I don’t care how strong your convictions are about what people should or shouldn’t do, you are just going to have to learn that you can’t legislate morality. If you think people should not do this or that, you cannot repeat cannot stop them from doing it simply by making it illegal. All that will achieve is make them aware, as they continue doing whatever they are doing, that they are violating your rules. And do they care? Not a jot. And why? Because each person who lives and breathes does what they believe to be good for them. All of us. No exceptions. Do we need a law to forbid people from drinking sulphuric acid? Of course not, because why would anyone do anything that is so obviously bad for them? Do we need a law that says you must breathe every few seconds? Of course not. People do what they do because theyare utterly convinced that it will benefit them in some way. So if you try and stop that through some law or rule, one thing is for certain – they will not stop. Why would they?
Jon's New Age Wanderings
The ruminations and cogitations of a wide-eyed "Conversations with God" neophyte.
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Recent Comments
May 6, 2009 at 12:21 am |
I fully agree, we can’t and should not legislate morality. Prohibition in the United States is probably one of most obvious tests of this and what happens when we try to impose our beliefs by passing laws. We all have free will which gives us the opportunity to make choices on our personal beliefs and this is as it should be. Good rant.
May 6, 2009 at 9:36 pm |
Holy schmoley! Have they tried to criminalise Toblerone?!
May 8, 2009 at 3:07 am |
Sounds as if you have something specific in mind…….
May 8, 2009 at 5:01 pm |
Hi Doug,
What set me off was listening to a radio program about how unmarried women who fell pregnant during the 50’s were treated. Lobby groups (from the religious right) campaigned politicians to legalise “their version of right and wrong”. They were very wrong on two counts:
1) It is presumptuous and a denial of basic human rights to attempt to impose your beliefs of “right and wrong” onto a fellow human being
2) It is arrogant to think that your beliefs of what constitutes “right and wrong” behaviour are in any way absolute and binding to anyone other than yourself.
I felt great pain for these young women who had suffered so greatly in the rough and self-righteous hands of these self-appointed moralists.
Jon
July 19, 2009 at 8:00 am |
Hello {{jon}}…
The operative word is “should”. Whenever we use this word, it expresses a Judgment and, it is our judging mind that has to be put to rest. Judge not, least we be judged.
Since we reap as we sow, as we judge, so will we be judged.