A recent book on baseball umpires, reviewed positively, is entitled “As They See ‘Em”.  That reminded me of  a comment in the New Yorker many years ago about  hree umpires explaining how they called ‘em.

— The first umpire said “Some’s balls and some’s strikes, and I calls ‘em as they is.”  

— The second said “Some’s balls and some’s strikes and I calls ‘em as I sees ‘em.”

— The third explained: “Some’s balls and some’s strikes, but they ain’t nothin’ till I calls ‘em.”  

This takes me right back to philosophy (and sometimes theology) class. What is truth?     

— The first is the dogmatist. He is sure of his grasp of  objective truth–as they is.    

— The second, more honestly, admits his own perspective is a bit more relative, or subjective. Truth depends upon his own eyesight and judgment–as he sees ‘em.

— The third is also dogmatic, and I believe  the most dangerous. He is in charge, he constructs or imposes what he sees, his truth upon reality–as he calls ‘em.

How this applies to various media writers and commentators, and how this applies to spiritual and temporal leaders, I leave up to the viewer to decide.

Peter Schineller, S.J.

Peter Schineller, S.J., is a former associate editor of America.