Absolute Relativity???

Perhaps I'm out of place starting a thread when I have not done that much posting but I have a concern which I would like to get some input on.

First, I am a fundamental Independent Baptist and that means I hold to certain positions of faith based on the Bible. In general these are conservative views, but also includes various stnads on the rapture, salvation, the scriptures, etc.

Here is my problem: I know that God is holy and perfect beyond mortal comprehension. I know that there is no confusion in Him and everything He does is orderly. I know that God has provided all of His word that mankind needs in order to live a life that would please Him on earth. This means there should be absolute answers for the issues of day to day life. Why then do things seem to be so relative?

An example: I was just viewing another thread and something about smoking was brought up and the discussion about that (which was not the main emphasis of the thread) was so back and forth that a new believer might not understand how the LORD regards such activity.

Part of the problem is that this country is willing drowning itself in humanistic relativism, and this has slowly infected the church. My question is how do you deal with such a throwing off of all absolutes when trying to discuss with others about the absolute truth from the scriptures? Obviously this occurs on this board in no small amount, though I do not blame the board for that. It just leaves me wondering if it is even possible to reach such people with the light of the Word. This is a pertinent issue with me also because my brother is heavily against absolutes.

Well that is it. I hope the responses will be more though-out and logical than emotional and unsupported but I look forward to hearing from the "multitudes" regardless.

SoCM