Moral Universalism vs. Moral Absolutism

One of the benefits of moral absolutism is that when a person is confronted with a moral dilemma, they can simply refer to a list of things that they should or should not do.  This "list" may or may not be a physical one, but the moral absolutist would have something to refer to.  It would make decision making much easier and less of a conflict if everyone had their values set in stone.   When it comes to legislation and governing, I believe things would generally move along smoothly.  The legislators, perhaps when confronted with a new bill, would be able to refer to their "list" of morals and arrive at a conclusion based on that list.  Their wouldn't be much debate and not much to argue about.  

                A great danger and flaw with moral absolutism is that they see their morals as unchanging no matter what the situation is.  As time goes on and society evolves, morality has to evolve with it.  The moral absolutists would be left behind still making moral decisions based on the past needs of society.  They would no longer fit into a society who's moral needs are so vastly different than theirs.  If in the future, an absolutist is still making political decisions based on past necessities, the laws that are enacted would not fit the needs of the current day's society.  Morals have to evolve with society, it is the only way for the human race to progress.

                A major benefit of universal morality would be that the majority of human beings, despite ethnic or cultural background would be at peace with each other.  Different conclusions on what is right or wrong has always been the driving factor of all human conflict.  Different sets of values and ethnocentrism will always result in human struggle.  If we all prescribed to the same moral codes, then separate groups of people would agree on many of the important things in life.  This would cut down on things like war, because there would be no need for war.  Legislators would be able to confidently make political decisions with the knowledge that the majority of people would agree with the decisions they are making.

                The concept of universal morality is a great idea, but it is just not realistic.  The thing that makes people of different cultures unique is their way of life which is a result of their moral values differing from that of another culture.  Even if there was an attempt to establish a universal morality, there would always be people who will not adhere to those sets of values.  Difference of opinion and varying ways of life is what makes us human.  As long as the human race exists, there will be differing sets of values, and there will always be conflict between cultures.