No, I'm not confusing legality with personal preferences.
For instance, divorce used to be illegal. Then it became legal, but very, very difficult to obtain. Then, moral relativists - in the form of feminists, mostly - demanded easy divorce. Why was divorce originally illegal and then very hard to obtain? Universal religious values, encoded into law, which is where all law originates.
Adultery and fornication used to be illegal. So did birth control, so did abortion. All these are based on religious values, encoded into law. Then they became legal, then accepted, and now promoted. Same thing with homosexuality.
I am not saying that divorce should be illegal.
I am saying that moral absolutes have a universal foundation, and up until very recently were the foundation for law.
Here's another one - there is a universal moral prohibition against murder - how much more basic can you get than "Thou Shalt Not Kill"? Well, now abortion is legal, doctor assisted suicide is legal in OR and some countries, now it's legal to deprive handicapped people of nutrition and water in some places, in some countries in Europe terminally ill children are routinely killed and that is being advocated here as well.
So even murder is becoming legal and acceptable. Can't you see the devolution?
"Thou Shalt Not Kill"
How about, except if some moron crack head comes into your home to thieve the DVD player? Mostly everyone would agree on the right to protect stuff and the safety of a family, right?
Moral absolutists have a special place in society. Take your typical preist, nun, monk, etc. Or just the guy who dedicates himself to living a "good life." These people are admired and generally held up for admiration.
I don't agree that we're devolving. I see little or no evidence of that.