by Scott P. Richert
During the White House Welcoming Ceremony for Pope Benedict XVI on April 16, President Bush referred briefly to a phrase that has come to be regarded as a central concern of Benedict’s pontificate:
“In a world where some no longer believe that we can distinguish between simple right and wrong, we need your message to reject this ‘dictatorship of relativism,’ and embrace a culture of justice and truth.”
Of course, Pope Benedict does not regard “relativism” as merely the inability to “distinguish between simple right and wrong,” but as the inability to recognize that there is such a thing as truth—and that conforming our lives to the truth matters. Modern Americans, of course, all know that what they believe—whatever it might be—is correct, and no one has the right to tell them otherwise. “I guess we’ll just have to agree to disagree,” they say, though of course what they really mean is “I’m right; you’re wrong; but it’s hardly worth arguing about.”
Truth is nice, after all, but it’s not as if it’s important.
Continue Reading »
Share This
Scott P. Richert :: May.06.2008 ::
The Rockford Files ::
29 Comments »