Moral Relitivism and Pop Culture

[Aequitas]

I am speaking in front of my youth group this coming Sunday and my topic is absolute truth and moral relativism. I am trying to think of examples in pop culture that prove that our nation is devolving into a relitivistic state. I know this is broad but any examples or thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Chie]

I am speaking in front of my youth group this coming Sunday and my topic is absolute truth and moral relativism. I am trying to think of examples in pop culture that prove that our nation is devolving into a relitivistic state. I know this is broad but any examples or thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

[FONT=Arial, Verdana, Helvetica]"Erase all thought and fear of God from a community, and selfishness and sensuality would absorb the whole man."

[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Verdana, Helvetica]Sad, but I believe we are already there.
[/FONT]

 

[Nadiine]

I am speaking in front of my youth group this coming Sunday and my topic is absolute truth and moral relativism. I am trying to think of examples in pop culture that prove that our nation is devolving into a relitivistic state. I know this is broad but any examples or thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Relativism/Subjectivism... death of a society becuz it's absent of absolute truth.

One thing I can think of is the overuse of the statement: "don't judge me" and "judge not lest you be judged".
This is basically to say, you can't tell me right from wrong, I'm my own god. I decide what's morally right & wrong for me personally.

Morality is relative to each person & they decide what's right for them - don't tell them anything or correct them.

 

[LittleladyinChrist]

STUDY SHOWS POP MUSICS IMMORAL INFLUENCE ON YOUNG PEOPLE (Friday Church News Notes, December 1, 2006, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - The Rand Corporation published a study in the August issue of Pediatrics magazine that shows the powerful influence of pop music on the behavior of youth. The study, based on interviews with nearly 1,500 teens, found that those who listen to sexually explicit music are almost twice as likely to start having sex within the following two years than those who listen to little or none of that music (Pop Musics Sex Ed, Washington Times, Aug. 21, 2006). Of course this is not rocket science. The Bible says, Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners (1 Cor. 15:33). Study director Steven Martino observed that the sexual references in pop songs have become increasingly direct and are marketed to young teenagers through the likes of MTV. In fact, a great many of the lyrics are unprintable in a Christian magazine. The Rand study found that the sexual content in popular music is even more rampant than it is in TV, movies, magazines, and newspapers. If ever there were a day when preachers need to be lifting a loud and clear voice against the evil of pop music and parents need to be guarding their children against it, it is today!

 

[Super Gnat]

Ask them how many television shows and movies they've seen where the moral was "Believe in your heart" or "Follow your heart". (Lots of kids' shows, Disney movies, etc. will either imply this or say it outright.) Sounds nice to our ears, but when you really think about it the implication is that good is defined as whatever it is you really want to do, which is complete hogwash.

Also, you might want to mention the Wiccan Rede: "An it harm none, do as ye will". While Wicca isn't exactly mainstream, you get the same idea in a lot of different places: basically that as long as you aren't hurting other people, it's impossible to make a bad choice. This is wrong on two levels: 1) what you do does affect other people, even if it doesn't involve them directly; 2) it assumes that either your desire will not be harmful to yourself, or that it's okay to harm yourself. Which, yeah, school of hard knocks etc., but that doesn't make sin OK.

Both of these philosophies assume that people are fundamentally good, btw. You could discuss that a bit as well.

 

[dayhiker]

To me the most basic example of relitivistic thought is that we don't seen Jesus. We can save ourselves if a person even thinks there is a need for salvation. There is no other name given by which men shell be saved.

dayhiker

 

[billwald]

old people been blaming the world's problems on the pop culture of young people for at least 3000 years.

 

[LittleladyinChrist]

Also, you might want to mention the Wiccan Rede: "An it harm none, do as ye will". While Wicca isn't exactly mainstream, you get the same idea in a lot of different places

Not trying to be argumentative, but to make a point...Wicca is extreemley mainstream. I went to a shopping mall once, and I had four different teenagers services me at the shops. Each one had a pentagram necklace around their neck, or was wearing it on their clothes. The weird thing is that God says Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft. Throughout movies everywhere you see magic - Harry Potter, Nanny MgGee, Disney Movies etc. Our music is another one look at who teenagers are listening to. Ozzy, Metallica, and other harder bands which are very satanic, even Madonna is an anti-christ of sorts, if you want proof just pm me. I am speaking from experience here, Im 24 and was just saved out of all of this garbage.

 

[Nadiine]

old people been blaming the world's problems on the pop culture of young people for at least 3000 years.

As time goes by, it looks like the "old people" were right - the envelope keeps getting pushed and we have what we see before us today and it's spreading.

