Why do religious conservatives feel the need to legislate morality? Do they not really believe in the fallen nature of man?
Do they think that it’s the government’s job to change people’s behavior, rather than their own responsibility to get off their rears and preach the gospel to people?
Do they really believe that giving government more power will be a good thing? If so, is this based on an assumption that the government is not made up of fallen men that will abuse the power they are given?
What’s up with the inconsistency among religious conservatives, assuming they actually believe in the fallen nature of man? Do they not have cognitive dissonance?
Maybe they don’t think too deeply about the nature of man and government power.
Government is made of men. Men are evil. Given power, men will abuse it. Thus I seek to limit the power that other men have over me.
God changes hearts and minds. Prison time for wasting time smoking pot gives someone time to study how to be a better criminal.
MC: Why do religious conservatives feel the need to legislate morality? Do they not really believe in the fallen nature of man?
Esquirette: All legislation seeks some ‘good,’ and is, therefore, inherently related to someone’s morality. It is because Christianity presumes the fallen nature of man that it benefits a nation.
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MC: Do they think that it’s the government’s job to change people’s behavior, rather than their own responsibility to get off their rears and preach the gospel to people?
Esquirette: All government believes it can change people’s behavior. That is why there are penalties.
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Do they really believe that giving government more power will be a good thing? If so, is this based on an assumption that the government is not made up of fallen men that will abuse the power they are given?
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Giving the government more power is not advisable, but we should retreat from no-fault divorce, and enforce the laws against prostitution and co-habitation that we have.
This is an example of the Christian worldview in action. If we actually had it instead of maligning it, we would need fewer laws, not more.
God changes hearts and minds. Prison time for wasting time smoking pot gives someone time to study how to be a better criminal.
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We do not disagree, but our presumptions differ. Prison is not biblical, and has its foundations in Quaker-ism, not Christianity.
The Bible does recognize that idleness is sinful, though not necessarily criminal. The man who will not support his family, for example, is said to be worse than an infidel. Based upon this notion, we used to have laws (even in my lifetime) of support, and we still have criminal penalties for non-payment of alimony and child support. These laws are based on the Christian worldview.
However, our libertarian view is destroying these laws, and there is a huge detrimental effect upon society as a whole.