Amen to Pope Benedict XVI’s point: “We are moving toward a dictatorship of relativism....”
I first saw the concept of “relativism” when I was at St. Joseph’s college back in the late 60s. It was not taught in our philosophy, ethics, and religion courses but was being discussed by students under the name of “situational ethics” i.e. finding reasons for doing things like stealing ‘because a starving person may have that as the only way to get food.’
I was against it then and have not changed my position.
Thanks for the ping. “situational ethics” (aka relativism) was and is a highly effective attack on Christianity. It destroys the entire concept of sin and the need for repentance.