Isn't Truth a RelativeThing?

This is one of the greatest areas that our secular culture has influenced society. It is amazing to me how easily it is for so many people to simply throw their hands up and agree that there are no absolutes. We hear the phrase “who am I to judge” all the time. Is there any way to help people see the error of this type of thinking? I think there is. It is very important that we find points of contact with which we agree. I usually like to begin with areas that I am pretty confident there will be little dispute. I understand that the issue of absolutes may be in question, but do people honestly question or distrust the dependability and reliability of modern technology?

The reason I say this is that I find it hard to believe that anyone seriously doubts that when they dial the phone that it won’t ring or that when you turn the key in your car that it won’t start, or that when you flush the toilet that it won’t flush. I understand that there may be malfunctions at times with those things, but the point is that the reason all these things function so regularly and normally is because they work according to fixed laws that don’t change. I have yet to meet anyone that honestly questioned any of these everyday events. Each of these things as well as millions of other everyday functions and events operate on the basis of certain fundamental and absolute laws of mechanics or laws of physics.

This is very important because what this illustrates is that NOT EVERYTHING is relative. How about the whole field of mathematical laws? No one that I have ever met or heard of seriously questions or doubt their bank’s ability to be responsible with adding their deposits and subtracting their withdrawals and expenses. The reason they do not doubt the bank’s ability to do this is because math is not just agreed upon, it is based on certain numerical laws that correspond to reality. In other words, it is not relative but rather works according to fixed and absolute mathematical principles. Again, this merely shows further that NOT EVERYTHING is relative. Now, if this is agreed upon, it is very important to understand and accept that there may be other areas that are based on absolute principles as well. If they can apply to technology and math which we have to interact with on a daily basis, then why would absolutes not apply in other areas that we have to deal with on a daily basis.

From an extreme point to try to make my point further that not all things are relative. A good question to think about is whether a person ever thinks it is ever good to torture a baby for fun? At first thought this may sound like a silly question because to most civilized and sane people the answer seems pretty obvious that it is never a good thing to torture little babies for fun.

However, realize this. If the position is taken that it is NEVER a good thing to torture little babies for fun, then a person is now forced to come up with some moral foundation or explanation by which to justify this absolute claim. I have yet to meet anyone with a sound mind give me an example where torturing little babies for FUN is ever good and right.

Therefore, if it is NEVER good or right to torture babies for fun, then that would establish a MORAL ABSOLUTE. A moral absolute is just as much an absolute as is a technological or a math absolute. None are changed by the opinions of human beings; they stand as absolutes regardless of what anyone thinks. The big question now is, if you believe that a moral absolute exists (like the one above), then how does a person go about justifying their belief in a moral absolute. Moral absolutes cannot depend on people because people change, people disagree and people ultimately die.

The basis of a moral absolute must be an unchanging and absolute source. Well since everything in the world is constantly changing, then that means that whatever is the basis of moral absolutes must not be from this world. In fact, it must be something that exists outside of time that has always existed. Though this is also another good argument for the existence of God, what it shows is that absolutes exist all around us if we just take the time to see them for what they really are.

They are all little signs that point is to the God who is the foundation and source of all absolutes. Some people may argue that there are times when it is good to torture a baby for fun. If someone argues this way, then I would need to hear a persuasive scenario where it would be a good thing. What will be discovered is that it will still be evil no matter what the example is—it just may be less evil than something else they come up with. But it certainly would never be GOOD.

Remember, the only reason we can even have this discussion of good and evil, right and wrong, is because we are all beginning with some standard by which to judge these things. If this is true, then we must ask where the ultimate standard is by which all things are judged.

It seems then that there are several areas that absolutes are accepted. Areas of technology, areas that use mathematical skills, and certain areas of morality are at least three areas that absolutes exist. If absolutes really did not exist, then we could never truly rely on any of these domains. Once absolutes are acknowledged, a proper foundation must be given that can explain or account for them. Unless the foundation itself is absolute and unchanging, it cannot explain all these other areas that are absolute and unchanging.

This is why God is the only legitimate explanation for absolutes, since God is unchanging in His essential nature and He is absolute in His moral character