Since there is no common God in America, what process is used to define morality and laws.?

Answer 1

the 10 Commandments

Answer 2

There really is no formal process. Laws are made in response to the perceived needs and values of a legislator's constituancy. Politicians want to be re-elected; laws are often enacted as efforts to seem tough on crime, to appeal to certain interest groups, and as a response to lobbying by corporate interests...which translates into more money for the re-election campaign. The Constitution was written by Deists, not Christians, who were certainly heavily influenced by Christian values, but more by the trends in philosophical thinking at the time. Currently, laws are enacted to further a particular political agenda, (which is why there are so many changes when a new party is in power-witness business deregulation under Reagan and the 2 Bushes) and as a response to the perceived values of the majority of the people, regardless of religious preference. It is really more culture than religion, and most people's perceptions of what problems need to be fixed by new law are influenced heavily by the media. Most people's moral choices are a combination of cultural norms-(this is how every one else I know handles this problem), and the influence of their their religion or philosophy of life. The sad thing is that most people don't really think about this.

Answer 3

I just started reading the discourses of the Buddha, and guess what -- he taught the same moral principles that Christians do. So I have to think that there is some common moral foundation available to human reflection and insight, independent of all the different religious traditions. If we're serious about our little experiment of pluralism and tolerance, we'd better be conscious about elaborating what those common foundations are -- an ecumenical ethics. And since the Buddha wasn't a theist -- at least, he was indifferent to the whole debate -- maybe looking more closely at Buddhist ethics would be a good place to start.

We also have a distillation of our own culture's view of these foundations in the whole body of the Anglo-Saxon legal tradition, and in the deistic tradition of free-thought followed by most of the Founders. Those would be good traditions to refer to in our search.

Answer 4

As much as I would like to think common sense would work, the problem is that with most people their morals are subjective. Another words they believe in right and wrong but often those beliefs can be justified in their own mind when they break them. Ask most people and they will tell you it's wrong to lie, steal, commit adultry, murder, etc., but most when asked about situations where they have done that they will justify their actions as to why it was ok in that circumstance. An example is it's wrong to steal, unless the person is doing it to survive or whatever reason they can come up with that will keep them from feeling guilty over a wrong doing, which is the specific purpose for justifying our actions. We explain them in such a away that removes or reduces teh guilt we feel for commiting wrong doings.

We all have a basic sense of what is right and wrong without ever being taught. The bible says it's because God has written the laws on our heart so that we may know them without ever reading them. People often accuse Christians of believing in God because they do not want to be held accountable for their actions, which this very premise is not only wrong but backwards. Biblical Christianity teaches that there is no justification for breaking the law God gave us through the ten commandments. The laws in God's eyes are black and white and breaking those laws are unjustifiable. So when we break the laws we are held accountable for our actions either on this world or in the next, but at some point there will be consequences for those actions. This being true, then how can you say that someone who does not believe in God feels accountable for their actions. They do not believe in God, so unless they are caught then who are they ever held accountable to. Christians, no matter what will be held accountable for their actions, but on the same token based on what they believe, everyone will be held accountable for their actions whether or not they believe in God.

The other part of common sense that is a problem is that what is right for one person is not neccissarily right for another. So there becomes the problem of, then who is right and who is wrong? For one person it may be wrong to kill an animal and sacrifice it in a horrendous manner, but for another it is as acceptable as anything else.

As a Biblical Christian I believe the process that should be used to define morality and laws is through the 10 Commandments. The reason being is that no wrong action is justified and all people are held up to the same standards. No one is with excpetion to this.

Answer 5

Most of the laws are based on Biblical principles.

If you like we could just stop using those laws and do something else....like.....how bout i come to your house with gun, shoot you and take all your money and goods and then i just walk away. And there is nothing you can do about it. NO COP can do anything because there is no law saying that i did anything wrong.

Morals come from sound principles.....just as not to steal, lie. or murder. These have be instate from years in this country.

So, laws are place for a reason. America was estblished as a Christian nation, but you could never tell today that it is. We murder our children in the womb... lie and cheat to our employers, worship ourselves, money, TV, friends and other things... we use God's name as profanity in everyday language... we have sexual encounters with people we are not married to... we covet and take what is our neighbors... we dishonor our parents by backtalk and other ways.....and we dont even honor the sabbath by resting and giving it to God and honoring him.....AND we took the LAW OF THE LAND out of the courthouse, so that we dont offend anyone......BUT WE OFFEND GOD.

So......America in slowing being destroyed by our own people....Americans ......living for themselves......

BEWARE.....God is watching.....and punishment is at hand.

Answer 6

I'll provide your "Christian" answer from the book of Romans, Chapter 2:12-16
"All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them. This will take place on the day when God will judge men's secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares."

***So what does this refer too? Notice the verse that talks about the law being written on peoples hearts.
This means we all have a conscience that tells us right and wrong.
Even the people who have never heard of the ten commandments and live in some 3rd world country know that that most of those things are wrong, because it is written on their hearts.
Our conscience is God given, and it convicts us and tells us when we have broken both God's standard for morality and righteousness as well as when we have broken America's laws.

Check out www.markcahill.org to make sure that you know where you are going, and to escape the judgement to come that the verse in Romans speaks of!!
Grace and Peace!!

Answer 7

Politics. Regardless of what people like to claim about 'the basis of society', ancient texts really play only a minor role in determining the law.

The law represents the whims of politicians, somewhat influenced by what the population wants in aggregate, but mostly designed to enhance the power of the state.

There're laws against murder because almost no-one wants to get murdered. There're laws against theft because no-one wants their belongings stolen, etc.

Answer 8

God is mentioned in our founding documents which define morality and laws of the Nation....at that time there was a common God. American got lost along the way.

Answer 9

Although our legislature sometimes tries, you can't legislate morality.

That being said, the main touchstone used to define our laws is "your right to swing your arm stops where my nose begins". We have, in this country, a Constitution and a Bill of Rights. This makes up the supreme law of our land and all of our laws must not run counter to these documents. We have a judicial branch of government that is charged with interpretation of our laws. Much of the function of this branch of government is to determine the constitutionality of various laws and regulations imposed by legislative branch of our government.

Answer 10

Defining morality should be left to philosophers.
You know how laws are made.

It is a misconception that laws are based on morality. You have a judeo-christian upbringing; so it's a reasonable mistake.

Answer 11

Hi Jim,

I think so much of today is being defined by "secularism" and "relativism."

America is becoming more and more messed up as we desperately try not to step on ANYONE'S toes.

Don't you find that silly? Even the nicest person is going to piss some one off some time.

So more and more of our rules are being taken away. Offices can't have a dress code because it insults employees' rights to choose. We can't say Merry Christmas because we might insult non-Christians.

I certainly don't get insulted if someone wishes me Happy Hanukah.

People just need to lighten up.