Do you obey laws because they are law, or because of your own moral code?

Question

Please give some examples of the law, and whether and why you follow them

Answer 1

ive broken my share of laws so i guess i have less morals

Answer 2

Both. Most laws I follow because of my own moral code, such as not stealing or physically harming another person. Other laws I follow because they make sense in terms of safety, such as going the speed limit or so. Most laws make sense either morally or safety wise, not all but the ones that generally impact everyday life usually do. Not using weed is one law I follow only for my own personal reasons, but I find it a ridiculous law in the sense that weed is no more dangerous than alcohol and has less long term side effects. Laws like that, even if I don't do the actions that break them, I don't have a problem with others doing that.

Answer 3

I would say BOTH reasons. Kinda like a catch 22. I have a moral code that allows me to be a decent person, not to steal, kill, hurt other people. BUT.... because I am a morally sound person I WANT to follow the laws of the land laid out before me.

Answer 4

I obey certain laws because of my moral code and self-preservation instinct. I am perfectly willing to break laws that don't fit into those areas. For instance, I don't always drive the speed limit. But, I do always wear my seat belt. I don't always have my dog on a leash, but I do keep her from bothering anyone. I will jay-walk with abandon.

Answer 5

I obey certain laws..like the seat belt law..because it is the law..and I do not want to pay a fine...nothing moral or immoral about wearing a seatbelt...I personally think it should be a "personal" choice...sorta like the law..regarding wearing a motorcycyle helment..its a choice, not mandatory. ( at least in Florida)

Stealing, lying,abortion,murder..etc..are moral issues...I am a Christian, and do my very best...to live a Christian life.

Answer 6

I tend not to obey the law .
IF you want to live by a set of laws , that is fine , does me no harm for you to do so .
I like to swim naked in the ocean and to do so i have to go early in the morning or near sundown in the evening to avoid offending others .
BUT it is OK to sit in a chair with a fishing pole and drag out fish with no pants or clothing of any kind . Some people have dogs that roam the beach again not pants or clothing .What is wrong with people that we must be clothed all the time .
Swimming and sun bathing should always be clothing optional .
THIS is not liberal thinking but what is right .LAWS that tell me what to do all the time are silly and i often avoid doing what is commonly done by others . I hate having to put on a shirt to grab a soda and some chips at a convienient store near the beach .Makes no sense .Women in bathing suits with much less coverage then i am required to wear seems odd to me and i avoid these places now and pack everything needed .
If you have a sign up stating some silly rule i avoid you like the plague . I hate signs and have been known to remove no parking signs . I often run red lights at 2am. when know one is out driving . I think i can make the choice for myself .LOOK both ways and then go when it is clear .
At 2 am. there is hardly a reason to wait 2 minutes for the light to cycle .
I do not just run them but stop look and go makes sense to me .
I also tend to go against the flow in the mall i stay more to the left and make people go around me cut through the racks and make my own path .But it is gettng harder to do these days with the store layouts changing to meet individualized departments that are difficult to short cut thru .
No refills is not ment for me ..
I do not wait in line if my fries are cold or my drink is wrong I go to the front and demand immediate service ahead of others .
I realy tend to do as i please and if there is a rule maybe i follow it maybe i do not . I make the rules not the rules make me .

Answer 7

People generally obey the laws because of human nature to conform to any regulated activity bestowed upon them. For example, turn off your cell phone in a movie theater. Now mostly people will do it upon courtesy to others, also because it was written before the movie to turn it off, but then there are people who will ignore it because they have no social conscience, and those people are more apt to break other social, moral and ethical standards.
Sounds preachy, but its true..there are good law abiders and there are a$$holes.

Answer 8

More because of my own moral codes than the law. I've never been a big advoacte of the if it feels good do it crowd. *LOL* But then I guess that's why I vote for Democrats on the local level. and generally Republicans for President.

Answer 9

I follow the laws, but my morals are set much higher than the laws here. If my morals were laws, there might be less inconsiderate people.

Answer 10

Depends on the law.

I wouldn't kill or steal even if I could get away with it.

I would probably speed but for the speed limit.

Not all illegal actions are immoral. Not all immoral actions are illegal.

I am strongly opposed to abortion but I don't see how society can force a woman to gestate a pregnancy if she does not want to. It's not government's job to keep people from going to hell.