Breaking Unenforced Laws

[Neil_Anthony]

I’ve read on here that it’s a sin to not obey ‘legitimate civil authority’ and to break the law.

What about unenforced laws? There are some little traffic rules that even the police aren’t careful to follow (like signalling when it’s obvious you are going to turn) and there are others that they let people get away with (like jaywalking across a quite side street instead of walking to the corner to cross as the law requires).

I’m also thinking of driving ‘with the traffic’ a bit over the speed limit when everyone else is going that speed. You can go right by the police here in some areas and if you’re going the same speed as everyone else, even if speeding, they don’t care.

So, is it still a sin if the law you’re breaking isn’t enforced?

 

[Joyousguard]

One could go mad trying to obey every civil law on the books. When its all said and done, we do the best that we can and thats all that can be asked.

“Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s but give to God what is God’s”. Part of the theological understanding from this little treasure trove is to understand that Caesar’s likness is on the coins and thus he should be given what is due him because he is the law of the land. But even Caesar is made in the image and likeness of God so even Caesar belongs to God. God’s law comes first, and we try to do the best we can with man made law. It already feels like sometimes we need to carry a canon lawyer around with us, I’m not sure where the civil lawyer would fit in my two seat car.

Good bit by a comdian I heard recently. "So I’m an Irish Jew, my mother was Catholic and my father was Jewish. My friend said to me “You can’t be a Catholic Jew”. I said, of course I can, I just bring a lawyer with me when I go to confession. “Bless me father for I have sinned, I believe you know Mr. Weinstein…”

 

[Joe_Kelley]

I think that one may assume that an unenforce law is not intended to oblige. However, be prepared to pay up if they decide to enforce it.

For example the speed limit: One creates the least hazard if one maintains the average speed of the surrounding traffic. To drive 5-10 mph slower than the rest of the traffic is legal, but probably immoral, since you are creating a hazardous situation.

 

[Magicsilence]

“Wrong is wrong even if everyone is doing it, and right is right even if nobody is doing it.”

St Augustine.