The Inconsistency of Relativism

1. To argue against anything is to concede that absolute truth exists. One cannot argue against absolute truth unless the basis of the argument is an absolute truth. “There are absolutely no absolutes.” To make this affirmation is to make an absolute statement. For the statement to be true, it has to be absolute and therefore contradicts itself.  

2. “Truth is relative.” This is again to make an absolute statement. Is it absolutely true that truth is always relative? If so, there is in fact absolute truth. If the claim itself is relative, then the claim is not always true and thus truth is not always relative. This statement is logically contradictory.

3. “Nobody knows what truth is.” Does the one who makes this claim know it is true? Does he expect others to accept his claim as true? The claim itself concedes that the one making it does not know that nobody knows what truth is.

4. Can a square be round? Can a circle be rectangle? Can we know that there are absolutely no round squares and rectangle circles?

5. What is 1 + 1? If there are no absolutes, the answer could be 3, 4, or 5, and a math teacher couldn’t count any answer wrong if a student sincerely believed it to be correct.

6. If one insists there is no absolute right or wrong, how does he know whether his assertion is right or wrong?

7. If a relativist says there is no absolute right or wrong, he cannot consistently argue that it is wrong for others to impose their morals on him. If he is forced into slavery, he cannot claim this is absolutely wrong, otherwise he would be imposing his morals on others.

8. Were the genocidal atrocities committed during Adolf Hitler's brutal regime absolutely wrong or not? Who decides? 

9. Is it always wrong to torture and rape children? Says who?

“Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, ‘If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free’” (John 8:31-32 NKJV).

--Kevin L. Moore

Related Posts: Relativism Vs Objective Truth

Related articles: Mac Deaver's "Epistemological Agnosticism" <Link>.

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