Definition

Moral Relativity is the concept that there is no ultimate good or evil. Just my perception and your perception of good and evil! And my perception is no more right or wrong than yours, they’re just different. In my opinion it is an entirely foolish position to hold.

However, it is a semi reasonable position to hold assuming that there is no God. In fact it is one of the most, if not the only reasonable conclusions if there is no God.

Physics

In physics there is a thought exercise, image that you were in a box, with no windows or other ways to see or sense the outside world. There would be no way to know how fast you were going. Your velocity could be 0 (stationary) or you could be moving at near light speed. And there is no test that can be done inside that box, that does not observe something coming from outside that box, that can determine how fast you are moving or even if you are moving at all!

Philosophical Allegory

I believe that the same can be easily applied to morality. We can picture all of humanity as the box. We can look around in the box and see that some people are moving down, and others up relative to us and the box. But there is no test that can be done to determine if humanity is moving towards a greater good or greater evil. Since we would have to be able to look outside the box of our own understanding and knowledge in order to answer that, it is impossible!

However, what if there was a Being outside of the box, who sent us messages from the outside and told us that He can see the whole picture. And He knows which way we should be going! Would you trust Him? Sure you don’t know much about Him but you know that He is outside the box. So whether He’s lying or not, He knows more than you! If you listen to Him then you can at least know that you are moving some direction with reference to the outside world! Not just milling around, making no headway, arguing with other people about what is right.

Frames of Reference

This concept is a very valuable one, not just in this context but in all of your life. Remember that others see the world relative to themselves and their experiences. For some people church is an evil place where corrupt men exploit vulnerable people. And that viewpoint doesn’t have to be malicious! It may be true, based on their experiences and worldview. They can converse with someone who sees church as a place of healing, encouragement, guidance, and family! So which of these views is correct? Well, both (assuming that they’re honestly held), and neither.

A man standing on earth considers himself to be “stationary”, but to someone who is floating “stationary” in the earth’s orbital track, the man standing on earth and the whole earth is flying toward him at approximately 66,000 mph! So which one is right? Is the man standing on the earth “stationary” or the man floating in space? Well again, both and neither! It depends on your frame of reference!

Being aware of other people’s frames of reference can help you in so many scenarios! It can explain how you and your spouse can look at the same thing and see two different realities, or have a conversation and both come away with different understandings of that conversation. It can help you at work, at church, in line at the store! But to do any of this you have to realize that your own frame of reference is not perfect. The way you see the world is not factual. You see the world through the lenses of all your opinions, beliefs, concerns, and experiences.

A Greater Frame

And that brings us back to where we started! If I acknowledge that my worldview is not factually accurate, and that everyone else also has a sincerely held worldview that is not factually accurate. Then our worldviews will eventually clash! How then do we decide who’s right since neither of us are seeing the world perfectly? We need an Arbiter, Someone Who is outside of our small minded views, Who can see the whole picture. Even more than we can comprehend!

That is the only way that we can determine if our frame of reference, or worldview, is a good one. We have to ask Someone Who can see clearly, Who can see outside the box of our understanding and see which direction we’re actually moving in the grand scheme of things!

Isaiah 55:8–9

[8] For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
	neither are your ways My ways, declares the LORD.
[9] For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
	so are My ways higher than your ways
	and My thoughts than your thoughts. (ESV)

God bless, Stay in the Way!