Truth Versus Peace

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6 KJV)

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. (John 14:27 KJV)

Peace is such a precious jewel that I would give anything for it but truth.
Matthew Henry

Many people talked about world peace. Many religions talked about world peace. Many condemned the wars that happened because some religions insisted that theirs is the only true way. Such religions are condemned for their bigotry. But which is more important, truth or peace?

Galileo fought with the Roman Catholic Church on whether the earth revolves around the sun or the sun revolves around the earth. Galileo mathematically proved Copernicus's idea that the earth revolves around the sun. But the Roman Catholic Church had endorsed Aristotle's belief that everything revolved around earth. The church threatened him with torture and force him to recant. If for the sake of peace, everyone decide to agree with the Roman Catholic Church and Aristotle, what will happen to science? Thank God that the Roman Catholic Church is not all powerful as it was in the Middle Ages. Another earlier war had cut down its influence.

The Thirty Years' War (1618 - 1648) began as a religious conflict between Protestants and Catholics in the Holy Roman Empire, but it developed into a more general conflict involving most of the European powers. It was one of the longest and most destructive conflicts in European history. The war ended with the Peace of Westphalia, which forced the Holy Roman Empire to recognize its German princes as absolute sovereigns in their own dominions, guaranteed the freedom of worship for the Protestants, and thus weakened the Roman Catholic Church.

We cannot have peace without truth. Peace without truth will lead to stagnation.