Introduction
According to the definition of relativism, it is a concept that calls for the opinion that there is no universal truth in any concept. The premise of relativism is the belief that moral conduct is based on perceptions and the subscription to various beliefs. This implies that every opinion or claim has some truth in it because the claims in an opinion or an idea can be referenced to a unique point of view.
Additionally, relativism points toward the acceptance of all forms of biased opinions and beliefs, which is an indication that one cannot possibly use relativism as a basis for a logical argument that cannot be refuted. The refutation of relativism would be propagated from an opinion that would also be supported by the theory; hence, there is a clear indication that when using relativism, one cannot subscribe to morality as a universal factor.
Moral Relativism
Moral relativism encompasses the development of platforms to judge the moral inclinations of individuals in different societies. Religious beliefs are commonly used as the basis for the development of the standards that govern the moral beliefs of a given society. For instance, Christians might believe that a given line of thought is morally appropriate because it is backed by their religious doctrines. However, there are numerous religious groups that have different doctrines.
The respective members of the religious groups believe that their moral inclinations should be adopted on a universal basis (Levy 12). It is difficult to challenge the moral beliefs of the different religious groups because there is no universal standard to facilitate the same.
Relativists believe that every claim or belief has some truth in it. They are led by the notion that whenever they encounter challenges in supporting their beliefs, they can always call on the relativist model to back their claims. However, the essence of morality is to embrace values that cannot be refuted, and ensuring that every action or belief is aligned with the doctrines that govern the main idea associated with a moral belief (Renteln 23).
With relativism, it is difficult to secure a singular perspective that aligns with personal belief; hence, it is difficult for individuals assuming a relativist approach to life to live without propagating contradictions. The contradictions emanate from the fact that it is impossible to restrict relativism to a single paradigm of beliefs. The main reason that Christians and other religious groups have doctrines that fail to attain parallelism with relativism is that they are aware of the need to refrain from propagating contradictions.
Conclusion
Relativists do not always subscribe to beliefs or moral values that contradict. They might sometimes restrict their references to values that align with each other. However, the main challenge arises from the fact that relativism welcomes all forms of arguments, and it dictates that subscribers of the relativist line of thought find specific truths from every idea. This implies that a relativist has no freedom to claim that a given idea has no basis or truth.
If a relativist believes in the Christian doctrines, he or she would also have to believe in the doctrines developed by Muslims and other religious groups. This would ultimately result in the development of a biased and contradictory approach to religion. It is, therefore, impossible for relativists to claim that they can subscribe to the model without contradiction themselves at some point.
Works Cited
Levy, Neil. Moral relativism: A short introduction. Oneworld Publications, 2014.
Renteln, Alison Dundes. International human rights: Universalism versus relativism. Quid Pro Books, 2013.