What’s true for you isn’t true for me. Just because I think something is wrong doesn’t mean you have to. Different strokes for different folks. These statements, and more, continue to gain popularity and momentum in our culture because they are perfect examples of relativism.
Truth? More like preference.
The concept of relativism goes back hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of years. The more people have tried to understand truth, the more they question whether it can be known. You can read a detailed breakdown here if you’re feeling particularly scholarly today, but for now let’s get a basic understanding of what relativism, and relative truth, actually are.
Absolute truth is the belief that there are things that are always true, at all times, regardless of things like culture, time period, etc. Relative truth is the complete opposite of that, believing that things are only true for individuals, or at most for large groups of people in a certain setting.
In other words, we can’t know truth because there’s no such thing. There are personal beliefs, but what’s true for me may not be true for you. And the reason we can’t know what’s true is that there’s no higher authority that can confirm which of us is right. We may have strong reasons to believe what we believe, and one may even be more plausible than the other, but we lack any way of determining which belief is true.
If we look at history, this makes some sense. People’s very concept of truth is often the root of history’s worst acts. For example, things like slavery or genocide begin with believing the truth that a certain group is sub-human. We may look back and say they were wrong, but through relativism we have to acknowledge that they were only acting on what they believed to be true, just as we do.
Absolutely problematic
If there is no such thing as truth, we run into some incredibly serious issues, both in terms of morality and in how we exist. Let’s examine a few problems.
Self-defeating
“Punching random strangers is wrong”
“That’s fine for you to believe that, but I don’t have to.”
“How can you say that? Everyone knows it’s wrong to attack someone maliciously!”
“It’s fine if that’s true for you, but don’t impose your beliefs on me.”
“So you’re saying there’s no such thing as truth?”
“Correct.”
“But… that’s a truth statement. You’re saying it’s absolutely true that nothing is absolutely true.”
“…”
That silly example shows the root problem of relativism. To make the claim “nothing is true” requires you to believe that particular statement is true. To say or believe anything with certainty requires us to believe that something is absolutely true, regardless of what an individual believes.
In other words, relativism defeats itself simply by existing. If I believe in absolute truth, but you don’t, then telling me there’s no such thing as truth is to say “Whether you believe it or not, what I’m saying is absolutely true.” Trying to explain this can feel like talking in circles because there’s simply no logical way for relativism to make any claims without immediately debunking itself.
Impossible to practice
Most people who believe in relativism don’t give it much thought. It sounds good, and it’s a convenient way not to feel guilty about their actions and beliefs, so it works. However, there are those who can jump through some mental hoops to make it stand up to scrutiny. Yet even those people find their lives at odds with their beliefs because their very lives prove that they believe in some form of absolute truth.
The fact that so many people will generally agree on certain behaviors proves that there is a truth that overrides our personal beliefs. We’re inherently selfish and wicked, and some things we do are never in line with our human nature. Why not steal or kill others if we feel like it? If our default belief is that self-indulgence will bring us the greatest pleasure, why not act toward it?
It’s because, inherently, we also know these things are wrong. We instinctively know that people who give in to these desires are wrong. We don’t consider them more enlightened because they’re living their truth – we condemn them because the things they do are universally wrong, no matter what that individual or their culture may believe.
In other words, no victim of a crime will sit idly by and say “Well, you believe this is right so who am I to judge?”
Hypocritical justification
People defend against the previous statement with a simple rule: people are free to believe whatever they want, living out their truth however they want, as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone else. And that seems fair, right? “You do you, and I’ll do me” seems like a harmonious way to live, each of us pursuing our happiness without causing pain to the other.
In other words, everyone must follow this certain, universal rule of not harming others. If someone doesn’t, they are absolutely wrong and we are willing to force that belief on them. No matter how much tap-dancing must be done to avoid truth statements, relativism absolutely requires at least one truth statement to act as a foundation for everything else. No matter how deeply a philosopher may think and argue, in the end this belief system is only functional if we are willing to believe that there is, somewhere, an absolute truth that everyone must accept.
Truth isn’t an ice cream flavor
Logically, relativism falls apart because it can’t tell the difference between truth and taste. It likes to use statements like “Jon thinks mint ice cream is the best, while Tamara thinks it’s the worst. How can both be right?” and insist this proves that we can’t know something with absolute certainty because it’s all up to the individual’s perception.
Of course, this only works if truth is a matter of preference. And to many, it is. As Christians, many of us have heard statements like “How can you believe in a God who sends people to Hell?” or “Why do you follow a religion that restricts what you can do?”
To those who believe truth is relative, this makes total sense. After all, why believe in something unpleasant when you can choose to believe otherwise? Yet this gets at the heart of why relativism is so at odds with the universe.
We don’t choose to believe in a God who punishes people. God exists, and He tells us that those who die in their sins will be punished according to God’s righteousness. Whether we like it or not, that’s the reality. Likewise, God calls us to holiness, breaking away from the world by pursuing Christ. We don’t do it because we’re gullible or foolish. God calls us to that truth, and we respond.
Thus, relativism also falls apart because it requires that God doesn’t exist. If God is real, then being the Creator of all things means He acted with purpose. He set certain rules according to His perfect nature, establishing consequences for those who broke them. The things He’s revealed in the Bible are absolute truths He has given us to follow.
Earlier, we said that truth doesn’t exist because there’s no one to say who’s right or wrong, leaving everything open to interpretation and personal belief. Yet if there is an ultimate Creator, then He is the one who establishes truth. And this truth is seen in the inspired book He gave us.
Stand up for truth
One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord, and he who eats, does so for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who eats not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God. (Romans 14:5-6)
Relativism has invaded Christianity. Although the Bible gives a certain amount of grace for us to follow our consciences, making something a sin for one person but not another, Christ is very clear that there are absolute truths that aren’t open to debate. The most critical among these has been under attack for centuries.
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. (John 14:6)
Christ leaves no room for interpretation or personal opinion regarding salvation. In today’s culture, Christ would be seen as absolutely intolerant for His insistence that He is the only way to the Father. Yet as God, He gets to determine whether certain things are true. As His followers, we must love what Christ loves. If He loves truth, then we must likewise fall in love with it and defend it against those who don’t just hate truth, but hate the truth of our Savior.
This article is part of the series “65 Theology Questions People Will Ask You.” Click the link to read more informative articles like this one!
