Introduction: The Reality of Moral Relativism – (The Problem of)
Have you ever heard someone say, “What’s morally right for you may not be morally right for me or… what’s morally wrong for you may not be morally wrong for me”? “If you think its right that’s okay, but I personally believe it’s wrong… or… what is wrong today may not be wrong tomorrow.” Why do people express moral judgments as mere personal opinions? What is behind these statements? Two words: moral relativism. In a national survey by Barna Research by a 3-1 margin (64% vs. 22%) adults said truth is always relative to the person and their situation. The situation is even worse among teenagers: 83% said that moral truth depends on the circumstances and only 6% said moral truth is absolute. The “moral majority” is an oxymoron because the majority don’t subscribe to moral absolutes. In The Closing of the American Mind, Professor Allan Bloom makes the observation that “There is one thing a professor can be absolutely certain of: almost every student entering the university believes or says he believes, that truth is relative…The students, of course, cannot defend their opinion. It is something with which they have been indoctrinated” (p. 25). Now, that is a problem, a very serious problem! The book goes on to say that by dogmatically asserting that there is no truth, people have become close-minded to the possibility of knowing the truth, if in fact it does exist. Behind much of the moral rhetoric in America today lies the fatal and foolish flaw of moral relativism. Nonetheless, it is still popular to espouse this view in many of our secularized cultural institutions. It is thought to be more tolerant, more open, and more intellectually respectable than the archaic absolutism of ages past.1. The Concept of Moral Relativism – (The Definition of)
Because moral relativism has considerable implications for social ethics it is a matter of great importance. What we think about moral relativism matters, so it is important that we understand this concept. Moral relativism is the philosophical theory or belief that there are no absolute or objective standards for moral values which are used to determine right and wrong. A moral relativist believes that there is no un-changing basis for moral values, therefore all moral values are only opinions and must have equal weight. It typically comes in two forms: ethical subjectivism and cultural relativism. Ethical subjectivism holds that morality is relative to individuals. Cultural relativism holds that morality is relative to cultures. Both deny the existence of moral absolutes or objective moral truths that apply to all people in all times. According to these two views, moral truths are determined either by personal opinion or group consensus. A logical outgrowth of the philosophy of moral relativism is the belief and practice of situational ethics.2. The Claims of Moral Relativism – (The Arguments for)
According to the proponents of this view, moral relativism is essential to a democracy because it honors free speech and religious freedom. A belief in absolute truth stifles the free exchange of ideas. Dogmatists and moralists are not welcomed in a pluralistic public square of the “politically correct” secular culture. Moral and religious diversity within and between societies is said to be evidence for moral relativism. With so many opinions, how could we ever say who is right and wrong? Everything must be relative. Must every answer on a multiple choice test be correct just because there is a diversity of answers? A diversity of opinions may simply indicate that some individuals and/or groups may be morally wrong. If we focus only on the differences and disagreements, our perception becomes distorted or skewed. In the appendix of The Abolition of Man, C.S. Lewis listed common moral principles spanning thousands of years from diverse religions and civilizations. The Apostle Paul tells us in Romans 1-2, God has endowed with a conscience all those created in His own image, however much we efface or neglect it. An additional argument for moral relativism is that it promotes tolerance, and tolerance is a good thing. The very concept of tolerance presupposes an objective standard of right and wrong. Tolerance is only a virtue if we think that the other person we are supposed to tolerate is mistaken. Real tolerance presupposes that something is right and something is wrong, which implicitly denies moral relativism. If two actions are morally equivalent there is no real need for tolerance. Today, tolerance has been redefined to mean that all moral viewpoints and lifestyles are equally valid.3. The Causes of Moral Relativism – (The Assumptions of)
The most obvious cause of moral relativism is the denial of a holy God who is the moral lawgiver. In a survey by George Barna, ten moral behaviors were evaluated by different groups. Compare the percent of Evangelical Christians with the percent of Agnostic/Atheists who consider these behaviors morally acceptable (See below).| Moral Behaviors Okay | % Evangelical Christians | % Agnostic/ Athetist |
| Gambling | 27% | 75% |
| Co-habitation | 12% | 87% |
| Enjoy sexual fantasies | 15% | 78% |
| Having an abortion | 4% | 71% |
| Fornication | 12% | 87% |
| Hardcore pornography | 5% | 70% |
| Using profanity | 7% | 68% |
| Getting drunk | 8% | 61% |
| Homosexual sex | 5% | 55% |
| Using illegal drugs | 6% | 38% |
4. The Confusion of Moral Relativism - (No Objective Moral Standard)
In the Western world, moral relativism poses a serious challenge to a biblical basis for ethics. The sad truth is that we are living in a culture that is crumbling at its Judeo-Christian foundation. It is becoming increasingly difficult for children to learn right from wrong because their parents don’t know right from wrong. Why? Because, like the proverbial frog in the kettle, they are allowing the world to squeeze them into its politically correct (morally relative) mold and as a result they have become morally confused. Moral relativism is at best morally confusing due to the absence of any clear objective moral standards. The Apostle Paul expresses it this way in Romans 1:18-25:- The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator – who is forever praised. Amen.
