Holding Religiously onto Relativism

6. May 2008 by Seth.

Morality—that robust word which stirs men’s hearts with passion for goodness and virtue, that code which sharply distinguishes between Adolf Hitler and Mother Teresa—has died in America, or so certain Americans would lead one to believe.

Moral relativism has for some time been tightening its grip upon our culture with its declarations of “That’s only true for you” and “Don’t force your morality upon me.”  Morality, therefore, in the wake of such notions was redefined as the beliefs of the individual rather than an objective code which exists regardless of man’s choice whether or not to follow it.

Often, however, when pressed to support their beliefs, most relativists will admit by their actions that they do not hold to such a worldview.  A man may tell you that you are free to form your own beliefs, but steal his wallet and watch his response carefully.

But, there are some who seem to break even this mold.

Last Sunday, I stepped into a conversation on morality with a young woman awaiting entrance into a political rally.  She began with the cliché claims of “Who are you to tell me what to do?” and “That’s just your belief.”

I continued the debate game by laying down my card of, “What if I believed it was okay for me to rape you?  Would that be wrong?”

Her response: “That’s up to you.”

Me: “You don’t think it’s wrong for me to rape you?”

Girl: “It’s your choice.”

Me: “Just so I understand this, let me rephrase it: if I rape you, you don’t think that’s wrong?”

Girl: “I can’t tell you it’s wrong.”

At this point, the conversation lost all meaning.  There was no common ground between us, no shared frame of reference with which we could have a meaningful sharing of ideas.  This young woman’s notion of the impossibility of absolutes was so fierce that even a “hot button” topic like rape would not stop her from clinging religiously to moral relativism.

While I do think that she would have revealed the moral code inside of her had I tried to steal her purse, I was shocked by her unwavering verbal support for relativism.

And, the theory I have formed is that youth like this young woman have been raised in a culture of consistent messages of relativism.  Whereas the middle aged men and women who deny moral absolutes grew up in an era which had not yet forgotten the evil made possible by the fallen nature of man seen in the likes of Hitler, Stalin—and therefore will see the futility of holding to their theory of relativism when faced with an issue such as rape—the children of today have long since been removed from any such thought of good and evil. 

In a stale culture without any heroes or villains, it is easy for one to believe the message that there is no right or wrong proclaimed from the theater screens and school classrooms.

Now, we know there are indeed heroes and villains scattered about the world today, but this can easily be lost on the children of this era who sometimes see no farther than their computer screens or hear nothing due to the constant barrage of tunes pumped into their minds by ipods.

Can we reach a generation which not only pays tentative lip-service to relativism but holds tightly to it even when pressed with the mention of a despicable act such as rape?

What other theories exist for why this generation’s love of relativism has become such a strong religious fervor?

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