Driving and Relativism

Last night's drive to youth group was probably the worst driving experience I've had here to date. I had three close calls and the traffic was just terrible. It took over an hour and a half to get about 10 miles out to church.

The other night, I even encountered a car in opposing traffic heading right at me---and driving faster than you normally do around here!

I got to use this as an introduction to a message on Relativism and God's Law by talking about how it seems like drivers don't really believe they have to obey posted traffic rules like a "No U-Turn" sign, for example, but rather, that it's really just up to them. Then I said that sadly, this isn't confined to driving. Many Filipinos are buying into the lie that's already so prevalent back home: That right and wrong are just up to them.

But it's more subtle here. Since most people are form a Catholic background, it seems full-on relativism isn't as popular as what might be called "selective relativism". Youth especially see only certain moral evils as relative---the ones they'd like to indulge in! I don't really understand it all just yet, but one manifestation of this is the term "walang pakialamanan." It basically means "mind your own business." For example, if you confront a fellow employee about stealing money out of the cash register, they might tell you to mind your own business. It's intriguing to me. And I'm eager to learn more.

Last night I got to share a bit with a visitor from a Catholic background who stopped going to mass because the priests in his area weren't so much preaching the word as they were expousing their own political views from the pulpit. We had a good talk and I hope to see him again next week.