Is it the purpose of government to enforce God's laws?

Question

Other than enforcement of morality, what is government's interest in outlawing the following:

1. Homosexual marriage
2. Prostitution - Licensed brothels are legal in certain counties in Nevada and they have an excellent track record in regards to STDs.
3. Polygamy - As long as it is agreed with all partners, why should the government not allow more someone to have more than one spouse?
.

NewCatholic - You wrote, "ONE of the purposes of government is to enforce laws that are in place that reflect our collective morality." - What makes you think that. Is it written in our constitution?

mxcardinal - Other than offending your morals, what is the problem with having those things?

Sword/Lord - "Every law that God has put is for our own good." God had as one law that someone who picked up sticks on the Sabbath had to be stoned. How is that for our own good?

Flaming sword - Your answer assumes a point not proven, namely that God exists. I do not agree with that. How about some of the Muslim laws? Do you think that our government should enforce them? No? Is that because you are a Christian? Why enforce Christian beliefs over Muslim, Wiccan, Animists, etc. And should the government enforce the keeping of the Sabbath as well?

Barbara J - How does allowing prostitution, gay marriage, or polygamy contribute to the fall of a nation?

ansearcher – 1. “You acknowledge the government's role in’enforcement of morality’. ” – I acknowledge that it OCCURS. I do not acknowledge that the government has the right to do so.
2. “Homosexual marriage is against all morals whatsoever God hates that sin” – That assumes a point not proven, namely that God exists.
3. “You certainly have no examples of homosexuality marraige among the old testament prophets or the new testament apostles.” – True. I also do not believe the Bible.
4. “You also need to purchase a bible.” – I have plenty of Bibles, thank you very much.
5. Your comments on prostitution and adultery assume a point not proven, namely that God exists. Not all Americans believe that.
6. “Polygamy is against the law and is not legal so then is it not a sin to have sex with a woman that is not your wife?” – Yes, it is illegal, but should it be so? You ASSUME that it is the government’s job to enforce biblical morality, but don’t prove it.

ansearcher – 1. “You acknowledge the government's role in’enforcement of morality’. ” – I acknowledge that it OCCURS. I do not acknowledge that the government has the right to do so.
2. “Homosexual marriage is against all morals whatsoever God hates that sin” – That assumes a point not proven, namely that God exists.
3. “You certainly have no examples of homosexuality marraige among the old testament prophets or the new testament apostles.” – True. I also do not believe the Bible.
4. “You also need to purchase a bible.” – I have plenty of Bibles, thank you very much.
5. Your comments on prostitution and adultery assume a point not proven, namely that God exists. Not all Americans believe that.
6. “Polygamy is against the law and is not legal so then is it not a sin to have sex with a woman that is not your wife?” – Yes, it is illegal, but should it be so? You ASSUME that it is the government’s job to enforce biblical morality, but don’t prove it.

skep-doc - "You sound like you could be a Libertarian?" - That is my personal philosophy.

Rallie Florencio C - " ‘Marriage’ is a word applied to the union of a man and a woman” – Why should it only be applied to unions of man and woman? Why not same-sex unions?

“Legalizing Prostitution may be helpful at the beginning of its inceptions yet in the end will create irresponsible activities among man and woman who will find prostitution as an easy and lucrative way to earn a living losing their ability to use their intelligence for a more creative way of making a living through a education, hard work and a career.” – Good point! However, shouldn’t it be the CHOICE of those people to make?

“The excellent track record of STDs in Nevada indicates only of the unreported incidents because most of those who got it are not residents of Nevada.” – Do you have documentation of non-Nevada residents getting STDs from brothel activities?

“Only the moneyed and those who really can afford to have more than one wife will benefit from that law.” – So what?

Answer 1

No.
The purpose of government is protect personal liberty.

Answer 2

What is morality to you? Human laws were created based on what society have agreed to impose. It is true that most laws were taken out of the teachings of religions but definitely those who drafted the law have their decision based on human experiences.
Homosexual Marriage: "Marriage" is a word applied to the union of a man and a woman, with the responsiblity to take care of each other and have children that will raise to continue the growth of human race.
For homosexuals, perhaps the proper word for that is "civil union" that will protect their friendship to any legal claim and custody for every thing they established together including their rights to live under one roof.
Legalizing Prostitution may be helpful at the beginning of its inceptions yet in the end will create irresponsible activities among man and woman who will find prostitution as an easy and lucrative way to earn a living losing their ability to use their intelligence for a more creative way of making a living through a education, hard work and a career. The excellent track record of STDs in Nevada indicates only of the unreported incidents because most of those who got it are not residents of Nevada.
Polygamy: Only the moneyed and those who really can afford to have more than one wife will benefit from that law. The law will naturally impose an equal love. attention, care, custody and ownership to everything they establish among themselves. Economics have affected even the Muslim countries that only allowed the rich and their royalties to have more than one wife. There are already among the rich Arabs that I encountered going against polygamy because of jealousy and contempt among themselves and the attention that is not equally given to all. The woman that was born richer than the other and helped the family grew economically strong is the one who would not want to share equally with other wives that did not contribute to the growth.
All of the three aove mentioned has a little to do with religions but more have to do with social ethics, it just happened that morality was also the prime responsibility of the church.

