The Light of Truth

In pursuing thoughts on truth and non-truth, I came across a compelling quote from Plato’s Republic:

"And if he is compelled to look straight at the light, will he not have pain in his eyes which will make him turn away to take refuge in the objects of vision which he can see, and which he will conceive to be clearer than what is now being shown to him?" (Republic 516a)

This quote struck a chord with me, as there was a time when the idea of turning to a higher power for help seemed as absurd as planning my future based on a fortune cookie. I preferred the darkness of denial.

Plato's allegory describes a prisoner who has been kept in darkness. When he is finally freed and exposed to sunlight, he initially resists, believing that what he sees cannot be real. This resistance to truth and enlightenment is a common experience, especially for those struggling with addiction or personal transformation.

A similar thought appears in Alcoholics Anonymous:

"Our book is meant to be suggestive only. We realize we know only a little. God will constantly disclose more to you and to us.""See to it that your relationship with Him is right, and great events will come to pass for you and countless others."

Only a sliver of light is necessary to show the way.

Jean-Paul Sartre echoes this sentiment in Beyond Good and Evil (1886):

"Sometimes people don't want to hear the truth because they don't want their illusions destroyed."

This resistance to truth, however, is not a sign of failure but a necessary struggle on the path to enlightenment. In Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions (p. 21), we find:

"We perceive that only through utter defeat are we able to take our first steps toward liberation and strength. Our admissions of personal powerlessness finally turn out to be firm bedrock upon which happy and purposeful lives may be built."

Philosophical and Literary Support for Light Over Darkness

    Aristotle: "It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light."

    Seneca: "Even in the darkest night, a single candle can defy and define the darkness."

    Immanuel Kant: "Enlightenment is man’s emergence from his self-imposed immaturity."

    C.S. Lewis: "I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else."

    J.R.R. Tolkien (The Lord of the Rings): "Even the smallest person can change the course of the future."

Religious Perspectives on Moving from Darkness to Light

Old Testament

Psalm 119:105 – "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."

    Malachi 4:2 – "But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings."

New Testament

    Matthew 5:14-16 – "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

    Ephesians 5:8 – "For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light."

    2 Corinthians 4:6 – "For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

    2 Nephi 2:11 (Book of Mormon) – "For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so, righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad."

    Doctrine and Covenants 50:24 – "That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day."

    President Thomas S. Monson – "The pathway of life can be difficult. The way back to our Heavenly Father is not easy, but the light of Christ will show us the way."

    Elder Jeffrey R. Holland – "Because Jesus walked such a long, lonely path utterly alone, we do not have to do so. His solitary journey brought great company for our little version of that path."

Conclusion
All of these scriptures, philosophical insights, and literary perspectives emphasize the same truth: moving toward the light—whether through faith, righteousness, or divine guidance—brings peace, understanding, joy, and eternal reward. Whether in the struggles of addiction, personal growth, or the pursuit of wisdom, the transition from darkness to light is the foundation of transformation. May we all continue to seek the light, trusting that even a small candle can illuminate the path ahead.