It doesn't matter what you believe as long as you are sincere

This is another of the very common sayings associated with moral relativity that I hear floating around. But it really does not bear up under scrutiny. Suppose I believe that cyanide is harmless, does it matter? Well if I believe that, I might try to see if it tastes good or give it to someone else to try. Does that matter? It could be objected that we are talking here about religious beliefs and morality, about opinions not about facts. So the question morphs into “does it matter what we believe in terms of religious beliefs or morality?”

Perhaps the biggest problem with all of this, is our uncanny ability to rationalize what we want to do. I was not sure if I was being hit on, but some time ago now, I had this young woman tell me “I don't think adultery is wrong.” I looked her in the eye and told her gently “That is because you want to do it.” Her hand came up not quite quick enough to hide her “guilty as charged” smile. I believe she was sincere, that she sincerely wanted to commit adultery (if she was not already doing it). Did it matter? I am sure of this, it would matter very much to the wife of her (actual or perspective) lover.

Or what about the organization that exists to promote what is euphemistically called the North American man love boy association which is dedicated to “end the extreme oppression of men and boys in mutually consensual relationships.” One of their slogans by the way is “eight is too late.” There is a reason statuary rape is called rape, it is because it is well understood that underage children are far too vulnerable to persistent smiling and gentle persuasion to commit acts that will affect them for the rest of their lives. Children are too young to make such life changing decisions. But if you believe theses advocates of “man boy love” (and I believe at least some of them) they are sincere. So yes with our (my) ability to fool ourselves (myself) I do believe that some of them are sincere, sincerely wrong, but wrong nevertheless! Does it matter? Would you leave such a man alone with your eight year old?

I argued earlier that all World views are in the end opinions, and that all such opinions can only be held by faith. So does it matter if you believe that there is no such thing as truth, or right and wrong, or that good and evil are illusions, and that atheists are right in their faith position that God does not exist? Well what if as Christians say it is, it is true that our main task here on earth is to choose our eternal destiny, and that that is determined by whether or not we accept God's forgiveness by turning to Him in repentance? Would it matter then? If what Christians says is wrong, and you can consistently live out your life in atheistic faith positions, and if such views reflects reality, and if there are no consequences to throwing out traditional morality, then perhaps it does not matter. In fact if orthodox Christian teachings are wrong, it probably doesn't matter even if you are not sincere.

If this life is all there is, and if you can get away with it, why not rape and murder pillage and get and stay drunk, and take and steal and kill off all your enemies? What does it matter if you can get away with it? If you die and that's it, what does it matter indeed? But if you are wrong, and you have fallen for lies, and you do have to stand before God and give an account of every idle word, then it does matter. As I say I believe that we can be sincerely wrong, but sincerely wrong is still wrong. In the world that I live in, there is such a thing as reality, and the reality is that choices have consequences, and wrong choices have unwanted consequences! Even if I did not believe what I believe about God, I do not think I would have enough faith to believe that it does not matter! To me it sounds far too much like a rationalization to do what I want to do and to heck with the consequences. But these things are surely too important not to thoroughly check them out!

Some will ask “Are you trying to scare me into heaven.” And if this is you, I understand that this can feel like a huge guilt trip is being laid on you. Unfortunately I don't doubt that some of it is, as not everything that calls itself Christian is Christian. But for those of us who have found a tangible reality and peace and joy and hope in our relationship with God through Christ, is it a passion to share what is too good to keep to ourselves even in the here and now, let alone what is promised in eternity (pleasures for evermore!).