They were right about Hollywood too weren't they? (as they push & force people to accept homosexuality & premarital sex, etc.

 

[Nadiine]

Not trying to be argumentative, but to make a point...Wicca is extreemley mainstream. I went to a shopping mall once, and I had four different teenagers services me at the shops. Each one had a pentagram necklace around their neck, or was wearing it on their clothes. The weird thing is that God says Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft. Throughout movies everywhere you see magic - Harry Potter, Nanny MgGee, Disney Movies etc. Our music is another one look at who teenagers are listening to. Ozzy, Metallica, and other harder bands which are very satanic, even Madonna is an anti-christ of sorts, if you want proof just pm me. I am speaking from experience here, Im 24 and was just saved out of all of this garbage.

Praise God He rescued you from these lifestyles. Every once in awhile I miss my past - but then I think of how empty it all was.
God's way is so much more fulfilling with purpose and life in it.

ps. I agree w/ the Madonna comment - she's gone to the sacreligious earlier on in her career.

 

[Super Gnat]

Not trying to be argumentative, but to make a point...Wicca is extreemley mainstream. I went to a shopping mall once, and I had four different teenagers services me at the shops. Each one had a pentagram necklace around their neck, or was wearing it on their clothes. The weird thing is that God says Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft. Throughout movies everywhere you see magic - Harry Potter, Nanny MgGee, Disney Movies etc. Our music is another one look at who teenagers are listening to. Ozzy, Metallica, and other harder bands which are very satanic, even Madonna is an anti-christ of sorts, if you want proof just pm me. I am speaking from experience here, Im 24 and was just saved out of all of this garbage.

I meant it as a terminology thing; magic a la Harry Potter and sensationalist bands may not be godly, but they're not Wicca specifically. I do agree that our culture has a mainstream fascination with the supernatural, though.

 

[LittleladyinChrist]

not specifically but when you look at the scripture in ephesians that says we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers. You can see why you can see wicca, magic, occultism in our mainstream media. Just my thoughts on the matter anyway.

 

[chach]

Just a word of caution: If you go out and call Harry Potter and rock music totaly evil the youth group will tune you out (as there are christian rock bands... I'm not real fond of them but they do exist). Thats not the real point anyway a "relitivistic state" is more of half truths. A true for someone else but not for me kind of attitude.

It's more of a way of staying main stream and saying there's nothing anyone should be ashamed of. From a certain point of view we can make anything we want okay.

 

[Dannager]

Ask them how many television shows and movies they've seen where the moral was "Believe in your heart" or "Follow your heart". (Lots of kids' shows, Disney movies, etc. will either imply this or say it outright.) Sounds nice to our ears, but when you really think about it the implication is that good is defined as whatever it is you really want to do, which is complete hogwash.

But you do just that. You define good as whatever you want it to be. You are guilty of exactly that which you demean society for. The only difference is that you call it Christianity.

There is not a one of you who does not define "good" as whatever he or she wants it to be, whether you are aware of it or not. By selecting Christianity from the plethora of religions out there you have chosen a set of rules for morality that you personally agree with. Had you not agreed with those moral rules you would have picked a different religion, or no religion at all. "Good", to you, is Christian morality. It is not an absolute, it's just the position you choose to take.

Don't pretend that because your morality is written down in a really old book that it's somehow unique or more valid than other moral value sets out there.

 

[Nadiine]

The only difference is that you call it Christianity.

There is not a one of you who does not define "good" as whatever he or she wants it to be, whether you are aware of it or not. By selecting Christianity from the plethora of religions out there you have chosen a set of rules for morality that you personally agree with. Had you not agreed with those moral rules you would have picked a different religion, or no religion at all. "Good", to you, is Christian morality. It is not an absolute, it's just the position you choose to take.

Don't pretend that because your morality is written down in a really old book that it's somehow unique or more valid than other moral value sets out there.

UH, THE BIBLE IS JUST A REALLY OLD BOOK? What kind of Christian statement is that?

I guess the rest of it just that; old & useless.

 

[LittleladyinChrist]

But you do just that. You define good as whatever you want it to be. You are guilty of exactly that which you demean society for. The only difference is that you call it Christianity.

There is not a one of you who does not define "good" as whatever he or she wants it to be, whether you are aware of it or not. By selecting Christianity from the plethora of religions out there you have chosen a set of rules for morality that you personally agree with. Had you not agreed with those moral rules you would have picked a different religion, or no religion at all. "Good", to you, is Christian morality. It is not an absolute, it's just the position you choose to take.

Don't pretend that because your morality is written down in a really old book that it's somehow unique or more valid than other moral value sets out there.

