Laws or our hearts?

fellowshipfellowship
Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
This is a venture into asking you all for your thoughts of the following question:



Are people led more by laws or more by their hearts? (desires)



Is each person different in this measure? Does each person have a different ratio at any given time depending on the circumstance?



For example. The law says do not "XYZ" will that law guide "us" in most cases or will our hearts?



Does it depend on the issue? For example: Drug use, abortion, murder, giving to food banks.



Law and policy can be interchanged in my example.



I think we are led and somewhat driven by both to varying degrees. Sure most wish to be in compliance with the law. While true some ignore the laws in many examples such as drug use and speeding on roadways. Desire tips the balance of law to that of desire. (sure there are other examples of why a law could be broken in times of emergency etc.) For purposes of my question in this thread those other examples do not factor in.



What are your thoughts on this matter?



Will laws alone guide our choices? or Do our hearts (desires) have more impact?



What ratio do you see? Law 50% / Heart 50%?



I value your thoughts,



Fellowship

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 9
    ebbyebby Posts: 3,110member
    I live by heart. No question 'bout it. I obey laws with which I agree and understand their purposes. And I don't give a rat's *** about other laws based on stereotypes, like citywide curfews or the Provisional License restrictions. I don't think of myself as a rebel, a hellraser, or that sort of person (In fact I am pretty docile) but there is a law for everything and that leads to a boring, uneventful life. Instead of having a law for every little thing that could possibly go wrong, lets bring back this thing called "Common Sense". Have people take responsibility for their actions instead of the "Well, there should have been a law..." excuse



    Take tickets for example. I drive a Porsche. I have no problem speeding and typically do. But my car is built for speed and can stop in the need arises. What about the SUV catching up to me at 85 Mph? They can't stop as fast as me and if we get in an accident I will certainly be hurt badly. In my eyes a car that can handle higher speeds should not have the same restrictions as one that can't. Yet if a cop sees both of us, I would get the ticket because 1) I was in front and 2) I had a sports car. The SUV is much more dangerous and likely to kill someone than a small car with 1/2 the mass. Add to that incompetence of a driver that doesn't know the strengths (Towing) and weaknesses (handleing) of the car they drive and you have a disaster waiting to happen. BTW, I had to drive past a SUV rollover accident yesterday. It didn't look good for the driver.



    Oh, and I'll touch on the subject of murder to get this pot stirring...

    I'm being 100% honest wit you all. I would not even consider killing unless ALL my other options were used. I could put up one hell of a fight and if I am still loosing, out of desperation I would try to disable the person by breaking arms and such. (Even bones can heal) But as a last resort I would not hesitate to do what is necessary to save my own life. But just so you don't think I am nuts, even if I am horribly outnumbered and feeling like carp, I would not CONSIDER it unless I knew for certain my life was in danger.



    Thank you, thank you.

    That's my rant.

    I'll be here all week...8)
  • Reply 2 of 9
    eugeneeugene Posts: 8,254member
    My heart guides me to cheese, but my lack of enzymes that break down lactose tell me otherwise. I eat lots of cheese. I spend lots of time on the can.
  • Reply 3 of 9
    ebbyebby Posts: 3,110member
    LOL
  • Reply 4 of 9
    midwintermidwinter Posts: 10,060member
    Laws exist to keep us from bashing each others' skulls in with clubs.



    Cheers

    Scott
  • Reply 5 of 9
    bungebunge Posts: 7,329member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Eugene

    My heart guides me to cheese, but my lack of enzymes that break down lactose tell me otherwise. I eat lots of cheese. I spend lots of time on the can.



    I love cheese. I love the can.
  • Reply 6 of 9
    groveratgroverat Posts: 10,872member
    Internal motivations dominate external punishment threats, absolutely.
  • Reply 7 of 9
    aquafireaquafire Posts: 2,758member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by FellowshipChurch iBook

    This is a venture into asking you all for your thoughts of the following question:



    Are people led more by laws or more by their hearts? (desires)



    Is each person different in this measure? Does each person have a different ratio at any given time depending on the circumstance?



    For example. The law says do not "XYZ" will that law guide "us" in most cases or will our hearts?



    Does it depend on the issue? For example: Drug use, abortion, murder, giving to food banks.



    Law and policy can be interchanged in my example.



    I think we are led and somewhat driven by both to varying degrees. Sure most wish to be in compliance with the law. While true some ignore the laws in many examples such as drug use and speeding on roadways. Desire tips the balance of law to that of desire. (sure there are other examples of why a law could be broken in times of emergency etc.) For purposes of my question in this thread those other examples do not factor in.



    What are your thoughts on this matter?



    Will laws alone guide our choices? or Do our hearts (desires) have more impact?



    What ratio do you see? Law 50% / Heart 50%?



    I value your thoughts,



    Fellowship



    A difficult & complex question Fellows.



    Which is the better Justice or Love.?



    If I may reflect upon it from my spiritual point of view.



    I personally believe that "Law & justice" as such, have physical limitations. From that perspective both victim & felon remain bound to their "roles"



    Whereas "Love & forgiveness" go beyond the mere physical to embrace the whole person & can actually absolve the boundary roles of victim & felon, so that both are transformed as human beings.
  • Reply 8 of 9
    fellowshipfellowship Posts: 5,038member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Aquafire

    A difficult & complex question Fellows.



    Which is the better Justice or Love.?



    If I may reflect upon it from my spiritual point of view.



    I personally believe that "Law & justice" as such, have physical limitations. From that perspective both victim & felon remain bound to their "roles"



    Whereas "Love & forgiveness" go beyond the mere physical to embrace the whole person & can actually absolve the boundary roles of victim & felon, so that both are transformed as human beings.



    Right on Aquafire! Restoration is a process we all need to work to for ourselves and others



    Your thoughts are wonderful on this subject!



    Fellows
  • Reply 9 of 9
    aquafireaquafire Posts: 2,758member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by FellowshipChurch iBook

    Right on Aquafire! Restoration is a process we all need to work to for ourselves and others



    Your thoughts are wonderful on this subject!



    Fellows



    Thankyou Fellows, & like wise for bringing such a topical subject to AO.



    In reality, I often despair at the thinly diguised vigilantism that peppers our law books.



    I don't see so much justice, as an eye for an eye.



    I truly believe that Christ in commanding us to love our enemy was actually showing us a way to move past legalism & mere retribution.
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