Answer 3

I would start by pointing out that God is a fiction created by men.
Laws and governments are also created by men, and generally reflect the cultural mores of the time the laws are written. This is why old laws often seem absurd, but they probably made sense at the time.
Lawmakers are not immune from religious influence (look at the stacked Supreme Court) Since the "laws and morals" of the Bible were in essence a reflection of their time, it makes sense that there is often overlap.
You sound like you could be a Libertarian? In general, I don't think the state should have any role to play other than passing laws acceptable to the majority, but without unduly oppressing the minority.

Answer 4

The Government is made of individuals. Each one has there own vision of the party that they represent, however as individuals they have a lust for power and who cna also be blinkered by their own visions whether is for morality or personal gain.

Governments are also not as powerful as many people think. They are held accountable to other powerful people, ie the Church, Large Corporate Businesses, Figure Heads of State etc.

Its this collective of people that ensure the enforcement of Policies etc. The elected representatives know that if they divert from the party line then they risk loosing their position in power.

If Governments purpose was to enforce God's law, then the world would not be in such a mess. People would not be suffering through wars, famine, greed and poverty.

Its just all to easy to pick on issues that suit the individual and hide behind the name of 'God'. Who is going to question that?

Answer 5

You really need a dictionary and look up the word morality.
You acknowledge the government's role in"enforcement of morality".
Homosexual marriage is against all morals whatsoever God hates that sin and it is against all concepts of the definition of marriage. As the old saying goes in the Garden when God introduced marriage he didnt introduce Adam to Steve he introduced him to Eve. He said for "this cause shall a man leave his Father and Mother and cleve unto his wife" You certainly have no examples of homosexuality marraige among the old testament prophets or the new testament apostles.All homosexuals who do not repent of this sin will have their eternal home in the lake of fire.
You also need to purchase a bible. Prostitution you also think doesnt fall into the governments enforcement of morality?
Paying for sex from a stranger is moral? Adultery and Fornication is against the laws of God havent you ever read the 10 Commandments " Thou shalt not commit Adultery"
Polygamy is against the law and is not legal so then is it not a sin to have sex with a woman that is not your wife?

Answer 6

Oh yeah? so which you're implying that each and each physique crime is predicated around unlawful immigrants...LOL humorous..i became at my nearby detention center the different day and that they have been telling me all bearing directly to the crimes of people - how some guy abducted and raped a girl, yet another killed his toddler son, murderers and such and wager what? they have been all white and felony voters. So why do no longer you communicate approximately those human beings till now you start up off relating how undocumented all and sundry is the source of all crime and undesirable issues. i don't be attentive to how the Arizona regulation stands to Gods regulation, yet however if its a sin or against God to go right into a united states of america illegally, human beings nonetheless have alot of hate and racism in the direction of them and thats no longer suitable. however. Jesus continually stated a clean kingdown to return and shall we see how human beings act while there is going to be not greater borders between Mexicans or human beings...while all of us is going to stay at the same time.

Answer 7

Do you know who the Republican party and President Bush's biggest supporters are??? Conservative Christians... so yes of course our gov is going to focus on these issues while important ones like dealing with the homeless or fair taxes for everyone don't get delt with.

Who cares if gay people get married? Or if someone wants to sleep with a girl for money or if you want more than one wife. The world's not going to stop spinning.

Answer 8

The purpose of government is to keep peace. When the constitution was written, people believed in natural law..meaning God's laws or absolute right and wrong. Our constitution reflects the Bible in that regard.
Lately, within the last 50 years or so, we are turning to a more socialistic, communistic type of government (positive law) which says, he who has the power stick has the say...
That was how the Nazi's got into power....positive law.
Most facist governments started with positive law because they have no other authority but themselves.
It can never be totally fair...cause it's human not divine

Answer 9

No it isn't. Even Jesus said this, "Render on to Caesar......"

No government should tell you what you can do with your body. The problem is powerful religious groups always manage to sneak into the government. In some cases they totally control it. For instance Iraq is not a Democracy now as this administration claims. It is a Theocracy. Their religions(plural,hence the civil war) is written into their Constitution. It is actually legal to murder homosexuals in Iraq. They call this"success".This is what our soldiers died for. Disgusting.

Answer 10

The functions of laws are social cohesion and social progress. One of the ways laws achieve social cohesion is by reflecting the values of society. While I personally have no time for members of society who seek to limit the actions of others who are doing no harm, the fact remains that if a majority of people want these activities to be illegal, then outlawing them increases social cohesion within that majority. And in a democracy, that majority is able to control the society.

Answer 11

Society as a whole will suffer when they disobey God's laws. Every law that God has put is for our own good. The same as you tell your kids not to play in the street or not to hang around with kids that do drugs..
You either take one side or the other..
Are you for or against lying? Then don't get upset when people lie to you.
Are you for or against adultery? Don't get upset when your wife or mother has a lover on the side.
Legalize things that God condemns then don't get upset when God punishes his children..
Build your home next door to a house of prostitution and see how safe and happy you feel with your kids playing in the area.

Although we are not in the Old Testament the law of not working on the sabbath shows that God's laws are very serious business and that we better pay attention and obey him or there are very serious consequences.. Also God was commanding this man to take the day off and NOT work. It was to his benefit to relax and let God take care of him. It is not a game, it is eternal life or eternal damnation. God is Holy.