Are Values Relative?

My English class watched the Emperor’s Club today, it was an interesting film but the discussion that it sparked afterwards was even more interesting. It seemed that most people in the class were of the opinion that right and wrong are, for the most part, relative. Relative to whether or not it hurts someone, or whether you are a successful person because of or in spite of what you do.
I do not share this opinion, I think that there is an absolute standard of right and wrong. Mr. Hundert said something to the effect that character is what defines a man. Character being the ability to define the difference between right and wrong and choose the right thing to do. Mr. Hundert tells Segwick that he had failed him as a teacher, after discovering that Segwick had cheated once again at the competition. Many in the class thought that because Segwick was wealthy business man and politician Mr Hundert was successful at his job, the only thing I can think of is a verse in the Bible “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” Mark 8:36 (KJV)
This is not the only instance where the Bible talks about the difference in being financially successful and being a person of integrity, but it is the first one that came to mind. I think that Mr. Hundert was right he failed him in two areas. The first was when he changed Segwick’s grade to allow him to take part in the competition and a second time when he failed to call attention to his cheating. The reason I say this is because when Mr. Hundert confronts Segwick about the cheating, Segwick challenges him and asks why he didn’t disqualify him for cheating and if his father’s position had anything to do with his decision not to. Mr. Hundert says no, but Segwick knows the truth and that seems to be a pivotal point in Segwick’s life. It is almost as if he had set a challenge to Mr. Hundert by cheating to see if he had the character to stand up to him in spite of who his father was and Mr. Hundert failed. His failure cost him Segwick’s respect.
The point is that there is an absolute measure of right and wrong … Cheating is wrong no matter who is doing or why they are doing it. Financial success does not signify that it is ok. As Mr. Hundert, found the real success was in the boys who learned true character and lived by it!