Good information and thanks——That verse is correct. We are to follow the laws of the land UNLESS they go against God.
Was I really that unclear about legislating morality? Am I that off base going against the belief that we feel the more government creates law the more moral we become? Please-—I am for laws against murder, arson, rape, stealing, etc....it’s these other laws(listed below) that I mean by legislating “morality” or “being courteous”. This is where I have a problem. So please, for the last time, I’m not talking about murder and such-—so please.
I guess I’m looking at it as wicked people-—which we all are-—and only through Christ with a changed heart will we grow closer to being a more moral society. All of these little laws won’t change it-—let me make myself clear again. I’m not stating we shouldn’t have laws against murder, rape, coveting, stealing, etc.
I’m talking about laws like this in FL——Or the laws of don’t hold your phone while driving. I don’t do it because I know it’s dangerous. How about laws about people in crosswalks allowing them to cross-—as a society we USED to let the person cross because we knew it was the right thing to do....now it was made law because some politician wanted to get re-elected. We held a door open for people, we thought of others as more important than ourselves-—we had respect for the elderly and police and firemen-—not because of any laws because we simply did. This is what I mean that we can’t legislate “morality”-—
I’m wrong for not explaining on little stuff like I mentioned above-—do we really need laws to hold a door open? Do we need laws to not say offensive things? Do we need laws to guide us through the internet? I’m standing on this as NO-—Maybe my terminology is incorrect because eventually laws “legislating morality” eventually turn into laws simply for revenue.
That was not what the argument seemed to convey, but that it was broadly wrong to make laws. "I disagree with him on this-—parents need to be parents and stop using the government as the “parent”'.
Please-—I am for laws against murder, arson, rape, stealing, etc....it’s these other laws(listed below) that I mean by legislating “morality” or “being courteous”. This is where I have a problem. So please, for the last time, I’m not talking about murder and such-—so please.
If you had clarified your statement, as not meaning what it broadly conveyed, you would have saved some typing by you and others. When making a polemical statement, we (I) should anticipate counter arguments and seek to address them before hand. Not that I always do.
I guess I’m looking at it as wicked people-—which we all are-—and only through Christ with a changed heart will we grow closer to being a more moral society. All of these little laws won’t change it-—let me make myself clear again.
"Change it," no, not as a replacement for formation of good character, but laws do deter evil by those who are not controlled from within by God and conscience, as seen by the increase in lawlessness when enforcement is lax, and when even gender is subjectively determined. No standards =-chaos.
But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine; (1 Timothy 1:8-10)I’m not stating we shouldn’t have laws against murder, rape, coveting, stealing, etc.
So it is a matter of degrees.
I’m talking about laws like this in FL
Which has good intent, and seems warranted due to lack of diligence by parents in an environment of an unprecedented plethora of perverse, persuasive pervasive media, but is quite unenforceable or able to prevail in court. But formation of good character is the real priority, with laws being due to lack of such.
We held a door open for people, we thought of others as more important than ourselves-—we had respect for the elderly and police and firemen-—not because of any laws because we simply did. This is what I mean that we can’t legislate “morality”-—
Of course there are degrees (but the above is not the same a protecting kids from porn and sexting), and over-legislation is a problem (esp. as regards Climageddon), but it remains that laws have their place, both in setting a standard and deterring evil. And they are increasingly required as a society spiritually and morally declines. While the laws themselves are not the solution for the latter, yet they are necessary. Ask merchants in Frisco and Portland, Or. or any place police disappeared.
Thus the argument should be, you cannot legislate moral character, but it is necessary insofar as that is lacking, thus they are not a substitute for formation of Godly character, which must be the priority.
And of course, insofar as law makers themselves fail in the character, then the righteousness suffer.
That's Bible.