5. The Implications of Moral Relativism – (The Negative Consequences of)
Relativism leads to absurd conclusions which undermine its credibility. For example, moral relativism impedes our ability to think critically and rationally about moral and ethical issues. If there is no absolute moral law then there is no basis for making moral judgments or decisions. Would we say that Mother Teresa is no more or less virtuous than Adolf Hitler? If there is no absolute moral standard, how can we call Hitler and the Nazi atrocities absolutely wrong? Is genocide relatively wrong or absolutely wrong? Moral relativists deny the very concept of sin. If there is no sin, we are not guilty and therefore do not need God to forgive us; therefore, there is most certainly no need for a Savior, which means that Jesus died for nothing (in vain). If morality is relative then absolute evil is impossible. Therefore, there is only relative good and evil. It eliminates the concept of justice or righteousness which assumes an objective standard of morality. Righteousness involves right thinking and living. In short, moral relativity undercuts the biblical values which are essential for a healthy society. It abandons the very concept of objective and absolute moral truth. When everything is relative then morality becomes just a matter of personal opinion. If everything is morally relative then it doesn’t really matter what you believe about ethics. Moral relativity moves us in the direction of anarchism or nihilism (rejection of all values). Ethical relativism eliminates the possibility of a moral mistake and denies personal responsibility. Moral relativism supposedly elevates tolerance (redefined) as the supreme virtue of the society. Relativism is inconsistent with true tolerance and is closed to even the possibility of objective moral truth. It denies that harming others is wrong in any absolute sense. If this view is correct, how could any society rationally be justified in expecting individuals or groups to comply with its relative laws or standards?6. The Confrontation with Moral Relativism – (The Arguments Against)
Pure moral relativism has always been an easily refuted and fallible philosophy. Moral relativity in its purest form would virtually condone all behavior no matter how many rights are violated or the resulting consequences. It continues to thrive because it’s the easy way out. If man is the measure of all things, including morality, then he has no one to whom he is accountable and he can do whatever he likes. The philosophy of moral relativism is simply modern man’s meager attempt to justify his immoral behavior. Moral relativism persists in politics today; it underlies socialism which teaches that it is okay to take money from one person and give it to another as long as it passes through the government. Since when is stealing considered a moral activity? Moral relativism also underlies the notion that “ the ends justify the means.” Such a philosophy can be used to justify any immoral behavior. One strong argument against this point of view is the argument from moral progress or development. For example, the progress in eliminating slavery and the growth in the civil rights movement is generally regarded as a change for the better. If everything is morally relative then the preceding statement would not necessarily be true. A closely related problem to moral relativism is the moral reformers such as Mother Teresa, Wilberforce and Martin Luther King, Jr., who are honored, admired and respected. Relativism undermines the credibility and validity of any form of orthodox religious belief. Relativism says, “You have your beliefs and I have mine and that’s just splendid.” Orthodoxy says, “(Moral) truth exists, whether we believe it or not and believing falsely is anything but splendid.” Denying reality doesn’t change reality. The Bible is “ the blue print of reality” and when we go against it, it’s like spitting into the wind. When we try and break God’s laws we discover that God’s laws actually break us. God has made it crystal clear and we should not be deceived: Whatever we sow we shall also reap (Gal. 6:7). The claim of the moral relativist is self-refuting since its main assertion “there are no moral absolutes” is an absolute moral assertion. Some moral relativists fear that those who subscribe to moral absolutes will try and force their moral views and practices on others. If you think about it, virtually all legislation embodies some concept of morality. However on a personal level, moral convictions do not necessarily lead to or result in forceful coercion but instead may be best be accomplished by ethical persuasion. Unthinking people continue to unthinkingly accept assumptions even though they have never worked. The bottom-line: the philosophy and practice of moral relativism is morally and intellectually bankrupt. This moral philosophy has always existed, but today it is the dominant view in our politically-correct (PC) culture.7. The Cure for Moral Relativism – (The Positive Alternative to)
A God-centered model of truth affirms that Truth is defined by God for everyone; it is objective and absolute. God is the standard and ultimate judge of all truth and morality. One indispensable pillar of Christian truth is the proposition that God is the law giver and moral governor of the universe. God is a personal and a holy being and He has created us in His image as free moral agents. Are there any universal values? That question can be answered by two other questions:- Are there any moral behaviors that God universally expects or prohibits of all people? The biblical answer to that question would be absolutely yes, because sin violates His holy standards.
- Are there moral values that are universally recognized by all people and all cultures? If the answer is no, that may simply mean that some people or cultures are ignorant of what God expects. If the answer is yes, what might some of these universal moral values be? How about: Love, truthfulness, fairness, freedom of expression, unity, tolerance, respect, nonviolence, responsibility and respect for life?
Leave a comment