HEADLINES: MAGUINDANAO MASSACRE, AT LEAST 46 DEAD
Student: That's terrible, how could anyone do such a horrible thing? It's just wrong.
Mr. Moral Relativist*: Hmm, but why do say it's wrong?
S: Huh? Of course it's wrong!
Mr. MR: Well, at least in our culture it is. But do we have the right to impose our culture's standards on theirs?
(pause)
S: Seems you do have a point there. But it just seems wrong anyhow.
Mr. MR: That's because we're sooo used to our culture's moral standards that we can't imagine otherwise. But if you're open-minded, you'll see alternative moral standards are possible. Ours isn't the only one.
S: Yeah, that makes sense.
Mr. MR: It does, doesn't it? So in the end, we can't really say another culture's acts are wrong. We just have be tolerant and understanding.
S: Gee, thanks Mister! It makes sense now. Thanks for enlightening me!
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(as Mr. Moral Relativist walks home, he meets a woman crying in the streets)
Mr. MR: Oh my, why are you crying my dear lady?
Woman (fighting back the tears): Sir, I have just been kicked out off my home by the government.
Mr. MR: But why would they do that?
W: They said they need my property for their new buildings... I don't know, it all happened so quickly. My children don't know yet, they haven't come home from school yet. And my husband! He's still at work, what will he think when he finds out?! Oh, wretched government! It's all so unjust, so unfair!
(She starts crying again. Mr. MR is deep in thought. For a moment, no one talks.)
Mr. MR: But... when you think about it... who are you to say what the government did was wrong?
W: What?! How can you even ask that?!
Mr. MR: Think about it for a second. When you say the government is unfair, doesn't that mean you expect them to follow a certain standard of fairness?
W: Of course... I don't see where this is going...
Mr. MR: But why should they follow your standard of fairness? Why should you expect that? Could it be that they have their own standards to follow?
(W thinks in silence)
W: But they took my home...
Mr. MR: But could it be that, in their point of view, they did the right thing? Maybe you would have done the same if you were in their shoes... Anyway, you shouldn't impose your standard of right and wrong on others. That's the only wrong thing to do.
(W stares at the man in astonishment)
Mr. MR: And I'll tell you, all thinking persons believe what I'm telling you now. So give it some thought. Maybe you'll reconsider.
W: I don't know what to think anymore.
Mr. MR: It's alright... It's hard to give up long-held beliefs. But I am deeply sorry for your loss...
(W looks at the floor in silence)
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(As Mr. Moral Relativist nears home, he sees police cars and policemen outside his house. He walks to the nearest policeman.)
Mr. MR: Sir, what's happening here?
Policeman: I'm sorry to break it to you...
Mr. MR: What is it?
Policeman: Robbers broke in your home...
Mr. MR: And?
Policeman: And... (P sighs deeply) I don't know how to say this... Your wife was murdered. And your daughters, they were raped by the robbers... I'm sorry...
(Mr. MR stands in shock, unable to speak for a long time. He felt utter indignation at what had just happened in his own home. It was wrong. The criminals must be punished. At that point, he wanted them killed...
But he thought of all he believed in - in moral relativism, and how this applied to his present situation. Could he really believe in it now? When his wife was dead? When his daughters had been raped? But if he denounced moral relativism now, wouldn't he be a hypocrite? Wouldn't he be saying one thing but not living in line with what he said? Isn't that hypocrisy?
He thought deeply in silence for a long time... At last, he came to a decision.)
Mr. MR: Excuse me...
P: Yes...
Mr. MR: Don't arrest the criminals.
P: What?! Are you out of your mind?!
Mr. MR: No, I'm not. I've thought about it, and thought about it hard. And I just can't live against what I know is true. I can't be inconsistent, I can't be a hypocrite.
(P stares at him dumbfoundeded)
P: But what they did to your family...
Mr. MR: But I can't impose my values on them! I just can't, that's wrong...
P: You're crazy, absolutely crazy!
(Mr. MR stands silently, tears in his eyes)
Mr. MR: I don't know... I don't know. I know morality is relative. That's for sure. I know I can't impose my morality on others. That would be intolerant. That would be close-minded. That's for sure... I don't know...
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*Of course, real moral relativists are not like this. They live their lives inconsistent with their beliefs, which is a good thing! This post just shows the logical consequences of moral relativism when it's really believed, such that it affects one's life. One way to find out what a person believes deep in his heart is not to look at his words, but how he lives his life. And it's there we see that people really don't believe in moral relativism deep in their hearts. If they were really convinced of its truth, we would have people like Mr. Moral Relativist. Thank God we don't.
 | Very nice demonstration, Mika. |
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MAGUINDANAO MASSACRE, AT LEAST 46 DEAD 
