How does relativism contradict itself?
Relativism is the belief that there is no universal truth. That all truth is specific to its culture and its time. And at a basic level, this contradicts itself because it is a universal statement. If I stand up in a room and say, “Nobody in this room can make any laws,” you shouldn’t listen to me. But if we buy into relativism, what other problems do we have?
Well, first, we can make no universal moral statements like “Men and women are equally valuable.” Second, we can make no absolute historical statements like “The Holocaust happened.” And third, while relativism seems to be a humble approach on religious questions, it actually turns up being quite arrogant. Because if I say Christianity can be true for me, well, Islam is true for you, I’m not taking the beliefs of either of those religions seriously. Ultimately, we respect each other far more if we are willing to disagree.