on life, the universe and everything before holidays, travel, and exam results.

They got talking about religion, one’s a Christian, the other isn’t.

“But how do you know it’s true?” came the question.

“Well it depends on what you mean by true, if you want me to prove it, you’re kind of missing the point” came the reply.

I wish I’d been there, one of my favourite topics!

Donald Trump has done us all a favour recently in talking about Fake News because it’s made us all think what is true and what’s fake. But then we go on to much more interesting and nuanced questions about integrity and what’s real.

As a Christian minister I don’t think faith holds many absolute truth claims. It’s not about the Bible being scientifically proved, it’s about whether it makes sense, does it work, and will it make a difference?

When the Bible was written, as with Donald Trump tweeting, or the Daily Telegraph editor’s choosing how to tell a story, there was bias and propaganda. Trump believes in himself, the Telegraph editors have a particular political viewpoint, and the Biblical writers believed what they wrote and did so to inform others and invite consideration of what they they wrote. The question is - is it any good, is it worth reading, does it give me any hope, if I follow it will my life or anyone else’s be any different or better? That’s how it’ll proved true or not.

Jesus was reported as saying ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life’ - this isn’t an absolute truth claim, it’s an invitation into making sense of life with him. Going on the journey of faith to discover whether it’s any good, see if it works, or can make anything any better.

As for those teenagers, the world is their oyster now as they embark upon life, it thrills me that they talk about such things in the pub, I hope they both discover some truth!