For any born again Christian, it is much more then just choosing which religion fits your schedule. It is more then a confession and go to mass on Sunday. It is a personal relationship with the creator of the world. I am sorry that you do not have this relationship with our God, but He died for you too, and you can be born again so you can say too bless the Lord O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name. That is when you know the Bible is real, and when you cant trust yourself you can trust God and His Word. It is a heart knowledge, not head. I pray that God will give you the faith to believe, and you will be born again.

Joh 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Joh 3:4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
Joh 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Joh 3:6That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

 

[Dannager]

UH, THE BIBLE IS JUST A REALLY OLD BOOK? What kind of Christian statement is that?

I guess the rest of it just that; old & useless.

Yes, the Bible is just a really old book, that Christians claim is divinely inspired. That's what it is. It's not God-made-paper, or heaven between two covers. It's a book.

I am pretty impressed that of that entire post you chose that one line to comment on. How about the meat of what I was saying? Anything for that?

 

[Dannager]

For any born again Christian, it is much more then just choosing which religion fits your schedule. It is more then a confession and go to mass on Sunday. It is a personal relationship with the creator of the world.

A creator that you yourself have chosen among the many possible creators out there to worship. The fact remains, that of the plethora of religions out there you chose Christianity and the moral code that accompanies it. You can rationalize it any way you want, but it won't change the reality of the situation.

I am sorry that you do not have this relationship with our God, but He died for you too, and you can be born again so you can say too bless the Lord O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name.

Please note the Catholic icon aside my name, and in the future do not question the Christianity of other members of this forum posting in the Christians-only section.

That is when you know the Bible is real, and when you cant trust yourself you can trust God and His Word. It is a heart knowledge, not head. I pray that God will give you the faith to believe, and you will be born again.

I dislike the term and idea of being born-again. It's become worthless in today's society. Tangents aside, though, you really don't have any choice but to admit that you handpicked your moral code. You can scream that God led you to it at the top of your lungs, but you selected it. In other words, you're being grossly hypocritical whenever you decry moral relativism using a morality arbitrarily hand-picked because you happened to like it more than the other moral codes out there. Let's have a little intellectual honesty in here.

 

[Super Gnat]

But you do just that. You define good as whatever you want it to be. You are guilty of exactly that which you demean society for. The only difference is that you call it Christianity.

There is not a one of you who does not define "good" as whatever he or she wants it to be, whether you are aware of it or not. By selecting Christianity from the plethora of religions out there you have chosen a set of rules for morality that you personally agree with. Had you not agreed with those moral rules you would have picked a different religion, or no religion at all. "Good", to you, is Christian morality. It is not an absolute, it's just the position you choose to take.

Don't pretend that because your morality is written down in a really old book that it's somehow unique or more valid than other moral value sets out there.

In no particular order:

1) I was not talking about all moral value sets; I was talking specifically about moral relativism and about Wicca. Islam, for example, would not be subject to the same criticisms.

2) Thanks for telling me all about my life, but you're incorrect. There are many things I do as a Christian that I would not do if I were not a Christian, and there are things I do not do that I would definitely do if I were not a Christian. When I sin, I do things I would define as "evil"; if I were defining good as whatever I wanted it to be, I would not consider those things to be evil.

3) Of course I'm basing my statements on Christian morality. That is completely appropriate in this context. This is a Christian-only area; it isn't Apologetics, and the OP was obviously asking for Christian advice.

4) I did not claim that Christianity is right because it's "written down in a really old book". If you want to know why I'm a Christian I'd be happy to share, but please don't put words in my mouth.

 

[Chie]

But you do just that. You define good as whatever you want it to be. You are guilty of exactly that which you demean society for. The only difference is that you call it Christianity.

There is not a one of you who does not define "good" as whatever he or she wants it to be, whether you are aware of it or not. By selecting Christianity from the plethora of religions out there you have chosen a set of rules for morality that you personally agree with. Had you not agreed with those moral rules you would have picked a different religion, or no religion at all. "Good", to you, is Christian morality. It is not an absolute, it's just the position you choose to take.

Don't pretend that because your morality is written down in a really old book that it's somehow unique or more valid than other moral value sets out there.

Morality should be written on the hearts of men/women.
People are not gonna live what they do not believe.
There is many good moral people in all walks of life. But our morality don't save us.There are people who don't even believe in God that have more morals than some that do believe. I am a firm believer that the Holy Spirit will guide you into all things that are good and lead you away from things that are not. I am not a christian because of what I was told or read. Before I had the knowledge of bible, my convictions came from the Holy Spirit, not from reading, not from a denomination, and not from my raising.