The Rise of Relativism: The Foundation

All non-believers are relativists:

   One of the reasons I feel strongly about starting us off on relativism is so you can understand the mindset of an agnostic. I also wanted to relay that although it sounds like I’m stereotyping non-believers, moralistic relativism is the only standard available by which all agnostic people reason. As Christians we don’t have an objective moral code, we find our truth in scripture. I’d love to be able to say that every believer lives their life by these truths, but we don’t. The main difference is that we’re forgiven and we’re working on it. The relativist however, finds their truth in their own individual preference. This is also known as ethical subjectivism. Although they probably don’t want to acknowledge this, their moral standards are based on a combination of their individual preferences and the legal system. In other words, if abortion is legal, then it can’t be immoral unless they just have a personal opinion that it’s wrong. This is hardly new ground as this type of behavior was recorded in the book of Judges some 3000 years ago. Judges 21:25 says that “Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”

How it starts:

   I have a co-worker with a teenage son. The boy was given a homework assignment and asked to write a paper on a news story based on an elderly man that killed his wife who was terminally ill. The couple was in their 80s and they had been married for over 60 years. Before he killed her she wrote out a letter to the police that stated that she asked him to do it out of love. This was euthanasia and not a crime of hate or revenge. His son was asked to write if this was wrong and if the man should be sentenced to prison. The teacher said that there were no right or wrong answers but rather that this was an assignment that forced students to think for themselves as to whether this was right or wrong. You see this is how relativism is planted in the minds of our children. If you use the Bible as your standard for moral truth then the answer is yes, this man killed his wife and should be forced to pay the earthly consequences. Our kids are being taught that right and wrong are subjective. That murder is only wrong when it crosses an individual threshold for tolerance. While I was studying relativism someone brought to my attention that there are now classes being taught in our state prisons, and funded with our tax dollars, that teach inmates about conscience and shame in an effort to teach criminals how to use these two God given tools in order to judge right from wrong. Am I the only person that finds it odd that our schools go to great lengths to teach our students that there is no shame or that right and wrong don’t exist? So we’re taking it out of schools, watching our prison populations increase exponentially and then teaching it after it’s too late. You see there’s no place for moral neutrality. You either have truth or you have relativism.

How we respond:

  I want to keep the Gospel at the front of all of this. My goal in writing this (and hopefully your goal in reading it) is not so we can win a debate or keep score but rather that we can stay focused on the lost. The Gospel is not meant to terminate on our own individual salvation. It’s the reconciliation of all things back to God after the fall. But relativism is the shield that non-believers use to deflect our advancement, which is why it’s such a great starting point. There are some tactics that you can use to get around this initial deflection, and this blog would just be an excuse for me to use big words if I didn’t give you some practical application. One of the best ways to deal with a relativist is to always keep the ball in their court. If they are forced to continue to answer questions then it’s easier for them to see that they are planted in quicksand.

  One conversation I was involved in recently went something like this (and most will) “Christians are always trying to judge everyone.” My response is always to give them the ball right back, “What do you mean?”….”Well, you all want to enforce your morality on the world.”….”What do you mean by morality”….”You know, your Biblical views”….”Well if you’re pushing back on my Biblical views then aren't you actually trying to push your morality on me?”….”No, I just think that everyone should be able to do what’s best for their self.”…”But that’s your morality, not mine.”… All of these confrontations will end in a stalemate, but it’s important for them to see that there is no such thing morally neutral. Relativism always commits suicide in the moment that reasoning begins. You might not baptize them right away, but at least they get the picture that morals are not relative. That’s the first step in seeing that you have to get your standards from somewhere.

  I always find it funny that Christians are considered arrogant. As a Christian I’m the first to admit that I am in no real position to judge right and wrong, good and bad. In that admission I concede that I have to turn to an external source and my source is the word of God. He created us and gave us a book on how it all works. I’m simply not smart enough to go through life using my own opinions to set morality. I can’t see a shred of arrogance in submitting to scripture and admitting that I’m an idiot without it. For the relativist, they have to think that their brain or even the collective brain of society is smart enough to establish moral truth. Furthermore they have to think that human beings, in this moment, at this time, are at the apex of all human thought and reasoning.

Going Forward:

  I’m afraid I have one more thing to cover before I move off of relativism for good. Then we can move on to the fun stuff like creation or evolution. I just didn't see how we could start there until we got into the mind of the non-believer. Like any good coach would do, you have to study the opponent first when developing a game plan. But before we get to that, I've asked a good friend to put something together for me on Biblical inerrancy and it’s in the works. I want to make sure we all have a good feel for why we submit to scripture. There are tons of believers out there that have doubts about the Bible, which is normal, but if we’re going to make scripture the roots for our truth then it’s vital that we erase that doubt. Christianity is not a blind faith and you have nothing to fear when presenting the Bible to a non-believer. Skeptics have been around for thousands of years. Most of the really intelligent ones have been baptized.

The Rise of Relativism: What and How?

What is Relativism?

