Is there objective truth?
How college professors are denying truth - and why we should care.
M. C. Gomez
9/8/20263 min read
It is very common to hear on college campuses that truth is "subjective."
In fact, many professors encourage students to believe that “there is no universal truth.” Relativism has taken the lead in theological discussions, making room for subjective interpretations of reality to take over the minds and hearts of university students. But this has consequences.
If it is already difficult in and of itself to navigate life as a young adult, how much more so would it be if there is no unchanging, stable, fulfilling, and guiding principle in our lives to help us reach our full potential and ultimately make sense of what is around us? Could it be possible that Gen Z’s increased levels of anxiety could be partially and indirectly caused by a feeling of complete lostness that comes with the idea that there simply is no truth?
However, the notion that “there is no universal truth” is not true. We can prove it.
“There is no universal truth” is indeed a universal truth. It is a matter of simple philosophical reasoning. Though we can disagree on what the ultimate truth is, and that may be a matter of unresolved debate for centuries to come, what we do have the certainty of is that truth exists.
Here’s how:
If you ask your professor who professes a relativist (all things are subjective) position, “do you believe that truth is subjective?,” they will most likely answer “yes.” What they fail to realize is that by answering “yes, all truth is subjective,” they are affirming that “truth is subjective” is an objective truth! In other words, the belief that the idea “there is no universal truth” IS a universal truth because it applies to everyone, everywhere, at any time in history, regardless of whether they agree with it or not.
Sounds a bit like a universal truth to us.
But at Food for the Soul Theology Club, we don’t fight for objective truth to make our professors cringe at their philosophical contradictions in class (although, we admit, it is interesting on occasion to watch them witness their own argument breaking down before their eyes).
We pursue objective truth because we believe it is the cornerstone on which we stand on to live fulfilling lives.
Think about it. Why do we feel angry, hurt, or frustrated when we find out someone has been lying to us? Because we care about the truth - it builds trust, character, and authenticity, especially when it comes to human relationships. When people lie, that trust is erased and we are left questioning if what we had experienced thus far was real or if we were living an illusion. But if truth really were subjective, then people wouldn’t “lie” to us. In fact, the word “lie” wouldn’t even exist because everyone would be living with their own “truths” and no one would have a problem with self-contradicting ideas.
If truth were subjective, then why do we pay much attention to “trustworthy” news sources and care so much about whether the media is “manipulating” us? If there is no universal truth, then Fox News’s and CNN’s radically opposing interpretations of the January 6th Insurrection would both be right (and not mutually exclusive). Because if truth is subjective, who cares? Everyone is right and everyone has the right to live their truth - even if morally wrong!
At Food for the Soul Theology Club, we believe that the implications of subjective truth are egregious.
People underestimate how dangerous they can be… because if there is no truth, then anyone can claim that the Holocaust never happened and that Hitler was a hero who saved the lives of millions of children. Or that sexual harassment is legal and should be pursued. Or that killing innocent toddlers is not evil, but a healthy way to de-stress and self-care.
If you think we are exaggerating, we get it.
Thank God we aren’t to that level of relativism (yet). But the rabbit hole of moral darkness is quite deep if we believe the lie of truth’s “subjectivity.” That’s why we, as a college campus and young adults theology club, hope to instill in all students and young people who join us a love and passion for Truth.
We can disagree on what it is, yes. We might have a hard time finding out what it is, certainly. But at Food for the Soul Theology Club, we aim to pursue objective truth together, wrestling through tough questions and even more difficult answers, in the honest desire to discover the basis for our lives on which we will build our future on.
Without knowing what is truth, there is nothing.
But with truth, comes everything. Truly we believe that the truth will set us free.
And we encourage all students to join us in discovering it together.