Skip to main content

Problem with Relativism

Relativism is a knowledge-denying claim i.e.; that truth claims are really just opinions or culturally-shaped perspectives. Facts, moral precepts, or values can be true for you and at the same time not true for me. Relativists deny that objective universal truth exists. Many Christians struggle to respond to relativism and fail to live a faithful life in a morally discouraging culture. The culture war between truth and relativism is not at all new and the belief that universal objective truth does not exist (alethic skepticism) or cannot be known (epistemological skepticism) is not a latecomer to the Western civilization. Although relativism has intermittently appeared and reappeared throughout history, its dominance of culture is new. They argue that rather than having a significant voice in public life, religion has to be relegated to private and personal life. Relativism is a knowledge-denying enterprise and if you say you know something you are not really a relativist. It claims that knowledge is unattainable and objective relativism tells us that no truth is objectively true or false. One person’s truth which amounts to opinion can conflict with another’s truth and still both can be valid.

             Religious relativism maintains that one religion can be true for one person or culture while untrue for another. Religious beliefs are seen as simply an accident of birth and are a product of historical happenstance and the argument goes that no single religious belief can be universally or objectively true. Moral relativism rejects any binding moral values for all maintaining that there is no objective ethical right and wrong and that morality is an individual or cultural matter.

            Relativism is an assault on the truth but at the same time, it has its cultural implications. On the religious front, persuasion is prohibited and evangelism is seen as cramming your religion down someone’s throat. Sharing about Jesus gets people upset and evangelism implies that you believe that your news is true and you believe that your hearers should turn from their present way of life. Another implication “is to be exclusivistic is seen as arrogant.” The variations of religious beliefs in the world claiming to know something others don’t must be wrong-headed and erroneous. Another implication is that tolerance is the cardinal virtue implying that someone is wrong sounds terribly intolerant when tolerance popularity is defined as (being open or accepting of all ideas). For example, what homosexual activists call tolerance is an unconditional acceptance of their lifestyle as legitimate and right. A final implication of relativism perhaps best explains how disputes over truth can begin to feel like a war. “Absent the possibility of truth, power rules the day.” i.e.; once the truth is whatever we say it is, asserting power over others is a natural next step.

             On the surface level, relativism sounds relaxed and easy-going. When we think through its implications and apply them rigorously to life, we see the pitfalls of being so accommodative.

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Copan, Paul. True for You But Not for Me. Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House, 2009.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Types of Christians in Spiritual Walk — Signs to Identify & How to Overcome

  In many churches and Christian communities, believers find themselves at different stages of spiritual growth. The goal of the Christian life is continual growth into maturity, but not everyone is at the same point in the journey. Here are five common types of Christians , signs that help identify each group, and biblical ways to move toward spiritual victory and maturity . 1) Christians Living an Abundant, Obedient Life These believers actively follow the teachings of Jesus Christ and seek to grow daily in obedience and love. Signs Consistent prayer and Bible study Desire to obey God even when it is difficult Serves others willingly Demonstrates love, humility, and forgiveness Lives with peace and spiritual joy Shares faith naturally How They Continue Growing Remain humble and dependent on God Stay rooted in Scripture Maintain accountability and fellowship Serve consistently without pride Continue spiritual discipline even in difficult seasons Eve...
Post a Comment
Read more

When the Mission Field Comes Home: Navigating the Transition Back to Ordinary Life

"He who is faithful in little is also faithful in much." — Luke 16:10 People approach mission trips at times with anxiety and excitement. When you return from one of the most spiritually charged weeks of your life you watched people come to the Lord, you prayed over the sick, you wept with strangers who became brothers and sisters, you served shoulder to shoulder with your team, who became like a family from dawn until long past dark, and somehow impossibly you were never tired. The Holy Spirit felt near, almost tangible. And then you got on the plane and came back home. Within days, sometimes within hours, the weight of ordinary life comes rushing back. The inbox. The commute. The pile of laundry. The Sunday service that, if you're honest, feels a little flat compared to what you just experienced. And instead of the joy you expected to carry home, you feel something closer to grief, a quiet, disorienting emptiness that you can't quite explain to the people around y...
Post a Comment
Read more

Where Is Adam’s Missing Rib? Faith Meets Science

One of the most discussed verses in the Bible regarding creation is found in Genesis 2:21–22 , where Scripture says that God formed woman from the rib of man. This passage has raised many questions over the years—especially a common one: If God took a rib from Adam, why don’t men today have a missing rib? And how does science relate to this account? Rather than seeing faith and science as opposing forces, we can understand this passage more deeply by recognizing what the Bible is teaching—and what it is not trying to teach. The Biblical Purpose: Meaning, Not Anatomy Genesis is not written as a medical or biological textbook. Its primary purpose is to reveal God’s design, intention, and order in creation. When God formed woman from man’s rib, the message is deeply symbolic: Not from the head – not to rule over man Not from the feet – not to be trampled From the side – to stand beside him Close to the heart – to be loved and cherished The rib signifies equality, unity...
Post a Comment
Read more