Afghan Case

So I have two examples to support that relativism can be viewed as a virtue rather than not.

Well I recently just got back last month from Afghanistan, from my seconded deployment . My job was an embedded mentor. I work and lived with the Afghanistan national police and the Afghanistan army. I would patrol as well teach these individual military and police tactics. A big part of my job was bonding with them and understanding there culture. So for many days I would do this so i can obtain there trust as well as there friendship. When i was talking to my counterparts they would tell me that they were working as much as they can because, they knew this was one of the only jobs that pays very well. They were telling me that they needed the money to purchase there wife from her parents. In the United states I have never seen anyone give the wife's family money just to get married. Most parents would be relived to give there debt to another person. But thats only some families not all. I knew when i asked my wife to marry me, I didn't have to give my in-laws any money. All i did was get a diamond ring and asked her. In Afghanistan wives don't get that choice. In most cases its like there given away to the highest bidder. But that is a big cultural thing for them. In my case not so much in my culture I get a ring, ask her parents, then propose in a romantic manner. Another example that I encountered in Afghanistan, was the dedication to there religion. The afghans would pray five time a day literally. I was on a patrol in a patrol base and we were about three miles away from the patrol base when all of a sudden two of my counter parts are yelling at me. I didn't know what they were saying. Until they gestured with there hands cupping there ears, Which meant they needed to pray. So me and my buddy stopped the patrol and went and set up security as are counterparts put there scarves down and prayed. In my religion I pray when ever i get a chance and when i go to church. Also my religion is not on a time schedule as theirs is. I pray when I feel like it. The book clearly says - "Relativism is the view that one's beliefs are conditioned by one's culture, society, and community," (Mosser, 2010). This is relativism because these are beliefs viewed from two religions and cultures. To me personally its all were you grow up at and how your are raised.

Mosser, Kurt. 2010. Ethics & Social Responsibility. Bridgepoint Education, Inc. San Diego, Ca.