Quote:
Originally Posted by Willravel
They may think so, but the facts say otherwise. One of the most consistent whims in the Bible is that of divorce only being allowable within a very strict set of parameters. How many Christians are against divorce? Some, I suppose, but the majority have progressed with the rest of their society and now Christians enjoy a very high rate of divorce. The level of asunder tearing going on tells me that these people are just as relativistic as you or I. They say their morality is based on the Bible, but that's partially true at best. Why? There's often a wide distinction between beneficial outcomes and following the Bible. Sure, love your neighbor and all that, but stoning people to death for blasphemy or not being a virgin on one's wedding night are clearly vestiges from ancient and (relatively) archaic moral systems.
It only pretends to be circular. Everyone's a relativist.
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I dunno.. everyone inconsistently applies their ethical code at some time or another, but does that really mean that everyone implicitly consents to relativism? Even if one rejects relativism, one can still be a victim of cognitive dissonance, or fail to recognize the implications of one's ethical code for a given situation. So I don't know if makes sense to call them a relativist - one can certainly say they act like a relativist in a given situation, but that's not the same, to me.
I am some species of consequentialist - actions are either bad or good based on their consequences to human beings. But I'm sure there are some times when I act like a deontologist (one who believes the nature of an action is either wrong or good, regardless of its consequences). But it isn't on purpose, and it isn't because I endorse that sort of theory.
Edit: Although, in the case of Christians - especially inerrantists - they often unknowingly defend cultural relativism when they defend the Old Testament, as you point out. They also unknowingly act like consequentialists, when trying to defend the genocides that God commands in the OT.