Imperishable Inheritance

I submitted the following letter to The Guardian for publication. Will they publish it? Probably not.

As students, we are immersed in a subculture where there is a prevailing consensus on the denial of the necessity and absolute nature of truth and knowledge. I remember distinctly my first philosophy class during a debate on theism, and my professor proclaimed to me, 'if you want to believe in theism'that's fine, but it's not true for me.'

I suddenly became entranced with this attractive idea that I was no longer responsible to look for, find, and understand objective, absolute truths. I proudly proclaimed my relativistic viewpoint in political, theological, and philosophical discussions; but after a while I realized that I had learned nothing at all. I was not growing intellectually or personally, and it was made clear when I was shown that by declaring that there is not absolute truth I was making an absolute statement about the truth!

But the relativist proclaims that his flawed ideology is the only absolute truth, and also logic has no bearing on relativism therefore it can not make logical fallacies. Was my cynicism clear enough? The relativist also declares that our cognitive bias (senses) cannot derive any meaningful truth; it only slants our perspective of the truth. In other words, it doesn't even matter if there were absolutes truths'we couldn't find them anyway! So you might as well pack up and go back home'there's nothing to find here (or anywhere for that matter).

Now, I venture not in this short article to discuss the permeating effects of postmodern philosophy, or the variations between cultural, moral, linguistic and other forms of relativism. I only want to expose this dangerous and unfulfilling intellectual 'disease' before someone else wastes life with it as I did.

I am, although, comforted in my assurance that The Truth is indeed coming back. I know He will set everything straight.

Chris Poteet