Saturday, August 16, 2014

Are Morals Relative?

People cannot function for even a few hours without making moral evaluations.  This holds true even for those who insist that morality is relative.  The famous atheist Bertrand Russell once expounded his theory that good and bad have no objective validity — then minutes later fiercely denounced someone for being “such a scoundrel!”  Ironically, moral relativists often even pride themselves on being morally superior to others.  After all, they are tolerant and non-judgmental.  They are not like other people who are insufferably bigoted and close-minded and deserve the harshest condemnation.  Every group draws a line in the sand somewhere that allows them to feel morally superior, like the Pharisee in Jesus’ parable who thanked God he was not like other people (Luke 19:11).  Moral relativism may claim to be about tolerance and humility, but in reality it often fosters a highly moralistic, condemning attitude.


Nancy Pearcey, "Saving Leonardo: A Call to Resist the Secular Assault on Mind, Morals, & Meaning,"  p.43

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