Relativism Does Not Mean Anything Goes

(as Benedict XVI well knows):

“We are moving toward a dictatorship of relativism which does not recognize anything as for certain and which has as its highest goals one’s own ego and one’s own desires.” ... Pope Benedict XVI

It is precisely because we live in a relativistic universe that politics* rules. In effect, might is right. One hopes it is the might of kindness over cruelty, care over indifference, nurture over brutality and courage in all of the former over courage in all of the latter - because the callous and the cruel, also, can be courageous.

The relativistic universe is not an abyss to be feared. It is a responsibility to wear or to run away from. In the lethal cold of an indifferent universe, I prefer to be clothed.

Pope Benedict’s disingenuous and misleading definition of relativism continues his refusal to take responsibility for his behaviour in matters ethical and “moral”. Ethics and morality are not carved in stone by a supernatural being. It is our responsibility (the responsibility of human beings) to ensure that kindness conquers cruelty and that all are equal before the laws of humanity.

The difference between a relativistic universe and a theistic universe is a matter of personal responsibility. In a theistic** universe, no chief rabbi, ayatollah, pope, priest or imam is responsible for their assessment as to what is good and what is bad, what is good and what is evil. They hive that responsibility off onto a supernatural being whose existence is unprovable.

In a universe of relativism, a relativistic universe, that responsibility is the responsibility of each and all of us. It is a pity that our religious leaders continue to avoid that personal responsibility of deciding what is good and what is bad, what is good and what is evil and, in addition, lack the courage to justify their selections - in their own names.

*politics: the wielding of power, authority, control, persuasion, influence.

**theism: belief in the existence of a god or gods, esp. belief in one god as creator of the universe, intervening in it and sustaining a personal relation to his creatures.
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Comments

[ozz]

Kathy,

1. You say you are “not a believer” but you “don’t believe we are alone on this one”. Please clarify.

2. Also clarify as to which parts of your criticism refer to my view of ethics and which to my view of religion. Confusingly, you lump the two views together. They are in fact decidedly separate.

3. If you consider Pope Benedict XVI a caricature, that is your prerogative. I merely quote him. If his view of relativism is not disingenuous (defined as: not candid or sincere, typically by pretending that one knows less about something than one really does) then he is merely being dishonest or at best simplistically misguided. Regarding simplification, I refer you to my 2007 post "Reduced"

4. As to my view that:
a) We are held to no other criteria than our own
b) There is no objective criteria on ethics and
c) That is why we accept responsibility for deeming actions either good or bad

Far from not being shared by ethicists, it is a view shared by the law of the land (which rejects God as an alibi and accommodates deities only in the optional swearing of oaths). I accept that the law is not always just; but those who formulate it, with argument and opinion, would claim to have ethics in mind and to be, in that way, ethicists. They would reject your accusation of being short sighted and would, on the contrary, claim to be taking the long view.

[kathy]

I am not a believer but feel your view of Ethics and Religion is very short-sighted.You seem to simplify it into a blind obedience on the part of them that believe but I have never personally encountered that type of mentality in my friends be they Muslim or Christian.What you offer is a caricature or at least is what it seems to be.Your views would not be shared by any ethicist or Religious Philosopher I know and so I think you should be more circumspect on this issue and not neccessarily believe those who disagree with your point of view are disingenuous.If those who believe are only confronted with the uninformed vision they will probably only go further into their own little worlds feeling that non-believers have nothing to offer as they depend on labelling. I agree with you wholeheartedly that we are all responsible for our own actions but just dont believe we are alone on this one.
Peace