When everything becomes “true,” nothing actually is.

What Is Truth?

For thousands of years, people have asked a simple but powerful question: What is truth? Scientists, philosophers, and artists have all tried to answer it. But today, that question is often brushed aside. Instead of searching for truth, many people say it doesn’t really exist — that everyone has their own version. This way of thinking is called relativism. It’s the idea that truth depends on the person rather than on reality itself. While it may sound open-minded, relativism has a big impact on how people think about morality, religion, and even the value of human life.

Truth: Objective or Personal?

To understand relativism, it helps to know that there are two different kinds of truth. Objective truth is true no matter what anyone believes. The Earth is round, even though people once thought it was flat. Belief didn’t change reality. Relative (or subjective) truth depends on personal opinion. Choosing a favorite ice cream flavor isn’t a matter of right or wrong — it’s preference.

Both kinds of truth exist. Problems arise when people treat everything — especially moral and religious questions — as if it were just personal opinion.

Relativism in Religion

Relativism often shows up in how people talk about religion. Christianity began with one Church, which Catholics believe was founded by Jesus and led by the apostles and their successors. Over time, disagreements caused groups to separate and form different Christian denominations, each with its own beliefs and interpretations of the Bible. From a Catholic perspective, the truth itself did not change — people’s interpretations did. The Catholic Church teaches that it preserves the full truth handed down from Jesus, while other denominations may hold parts of that truth but not the whole of it. Relativism, on the other hand, claims that all beliefs are equally true simply because people believe them.

When Morality Becomes Relative

Relativism doesn’t stop with religion. It also affects morality. Today, phrases like “That’s your truth” or “What’s right for you isn’t right for me” are common. This idea, called moral relativism, suggests there’s no universal standard for right and wrong. The danger is that without an objective moral standard, anything can be justified. If everyone decides their own rules, society loses a clear way to say that some actions are truly wrong — not just unpopular or inconvenient.

Where Do Moral Values Come From?

Moral beliefs are rooted in what we believe has value. In Western culture, the idea that every human life matters comes from the belief that people are created by God. That belief gives every person dignity, no matter their age, strength, or abilities. When God is removed from the picture, human value is decided by people instead. That means dignity can become conditional — based on usefulness, independence, or opinion — rather than something every person naturally has.

Why Truth Still Matters

Perhaps you are still unconvinced. Perhaps you do not believe in God, and so it is easier to live life with your own set of morals that you are comfortable with. Relativism may sound harmless, but it has real consequences.

When truth and morality become flexible, serious issues are treated as personal choices instead of moral realities. Without shared truth, society loses its moral foundation.

Even when people deny objective truth, it doesn’t disappear. Gravity still works whether you believe in it or not. In the same way, moral truth exists whether or not it’s accepted. It is in our very nature as human beings to know that there is right and wrong; there is good and evil. Truth isn’t something we create. It’s something we discover — and choose to live by. The challenge is having the courage to stand up for it — not just what’s popular, easy, or convenient. We must pick a side. We must not choose a moral path of our own making. If you want to be a force of change in the world, stand for truth.