Finding Truth and the Courage to Accept it

In the movie, A Few Good Men, produced in 1992, starring Jack Nicholson and Tom Cruise, Nicholson’s character —Colonel Jessup, uttered these often- quoted words during questioning by the JAG lawyer Cruise in the courtroom: You can’t handle the truth! –

This was certainly a powerful statement, that we all remember, after viewing the movie. Colonel Jessup was right, in a basic sort of way, about the truth of how Marines sacrifice to protect us, but of course, he was very wrong in covering up the truth of the crime he committed in order to preserve his own unwavering belief in the dogmatic narrative of the falsehood he believed was truth.  This cost him his career and, in the end, prison time.

What I have learned is that it is true—not all of us can handle the truth.

Some people are not able to look deep inside themselves and accept a truth that is completely and utterly contradictory to what they have been taught— due to this lack of courageous integrity. They lack the self -esteem to think and form an opinion that is directly against the accepted teaching either of their teachers, professors, or worse, those close to them who wish to indoctrinate them. Unfortunately, this process occurs commonly with the young who have innocent, malleable minds. And sadly, they refuse to seek out other opinions and facts to prove or disprove the dogma as the precious years pass.

 Instead, some people preserve the false narrative as “complete truth”, and will fight against anyone or any argument against it, because, to accept this truth, finally at long last, will throw their whole life upside down, out of their false comfort zone built with the acceptance of people around them.  In effect, the cozy little fishbowl they were taught to live in and accept, has been shattered for all to see, and they don’t want this change.

Perhaps my original quote, published on my blog in 2016, then in my Book:  Inspired in the Bedroom, Nightly Reads, Outskirts Press, 2022 puts this into perspective:

Knowledge will not supersede truth, and truth will not supersede love.  With all three, you will never fear death.

We must seek the truth in whatever we encounter in life, and be skeptical of dogma when it is given to us, using our God-given brain to think for the answer ourself, no matter what the consequences may be for embracing reality and truth.  Unfortunately, those who don’t agree with this, are doomed to be like Colonel Jessup.

As for me, I do believe in this unwavering truth:  I believe in God and his son Jesus Christ, who died on the cross for our sins.  And because of that, my soul is strong.

© 2026  SRCarson Publications