Western Moral Superiority?

[A Spinoff from The Diplomad]

The Diplomad: Begging the pardon of the cultural relativists, but might we not be allowed to raise -- ever so gently, of course -- the possibility that these differing reactions to human suffering, show Western civilization as the best we have on the planet? Maybe, just maybe Western civilization is morally superior.

Messy Christian: Your comment that Western culture is morally superior is offensive and disgusting to me. It is this boorish superiority-complex that we abhorr. Perhaps some of you should stop and think for a while why some people in the world are hostile to Americans - especially after comments like this?? Turn the tables and you'd react the same!

I would appreciate more of your input on this matter. Exactly WHY is The Dipomad's "comment that Western culture is morally superior" (as you put it; he only raised the issue as a question) offensive to you? Is it just that he is being rude, or is it something more?

Messy Christian: Honestly, must I explain why it's offensive? Surely if someone said the same of Western culture you'd be offended. If you want to really know why, I blogged about it today at [my blog today].

[from there the discussion continues...]