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To: lastchance
Every law imposes someone's view of morality. I hope you realize that. Laws against murder, rape, stealing are not needed for those of us who are moral and ethical. They do however serve to give notice to the amoral of what civilazation will not tolerate.

Of course, but following that logic, what do we consider "civilization?" Different religions dictate different views of what is civilized. If we accept some religious definitions of what is moral, we would have a law requiring women to wear burkas, or closing our grocery stores on Sundays, or outlawing dancing, or going to doctors when we are sick. We need limits on what can be declared immoral just as we need limits on those who break society's definitions of morality.

For me, I chose individual choice and responsibility until those freedoms impact someone else's freedoms and choices.
181 posted on 01/25/2006 5:28:14 PM PST by Small-L (I love my country, but I despise my government.)
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To: Small-L

You write "If we accept some religious definitions of what is moral, we would have a law requiring women to wear burkas, or closing our grocery stores on Sundays, or outlawing dancing, or going to doctors when we are sick."
I do not view those issues as moral issues but rather as cultural. I am of the school that believes that certain morals are written on the hearts of man. This is usually called the Natural Law. Issues of cultural behavior do vary and what would be condemned by one culture may be embraced by another. An example of this is strictures of dress and behavior for women or proscriptions against shopping on Sundays. Yes some religions base these strictures on their reading of the Bible or Koran.
However if these are not universally observed regardless of faith or culture, civilazation as a whole will not suffer.
We can not say that about the truly Moral issues.
The couple in this sad issue made their decision based on their faith. A faith that did not allow for the killing of their pre born child. I would agree with them. Abortion is a violation of Natural Law in that it denies a essential premise of that law. That we human beings have our selfhood not by virtue of what we are to others but by who we are in God's image. You will of course find culture restrictions and violations of moral law do cross. It certainly is against the dignity of a woman to require she wear a burka and the cultural tolerance of slavery is very much immoral.
It also should be remembered that none of our actions occur in isolation. It is easy to argue that "I chose individual choice and responsibility until those freedoms impact someone else's freedoms and choices" but how do you define impact? I would say abortion certainly has an impact on another person and always does. Gambling might but I would not say it always does. In any case do not discount a decision just because it may have a religious basis. Our system of laws owe much to the 10 commandments.


183 posted on 01/25/2006 7:07:07 PM PST by lastchance (Hug your babies.)
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To: Small-L
For me, I chose individual choice and responsibility until those freedoms impact someone else's freedoms and choices.

If I choose to kill someone, does that impact their freedoms and choices?

184 posted on 01/25/2006 8:26:33 PM PST by BykrBayb (Impeach Judge Greer - In memory of Terri <strike>Schiavo</strike> Schindler - www.terrisfight.org)
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