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In his May 30 column, “Ministry of Truth 2.0,” Cal Thomas reproached Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas for working to develop tools to help children discern truth from lies.

That’s government indoctrination and propaganda, to his mind. Maybe yes, maybe not. We’ll have to wait and see what develops.

He then deplored the fact that in today’s world truth has been subjectivized, i.e., it’s become a matter of “my truth” and “your truth,” he wrote, and if they don’t agree, well, who gives a fig?

Not surprisingly, Thomas added Jesus to his mix by discreetly alluding to John 8:30, where he speaks of the truth setting one free. But what truth does Thomas understand Jesus to mean? Which of the many Christianities worldwide would Thomas claim speaks the liberating truth for the benefit of all?

The subjectivizing of truth? Thomas has no notion of its evolution from the core principle of private judgment inherent in Protestantism, which he professes? Martin Luther, father of Protestantism, himself pronounced: “In matters of faith, each Christian is for himself pope and church.” That was a hugely scandalous statement at the time. (Not that I’m suggesting the Catholic Church was in the right against him, since I don’t believe in divine revelation.)

Since Luther’s time, that principle has gradually gone secular, morphed into each person owning their truth, each person being a law unto themselves — for all practical purposes.

Considering the pitiful, unceasing division within Christianity, that shouldn’t surprise.

William LaRochelle, Lewiston

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