Relgion and Government

[Swan]

My husband is reading “Under the Banner of Heaven” about the FLDS and Mormon history. This is a pretty scary book. We were discussing the ways in which the early Mormons and the FLDS violated/violate Federal and State laws (such as the polygamy, sex with minors, failure to pay taxes, etc) and how when the government does try to crack down on these folks they find the public often sides with the FLDS/early Mormons. This is pretty hard for me to understand. I’m all for freedom of religion until you start to violate a law or the rights of others (say, the minor girls forced to have sex with older men). I’m interested in hearing how others feel on this issue.

Thanks.

 

[Petergee]

My husband is reading “Under the Banner of Heaven” about the FLDS and Mormon history. This is a pretty scary book. We were discussing the ways in which the early Mormons and the FLDS violated/violate Federal and State laws (such as the polygamy, sex with minors, failure to pay taxes, etc) and how when the government does try to crack down on these folks they find the public often sides with the FLDS/early Mormons. This is pretty hard for me to understand. I’m all for freedom of religion until you start to violate a law or the rights of others (say, the minor girls forced to have sex with older men). I’m interested in hearing how others feel on this issue.

Thanks.

Depends if the civil law in question is a just law. That is, is it in accordance with the Natural Law implanted in all men’s hearts by God. For example the British govt recently passed a law compelling adoption agencies (including ones run by the Catholic Church) to give babies to homosexuals for “adoption”. It is clearly immoral to comply with such a law, and in fact we are morally obliged to disobey it.

Other civic laws may be different from Natural or Church law, but not immoral. For example, Natural Law tells us that people must be at the very least past the age of puberty to consummate marriage. Church Law stipulates that they must be aged at least 16. Civic law in many countries says that people must be aged 18 to marry. The Church in these countries does not perform marriages for people under 18, because we are obliged by the Fouth Commandment to obey every law made by properly constituted civil authorities unless the law commands us to do something immoral, or commands us not to do something which we are morally obliged to do.

 

[Nine_Two]

My husband is reading “Under the Banner of Heaven” about the FLDS and Mormon history. This is a pretty scary book. We were discussing the ways in which the early Mormons and the FLDS violated/violate Federal and State laws (such as the polygamy, sex with minors, failure to pay taxes, etc) and how when the government does try to crack down on these folks they find the public often sides with the FLDS/early Mormons. This is pretty hard for me to understand. I’m all for freedom of religion until you start to violate a law or the rights of others (say, the minor girls forced to have sex with older men). I’m interested in hearing how others feel on this issue.

Thanks.

Just like to point out that it isn’t freedom of religion if it is limited by laws. The second clause of that statement, a violation of the rights of others, is true though.