[jessep28]

No, Christians uphold the law because Christ has lived it perfectly, but they don't live under it.

[ManOnTheMoon]

I think we've wandered off topic a bit. It doesn't matter one iota if the Bible offers a sound moral compass, or if there even is a god. None of that affects the rule of law in this country, thankfully. We're not a Christian nation, so a purely Christian theological argument (and a moral, not legal one, in addition to that) is irrelevant to our laws. It's two different concepts, legality and morality, there's a bit of overlap between the two, but they're still two different entities. So, even if we had a morality police, as a religiously unaffiliated nation, using the Bible as the basis for our code of behavior would still be flawed, let alone the fact that we're talking about laws, not Christian morality.

I believe Scgranny already made a point similar to this, but it was allowed to be glossed over without proper rebuttal.

[Calvinist]

Originally Posted by ManOnTheMoon

I think we've wandered off topic a bit. It doesn't matter one iota if the Bible offers a sound moral compass, or if there even is a god. None of that affects the rule of law in this country, thankfully. We're not a Christian nation, so a purely Christian theological argument (and a moral, not legal one, in addition to that) is irrelevant to our laws. It's two different concepts, legality and morality, there's a bit of overlap between the two, but they're still two different entities. So, even if we had a morality police, as a religiously unaffiliated nation, using the Bible as the basis for our code of behavior would still be flawed, let alone the fact that we're talking about laws, not Christian morality.

I believe Scgranny already made a point similar to this, but it was allowed to be glossed over without proper rebuttal.

No...we don't legislate according to the Bible. But we are people that vote on convictions, and our morals are formed by the Bible in many cases. Nothing wrong with letting your convictions guide you.

[ManOnTheMoon]

Originally Posted by Calvinist

No...we don't legislate according to the Bible. But we are people that vote on convictions, and our morals are formed by the Bible in many cases. Nothing wrong with letting your convictions guide you.

Indeed. But just because you and other Christians hold certain convictions does not give them the weight of law. Nor should the law acquiesce to any church to uphold their version of morality. The law should be an indifferent, blank slate, regardless of who the majority is. If the country was 75% devout Christian, the law should not reflect that. If we were a religious country, then yes, but as a strictly non-affiliated nation, no matter who the majority of faith is, the law should not go hand in hand with them.

[Calvinist]

Originally Posted by ManOnTheMoon

Indeed. But just because you and other Christians hold certain convictions does not give them the weight of law.

At least as much as you and the other pagans. Why is your belief system more viable than our's?

Nor should the law acquiesce to any church to uphold their version of morality. The law should be an indifferent, blank slate, regardless of who the majority is. If the country was 75% devout Christian, the law should not reflect that.

The law should reflect society. If it's 75% Christians...we vote a certain way and laws are made accordingly. Mind you, I'm not suggesting we violate constitutional rights of anyone.

If we were a religious country, then yes, but as a strictly non-affiliated nation, no matter who the majority of faith is, the law should not go hand in hand with them.

It shouldn't go out of its way to avoid any morality that could be acceptable to a Christian, either.

[Bosco55David]

Originally Posted by Calvinist

The law should reflect society. If it's 75% Christians...we vote a certain way and laws are made accordingly. Mind you, I'm not suggesting we violate constitutional rights of anyone

That's the beauty of our legal system. The courts make sure that a secular standard is applied to the laws.

[Calvinist]

Originally Posted by Bosco55David

That's the beauty of our legal system. The courts make sure that a secular standard is applied to the laws.

No matter how unconstitutional that secular standard is...

[Bosco55David]

Originally Posted by Calvinist

No matter how unconstitutional that secular standard is...

The secular standard IS the Constitution.

[ManOnTheMoon]

Originally Posted by Calvinist

At least as much as you and the other pagans. Why is your belief system more viable than our's?

The law should reflect society. If it's 75% Christians...we vote a certain way and laws are made accordingly. Mind you, I'm not suggesting we violate constitutional rights of anyone.

It shouldn't go out of its way to avoid any morality that could be acceptable to a Christian, either.

I don't believe any belief system should be reflected in the law. No matter how overwhelmingly present followers of that belief in the governed people. If we're a 75% Christian nation, why should the 25% who aren't Christian be held to a standard we, as a nation with freedom of religion, are not required to recognize? Like I said, you're violating someone's constitutional rights just by proposing that the law should take the side of Christianity.

[marmom]

Originally Posted by Calvinist

The law should reflect society. If it's 75% Christians...we vote a certain way and laws are made accordingly. Mind you, I'm not suggesting we violate constitutional rights of anyone.

So by your argument, if down the road 75% of the United States is comprised of people who practice Islam (or fill in the blank with any non-Christian religion), then our country's laws should reflect that religion? YOU might still be a Christian, but since the majority are not...oh well, too bad for you?