Are Notions of Right and Wrong, Good and Evil Objectively True?
“Are notions of right and wrong, good and evil, objectively true? Or are they relative, according to humans and time and place (i.e. relativism)?”
The term, “relativ-ism” is often used today in reference to atheist Marxism which would be more a political perspective rather than a theological inquiry. However, there is relative truth that varies according to context, e.g., taking a life is never a good thing, but during war it is not viewed in the same way as in peacetime. There is Ultimate Truth that is eternal: God is love and Creator of heaven and earth.
Regarding good and evil, they are actually along the same continuum. The variable is love. There is either a lot of love present or the absence of it. As love diminishes, self-absorption or narcissism increases. When there is no love present we call that evil. We believe that pure Divine Love is only a prayer away and available to every soul, from anywhere and at any time.
We might suspect everyone equally desires being in a loving environment, however, that is not the case; desirability is not universal. I work in a maximum security prison where several inmates are predators and are not comfortable at all in an environment of love. Some of these individuals see love as stupidity or weakness in others, allowing an opportunity to prey on the naive. Think for a moment of an alligator, how useful is love to the alligator? The alligator is a pure predator with no remorse for its victims, just like serial rapists, pimps, serial killers, etc. However, other inmates and ex-convicts are deeply repentant for their crimes, born-again, spiritually devout, quite loving and living productive lives. (Read more in the previous question about universal moral order.)
These examples show how the degree of Love in our life makes a tremendous difference in the quality of life for each individual and the society at large. This is why it is so important to be a loving presence to those around us, but do not forget Jesus’ advice: “I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.” ~ Matthew 10:16
In summary, our perception of the world, or what seems “normal” to us, can range from alignment with the Ultimate Truth (Divine Love) or complete narcissism. This range is also referred to as our level of consciousness. A famous quote by Stephen R. Covey; “We see the world, not as it is, but as we are─or, as we are conditioned to see it.” If our consciousness is clear, we see and understand what is objectively True. However, many see through a clouded perception which distorts what we see and understand as truth.
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