NewsOpinionFaithYouthFeaturesArchiveSubscribeBooksAboutAdvertiseDonate

Home »
Youth »
Speaking Out »
Speaking out: Relativism can damage society

Enter search term...

Relativism is the philosophy which asserts there is no absolute truth. Time is a common example used to prove relativism.
Pixabay/Creative Commons

Speaking out: Relativism can damage society

By Vincent Pham, Speaking Out

January 11, 2018

Tweet

Like 15 people like this. Be the first of your friends.

I never knew relativism caused damage to society until I learned about it in a Grade 10 religion class last year. Since then, I have been discouraged about what I’ve seen
happen in society.

Top Stories

U.S., English bishops welcome Vatican document on gender ideology

Bishops to consider 10-point plan to acknowledge 'episcopal commitments'

Lay advisers urge US bishops to press for release of McCarrick documents

Mexican bishops on migrants: 'We cannot turn ourselves into that wall'

Order of Malta's leader reminds members: Tridentine Mass not allowed

SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER... and we'll send headlines to you.

My teacher had great knowledge of apologetics. In the class, he gave us excerpts from Chris Stefanick’s book, Absolute Relativism.

Relativism is the philosophy which asserts there is no absolute truth. It means moral principles are relative to one’s culture, society and/or feelings. This means “truth” can
differ from person to person.

My teacher gave us an example, saying that the equation 2+2=4 is objective and that is an absolute truth. You can feel 2+2=5, but your feelings don’t matter on a math
test. My teacher said if math were relativistic, all math calculations would be based on feelings. If architecture were relativistic, all the buildings would be falling down by
now!

What I see today is a society moving towards this philosophy because it is easy. For example, as part of a Canadian law class, I wrote an essay and prepared a presentation
defending my position that euthanasia should not have been legalized. I talked about how euthanasia is solely the victory of relativism.

Euthanasia was legalized because of relativistic principles that have seeped into the walls of society.

People are using their feelings to make decisions, rather than using objective principles.

Likewise, arguments for euthanasia laws are relativistic because they are solely based on one’s feelings. “I feel this person’s pain and it would be better if they die” —
that’s how our society is functioning right now.

We have rejected the absolute truth that everything has a purpose, including human life and all the joys and pains that come with it. Without pain, there would be no such
thing as happiness and relief.

Our life is not ours in the first place. It is that of the Creator, God. By taking away life, we are technically stealing from God. To reject the absolute truth is to reject God.

Relativism is not only evident through the legalization of euthanasia, but also in other moral issues such as abortion and same-sex marriage.

Since religion class and law class last year, I have become more aware of relativism and have talked about it with some of my classmates and friends, hoping they would
use their minds and not their feelings to dictate their decisions.

We are living in a relativistic society, yet many people are unaware of it. Young people especially should have some knowledge about this issue. Eventually, they will be
the next prime ministers, members of Parliament, doctors, lawyers and society leaders.

I don’t want to live in a relativistic world. Let us use our minds and objective principles to make decisions, not our feelings.

(Pham, 16, is a Grade 11 student at Chaminade College School in Toronto.)

Tweet

Like 15 people like this. Be the first of your friends.

Tagged under:

relativism
Absolute truth
Objectivity
One True Faith

Related items
Dictating relativism
More in this category: « Speaking out: A new year to renew my faith Speaking out: Offering my gifts at Sunday Mass »
Comments (0)


There are no comments posted here yet

Leave your comments

Posting comment as a guest. Sign up or login to your account.

Username

Password

Login to my account →

Name (Required)

Email

Website

- - -
            Background
- - -

Write your comment here...

Submit Comment

Support The Catholic Register

Unlike many other news websites, The Catholic Register has never charged readers for access to the news and information on our site. We want to keep our award-
winning journalism as widely available as possible. But we need your help.

For more than 125 years, The Register has been a trusted source of faith based journalism. By making even a small donation you help ensure our future as an
important voice in the Catholic Church. If you support the mission of Catholic journalism, please donate today. Thank you.
THE DIGITAL EDITION

NEWSLETTER
email address Subscribe

THIS ISSUE
Print Edition: June 9, 2019

SUBSCRIBE TODAY!

"Perspectives" Video

S+L Minute - Pope s…

s…

Courtesy of Salt and Light Television

Website
News
Opinion
Faith
Youth Speak News
Education
Features
Arts

Products

Newspaper
Digital Edition
Books

About Us

Contact
Privacy Policy
Terms of use
Work Here
History
Social Media

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
RSS

Services

Advertising
Donations
FAQ