There’s a clear belief among many that absolutism (The belief in objective truth passed on by a higher force) is a philosophy for bullies who want to impose their beliefs on others and that relativism is the doctrine of those who want a kinder and gentler society. Now I know that absolutist can be bullies but it is wrong headed to assume that relativism actually frees us all up to pursue our own truth.
Carol Iannone made these helpful observations about the meaning of moral relativism: “Moral relativism does not mean you don’t believe in anything. It means you don’t believe there is an objective or transcendent order higher than your beliefs. Theoretically, the moral relativist believes that each person is entitled to his or her own beliefs and no set of beliefs carries any more worth than any other.”
On the surface it sound so loving to simply say with William Shakespeare, ” “To thine own self be true,” but that is to misunderstand how truth actually works. Truth has to be lived out in community not individual isolation. Richard Dawkins the Oxford Professor who claimed that the teaching of religion is child abuse and was worse on the child than being sexually abused by a priest, also suggested that recent pedophilia scandals which date back decades, are “mild” because they happened during a different era, when people had different feelings on the subject. So think about that for a second; he is saying that how society feels about a thing determines its seriousness. This means that if you are unlucky enough to grow up in a society that doesn’t have strong prohibitions against child sexual abuse then there’s really something wrong with you if you can’t just get over it. In this view everyone else’s feelings are considered but not the victim’s.
One of the most infamous moral relativist in history was Benito Mussolini, the Italian Fascist dictator and close ally of Adolph Hitler. I don’t know why moral relativists don’t quote him more often. Mussolini said, ”Everything I have said and done in these last years is relativism, by intuition. From the fact that all ideologies are of equal value, that all ideologies are mere fictions, the modern relativist infers that everybody has the right to create for himself his own ideology, and to attempt to enforce it with all the energy of which he is capable. If relativism signifies contempt for fixed categories, and men who claim to be the bearers of an objective immortal truth, then there is nothing more relativistic than fascism.”
I am not saying that there’s glory in just being an absolutist, because absolutist can be absolutely wrong. What I am warning is that if you run to relativism looking for a haven from oppression you are going to be severely disappointed. If you are not careful you will drift into being a part of an angry mob that is shouting, “crucify them!”
I strongly urge you to consider the “objective immortal truth” as it is found in Christ for a solid and sweet place to stand. Paul said, “Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. Ephesians 4:21. The great preacher, George McDonald said, “He is the Truth, the one thing alone that can be known!”
By the way if someone tells you that truth is relative, you can be sure their getting ready to impose their truth on you. (Paraphrased from a statement by Carol Iannone.)
