How Many Liberals And How Many Conservatives Think " If It's Legal , Then It's OK " ?

Question

I've seen many posts that reflect the ideology that if it's legal , then it's ok . And I'm wondering how you define your standards of behavior.. . . . . . . Anything is ok as long as it's legal ? .. . or . . . .. . . . Are your standards higher than the law ?

Cora - You're last sentence is reflective of my question , but not an answer to it .

Thus far , Glen is the only one who actually answered the posted question . I asked YOU what YOU do . Not what the law says .

You Asked -- Thank you too !! Hey folks look how simple it was to answer the posted question .

Ahhh , more credibility to the theory that the first several answers are almost always not well thought-out .

Answer 1

My standards are higher than LEGAL.
It's not against the law to sleep around but I chose not to do it and to teach my children not to be promiscuous also.
It is legal to have an abortion, yet I am totally against it and would not have done it.
The laws we have on earth are made by sinners. I'd rather try and follow God's rules. I intend to spend a lot longer with Him in heaven, so I better get used to them right off the bat! ; )

Answer 2

It was legal to discriminate against African Americans before the Civil Rights era. Those laws were attacked through pacifist civil disobedience. For some protestors the consequences of civil disobedience were severe.

The laws in the southern states were obviously wrong and almost all African Americans and many white Americans thought so. The constant protests drew attention to that fact and the majority of federal legislators recognized it. Laws can be wrong and they can be changed.

As a liberal, I obviously don’t believe that just because something is legal, it is moral or ethical.

Answer 3

I'm definitely not conservative...not sure I'd define myself as liberal either. Just because something is legal, doesn't mean I'll do it. For example, Polygamy is legal and accepted in many cultures, but that doesn't mean I would be comfortable with it. On the other hand, just because something is illegal, doesn't mean I won't do it. I don't know if I'd say my standards are higher than the law, because I feel many laws are outdated and/or ludicrous.

Answer 4

That's the way the law works. If it's legal, then it's OK as far as the law goes.

And the law is the only thing that can be imposed on someone without their voluntary participation.

Morals and ethics are not universal. What one religion or culture considers moral another may regard as a sin. What one group or association considers unethical another might require.

So, no, there are no single higher standards than the law, because morals and ethics are too variable and too different between different religions, groups and cultures.

There may be additional standards besides the law, based on someone's personal ethics or religious morals. But that's a personal choice, not any universal standard.

EDIT -- The last sentence could be rephrased as:

No, there are no universal higher standards than the law. There may be personal individuals standards that prohibit activity that the law allows, but they are not "higher" than the law because they do not overrule the law. They just exist along side the law. And even then, they only apply by choice, not universally.

Answer 5

I am always surrounded by children. Whether it be my grandchildren, neighbor kids or the children in the church nursery that I run on Sundays. Wherever I am, there are children. With that knowledge, I always remember that I am leading by example. I do not do anything that I would punish one of the children for doing.

I will admit that I have confused some children that I am not raising. Like several months ago, I was in a large department store with several of my grandchildren when the 2 year old granddaughter that I am raising, knocked a glass item off of a shelf and broke it. One of her cousins, that I am not raising, picked it up and put it back on the shelf. I told him to put it in my cart. He asked why and I told him that since his cousin had broken it, I should pay for it. Even the cashier was surprised when I asked her to throw it away but to charge me for it.

I don't think that everyone is raising their children to be responsible for their actions.

I try to set my standards higher than what is allowed by law because I am the one I have to sleep with at night.

Answer 6

I almost laughed when I read this and thought.
If it feels good then it's okay. We all know who follows that doctrine.

No really.
In my younger years at many times, I would do things that may have been legal at the time, but in the long run ended on a sour note, either hurting myself or others.

Today, whether it's legal or not. If it is wrong to me, or I disagree with it. I don't do it.

A good example is the guy that tried to sue that cleaners for giving him the wrong pants.
Even though filing suit was perfectly legal, it truly showed how morally bankrupt the guy was.

Answer 7

Legal doesn't necessarily equate to moral. My standard of behavior is ruled by my own personal moral code. If something offends me legal or not, I will have no part of it, nor will I befriend those who engage in it. However, it is also a slippery slope. While my moral code works well for me, I have no right to impose that morality on anyone else if their behavior is also legal. My only right is in choosing whether or not to associate with them.

Answer 8

Just because something is legal, does not make it right. I have held myself to a much higher standard, as i think the law is lacking.

Answer 9

Since what's legal today may not be legal later I would disagree. Just because it's ok to do it does not mean I will. Guess I hold myself to a higher standard!

Answer 10

Not I, I tend to follow the laws I morally or spiritually agree with and on occasion break a few I do not agree with, of course I also on occasion break traffic laws, which I support for the most part, but that's being honest.