This document discusses the importance of objective truth and the problems with moral relativism. It defines objective truth as that which corresponds to reality, as opposed to subjective truth. It addresses two objections to objective truth - that truth is relative or does not exist. However, disregarding objective truth leads to moral relativism, where individuals decide what is right or wrong. This causes problems as there are no consistent standards and no way to call out wrongdoing. Ultimately, rejecting objective truth has serious consequences and risks society falling into deception, injustice and a lack of moral accountability.

1. Introduction
to
Apologetics:
Defending the Faith
Stephen Russell

2. Why was Jesus born?

3. John 18:37
Then Pilate said to him, quot;So you are a king?quot;
Jesus answered, quot;You say that I am a king. For
this purpose I was born and for this purpose
I have come into the world— to bear
witness to the truth. Everyone who is of
the truth listens to my voice.quot;

4. John 18:38
Pilate said to him,
quot;What is truth?quot;

5. Defining Truth:
2 Kinds of Truth

6. Subjective Truth

7. Objective Truth

8. Objective Truth
=
That which corresponds to
reality

9. Two Objections
to
Objective Truth

10. Truth is Relative
Each person or group determines for
themselves what is true or not true.

11. Truth Does Not Exist
(or cannot be known)
Agnostic approach: We each have inherent
cultural, historical, and personal biases and
therefore we inject our own views into our
supposedly “objective” examinations, thus
rendering the real Truth unknowable.

12. Importance of Objective Truth

13. How do we gain knowledge?
Observation
Separating what is true from what is false
(Relies on notion that some things are true and some are false)

14. Law of Non-Contradiction
¬(P ⋀ ¬P)

15. Poisonous?

16. What do you call someone who
disregards these rules for gaining
knowledge?

17. Physical
Spiritual
Moral

18. What happens when Truth is
discarded?

19. th
December 5 , 2007
Omaha, Nebraska
8 murdered, 5 wounded, 1 suicide

20. Quote from friend:
“I don't think any less of him for it. He wasn't
doing it for fun, he just wanted to go out in
style.”

21. Barna Survey:
Moral Truth All 18-35 36-55 56+ born again non born-again
is unchanging 22% 14% 33% 24% 32% 15%
depends on 64 75 55 61 54 71
the situation
don't know 14 11 12 15 14 14
Adults

22. Barna Survey:
Moral Truth All Born Again non-born again
is unchanging 6% 9% 4%
depends on the 83 76 87
situation
don't know 11 15 9
Teens

23. How Did We Get Here?

24. John 3: 19-21
And this is the judgment: the light has come into the
world, and people loved the darkness rather than
the light because their works were evil. For everyone
who does wicked things hates the light and does not
come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But
whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it
may be clearly seen that his works have been carried
out in God.quot;

25. Rejection of Objective Truth
=
Rejection of Moral Truth

26. Rejection of Moral Truth
=
Moral Relativism

27. 2 Kinds of Moral Relativism

28. We Decide
(a.k.a. cultural relativism)

29. sidebar:
Does the fact that something is
legal, make it right?

30. Problems with “We Decide”
Who decides?
Discontinuity of Standards
Disagreement between cultures

31. I Decide
(a.k.a. Subjectivism)

32. Ultimate Result of Moral
Relativism:

33. 7 Flaws of Relativism*
* Gregory Koukl

34. 1. Relativists can't...
...accuse others of wrongdoing

35. 2. Relativists can't...
...complain about the problem
of evil

36. 3. Relativists can't...
...place blame or accept praise

37. 4. Relativists can't...
...make charges of unfairness or
injustice

38. 5. Relativists can't...
...improve their morality

39. 6. Relativists can't...
...hold meaningful moral
discussions

40. 7. Relativists can't:
...promote the obligation of
tolerance

41. Answering those who reject
objective Truth

42. Example 1.
Self-Refuting Statements

43. “His wife has never been married.”
“There are no absolutes.”
“No one knows what the truth is.”
“Who are you to tell someone they're wrong”

44. Example 2.
Law Breakers

45. “Truth is relative.”
“Just because it's true for you
doesn't mean it's true for me.”

46. Example 3.
Faulty Logic

47. If there is no truth, there can
be no morality.
They claim it's wrong to be
intolerant.
They claim it's wrong to “impose”
your values or beliefs on someone
else.

48. What's at stake?

49. Romans 2: 8
“But for those who are self-seeking and
who reject the truth and follow evil,
there will be wrath and anger.”

50. John 8: 31-32
“If you abide in my word, you are truly
my disciples, and you will know the
truth, and the truth will set you free.”
-- Jesus

51. 2 Timothy 2: 24-26
And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but
kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring
evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God
may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a
knowledge of the truth, and they may come to
their senses and escape from the snare of the devil,
after being captured by him to do his will.

52. During times of universal deceit, telling the
truth becomes a revolutionary act.
-- George Orwell

53. As long as people believe in absurdities,
they will continue to commit atrocities.
-- Voltaire