In the lobby of the CIA headquarters is a Bible verse carved into the wall. “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). I have had the opportunity, in the course of my work, to see this carving for myself. Having the truth shall make you free? How did that work for Galileo? He had the truth, that the sun was the center of the solar system, and it cost him his freedom.

I recently heard somebody say that there are two kinds of people: those who pursue truth at the expense of happiness, and those who seek happiness at the expense of truth. Was Galileo happy while he spent the last nine years of his life under house arrest for heresy? Maybe.

There are lots of religious examples (like Galileo) that show people losing happiness by pursuing truth. How many marriages have ended when one spouse has found what they believe is the truth, which contradicts the religious dogma that they once both believed?

How many families do not celebrate holidays together because some have found a truth that is not the same as what the others believe? Does it take a certain type of personality to pursue that truth even though they could be sacrificing happiness?

On the other side of the coin is the person who cherishes their happiness over what the truth may be. I’ve shared this story before on my writings here. While I was Bishop, I read the book “Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling” by Richard Bushman, which had just been published. I wanted to talk to my Stake President about it, so asked if he had read it during one of my monthly meetings with him. He said his wife had bought him the book, but he was not going to read it because he did not want to know those things about Joseph Smith. My SP valued the happiness that the Church gave him over the truth about Joseph Smith.

I believe that Galileo was happy even while under house arrest. In a book he wrote during this time, he said:

This and other facts, not few in number or less worth knowing, I have succeeded in proving; and what I consider more important, there have been opened up to this vast and most excellent science, of which my work is merely the beginning, ways and means by which other minds more acute than mine will explore its remote corners.

Galileo Galilei, Two New Sciences

He was still learning, still discovering new truths, and that is what made him happy. I believe that this applies to readers of this blog who may have discovered some truth about the LDS Church that caused them to step away. Some may have lost relationships with family and friends, but the pursuit of truth has brought them joy.

Have any of you readers given up happiness for truth?

Do you have examples of people who gave up truth to keep happiness?

Can you have the truth and still be happy?