Our culture of relativism, the belief that truth changes from person to person, is undermining our student’s faith in Christ. Relativism states that there is no truth. So how can Christianity be objectively true if there is no truth? Jesus is not just one way, but He is THE way. So, how can pastors, parents, teachers, and leaders respond to cultural relativism and help our students remain strong in their convictions? Watch this video and find out.
If you are interested in me speaking at your church or youth group, click on the Endorsements & Speaking page, look through the speaking topics or suggest your own, and contact me at contact@coffeehousequestions.com. I am happy to help in any way I can. God bless!
Ryan Pauly is the founder and president of Think Well. He speaks around the country, hosts conversations on YouTube, and teaches Historical Christian Doctrine and Apologetics, Comparative Religions and Worldviews, and Philosophy of Ethics at a Southern California High School. He is field guide for the MAVEN immersive experiences and is a Stand to Reason affiliate. Ryan holds a Master's degree in Christian apologetics from Biola University, a certificate in science apologetics from the Reasons Institute, and is working on his doctorate in ministry from Talbot School of Theology. Ryan discusses a wide range of apologetics and cultural issues relating to students through writing, videos, speaking, podcast, and radio.
I’m saying this, having not yet seen the video. I’m basically tossing in my own two cents on this subject, in the hopes that someone in the video hasn’t made the exact same point.
The argument I’ve used to combat relativism in the past is actually quite simple. The idea of relativism self-destructs when one comes to the realization that relativism actually forces God into the unenviable position of self-contradiction.
While some like to argue otherwise, the truth is that all faiths contradict each other in very fundamental ways. For example, the Hindu faith argues for the existence of an eternal soul, while the Buddhist faith denies the existence of one.
Similarly, there is a massive disagreement between Christianity, Judaism and Islam. While we Christians believe in the Trinity, Jews and Muslims categorically reject and deny the idea of God as anything but unitarian in nature.
These can’t be explained away as the “big stuff”, while the “little stuff” (read moral codes) are all that matters. The most fundamental element of any faith is their interaction with the divine.
The Buddhists essentially deny the existence of God, the Hindus insist there are millions of gods, the Wiccans worship nature instead of God and the Abrahamic siblings can’t agree on the essential nature of God Himself, let alone where Jesus fits into the entire thing.
Either God is by His very nature self-contradictory, or relativism falls flat on its face. My vote? Relativism is a farcical argument, used by the ignorant in the hopes of forestalling any kind of argument or conflict, so that they may continue to languish in their ignorance.
However, if you remove that comfortable veil by knocking aside this non-argument, you stand at least somewhat of a chance at getting through. Sadly, the last time I used it, the other person simply did the equivalent of sticking her fingers in her ears and chanting. (“Well, if you believe it’s true, then it is” repeated ad nauseam)
think-well.org 
August 7, 2017 at 10:11 pm
I’m saying this, having not yet seen the video. I’m basically tossing in my own two cents on this subject, in the hopes that someone in the video hasn’t made the exact same point.
The argument I’ve used to combat relativism in the past is actually quite simple. The idea of relativism self-destructs when one comes to the realization that relativism actually forces God into the unenviable position of self-contradiction.
While some like to argue otherwise, the truth is that all faiths contradict each other in very fundamental ways. For example, the Hindu faith argues for the existence of an eternal soul, while the Buddhist faith denies the existence of one.
Similarly, there is a massive disagreement between Christianity, Judaism and Islam. While we Christians believe in the Trinity, Jews and Muslims categorically reject and deny the idea of God as anything but unitarian in nature.
These can’t be explained away as the “big stuff”, while the “little stuff” (read moral codes) are all that matters. The most fundamental element of any faith is their interaction with the divine.
The Buddhists essentially deny the existence of God, the Hindus insist there are millions of gods, the Wiccans worship nature instead of God and the Abrahamic siblings can’t agree on the essential nature of God Himself, let alone where Jesus fits into the entire thing.
Either God is by His very nature self-contradictory, or relativism falls flat on its face. My vote? Relativism is a farcical argument, used by the ignorant in the hopes of forestalling any kind of argument or conflict, so that they may continue to languish in their ignorance.
However, if you remove that comfortable veil by knocking aside this non-argument, you stand at least somewhat of a chance at getting through. Sadly, the last time I used it, the other person simply did the equivalent of sticking her fingers in her ears and chanting. (“Well, if you believe it’s true, then it is” repeated ad nauseam)
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