  Relativism is the belief that no one truth can apply to everyone.  It’s the stance that everyone is entitled to their opinion unless their opinion claims that your opinion is wrong.  It’s being applied in nearly every aspect of our culture, but the two we deal with most are religious relativism and moral relativism.   Religious relativism plays out in comments like this; "Jesus is not the only way to heaven, there are multiple views on God and many ways to heaven.  Just because Jesus is your way to eternal life, doesn't mean Muslims or Mormons are wrong."  Religious relativism is similar to pluralism, but they are not the same thing.  Pluralism states that multiple religions share some of the same beliefs but all eventually reach a level of exclusivity.  Moral relativism applies to numerous topics, but I’ll use the example of abortion.  A relativist will say that murder is clearly wrong, while saying that the right to abort an unborn child is fine for some people.  The belief is that killing someone is fine for some people, but not for others and that the moral standard for behavior is based on the individual.   The inconsistency in this pattern of belief is all too obvious.  The moment you say that no one has truth then you are asserting that you alone have found the truth.

How this applies to apologetics:

  The reason I started with relativism is so you can know what you’re up against.  Relativism has penetrated our society to the point that using the Gospel to declare religious exclusivity is practically a hate crime.  As believers, we know that there is one way to eternal life.  But trying to tell that to a world where everyone gets a participation trophy is challenging.  People call you a bigot for claiming that you alone hold the truth, yet see their truth as tolerant and enlightened.  We are all influenced by culture to be loving and respectful of other lifestyles and beliefs to the point that we’re afraid to share our faith.

  Jesus was tolerant to the lost sinners of the world that he walked upon while in human form, but he was no relativist.  John 14:6 offers no wiggle room to the religious relativist. When it came to the Pharisees, Jesus was intolerant and confrontational.  So much so that he was killed for it.  In Matthew 7:13 Jesus made it clear that the gate was narrow, he didn't leave room for a group to come in and widen the gate when society permits.  Relativism is a dark pattern of behavior disguised by acceptance and kindness.  It’s an attempt at widening the gate.  It’s a failure.

 

Going Forward:

  This was the first in a short series of posts on relativism.  I think it’s that important.  It’s necessary to explore the effects on relativism on our culture so we can know what we’re up against.  The mission is not to fully explore this philosophy, but rather to explore how it impacts the way we share the Gospel.  

1 Peter 3:15...

"always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you;"  

  I titled this post with a verse that most apologists have on every mug and bumper sticker they own, but again, this isn't a blog for most apologists.  This is basic training for people that have recently decided to join the fight.  I wanted everyone to know why I feel the need for an emphasis on apologetics.  This isn't a hobby or yet another theological rabbit hole that provokes brothers into debate.  Apologetics is a command, plain and simple.  It's a calling on believers to unify and stand their ground in a post-Christian America.  It's important.

  We live in a time when everyone has a masters degree in Google.  Free thinking has given way to search engine scholars and you tube philosophers that all post their views to Face book and wait on 50 of their friends to hit the like button for personal validation.  The real problem with this is that people have forgotten how to reason.  If you find yourself in an office debate on a football game and you know nothing of the sport, you can always take a few minutes to search for an "expert opinion" on the teams so you can contribute to the conversation.  You don't need to bring any real knowledge to the table.  You don't need to follow the teams closely, factor in the similar opponents or know who's injured. This was how our father's discussed football, but not us, we Google it.

  The difference is that football is a game, and God is eternal.  But people are getting into the conversation the same way.  If people have doubts about God, they Google it, and the results are disastrous.  Having spent a little time in the agnostic camp, it's safe to say I know how they feel.  Lost people have legitimate questions, and unless properly equipped, we wind up responding with statements like "have more faith" or "but it's in the Bible."  If they're really lucky they get the old "I'll pray for you" response to a question like "why is the Earth 4.5 billion years old according to scientific discovery and only 6,000 years old according to the Bible?"  The truth is the average Christian can't give a satisfactory answer to the question I just posed in the previous sentence.  The answer is short and simple, but it has to be answered properly.  Otherwise your friends, family and co-workers will Google their way into a Godless eternity.

  This is why Apologetics is important.  You need to answer their questions yourself.  If you Google a response then they'll know.  It's time to exercise your reasoning skills.  Always be prepared to make a defense for your faith. Always.

Introduction...

   This is what I hope will be the first post of many.  I can't afford to write from a platform of educational experience, years of Biblical study or a deep and rich understanding of Scripture.  I don't have a library in my home that I use to retreat into nightly while wearing a smoking jacket and keeping a journal of my spiritual walk. So instead I'll write as I am, for people like myself, with the simple goal of defending my faith at the front lines and helping those that want to join the fight.  I won't waste your time with my testimony or sentence upon sentence of how I got to this point.  I will simply labor to bring apologetics to everyone in a clear and concise manner.

  Apologetics has fascinated me since I was drawn into salvation, but I entered the game late and I'm afraid I'm simply behind.  There are tons of great blogs that allow believers to discuss the issues with other believers, and I'd be happy to recommend a few upon request.  But my goal is to put the average believer in a position of comfort and advantage when they engage non-believers in everyday life.  There are real arguments against the Christian faith that must be addressed at the ground level and I intend to equip everyone to take those arguments head on.

  Like a lot of people, I work from a cubicle.  But beyond my three walls are cube upon cube of lost people. This puts me on the front lines of a war.  This war isn't about freedom, government or protection. This war is about eternity and the endless barrage of skepticism can expose attrition in anyone. 

Thank you for visiting, even if only once.  I hope this site can assist anyone, if not everyone that stops by.  God bless.