Religion and law
If you have Christianity-based laws, should you be allowed to follow or obey them if you're not Christian?
As far as I'm aware, the laws against stealing and murder are pretty much based on the two of the Ten Commandments. I think. If not, my entire argument/idea/wonderment goes out the window.
Anyway.
Obviously, there wouldn't be an issue if the individual, who was non-Christian, had a moral problem with murder and theft. If they opposed it anyway, ignoring the Ten Commandments. They would be following the law, which just so happened to be based on Christianity BUT also comply with what they also thought. Fine, sorted. No issue there.
But, if an individual, a non-Christian individual, felt there was a situation appropriate enough for theft or murder, of which happens to be against a Christian-based law...surely as non-Christians that individual shouldn't be made to follow it?
Wouldn't it be an infringement on rights, almost? To force someone to conform against their own beliefs and values?
Also, wouldn't it be on the same lines as refusal to allow religious clothing in schools, to promote secularisation and "equality"? Would it not be fundamentally the same; it's still an infringement, surely?
I have a feeling something like this might be abused, though. Claims for atheism and agnosticism, heck even to other religions, just to avoid punishment or defend their actions. To what can this be extended to? Large, organisational crime, or petty/small crime? And, if the legal system did change to reflect something like this, how can we avoid misuse? How can we have secularised morals and laws, not based on Christianity or religion or whatever, after being exposed to a religion-based law and order for so long?
I also have a feeling I need to get out more.
As far as I'm aware, the laws against stealing and murder are pretty much based on the two of the Ten Commandments. I think. If not, my entire argument/idea/wonderment goes out the window.
Anyway.
Obviously, there wouldn't be an issue if the individual, who was non-Christian, had a moral problem with murder and theft. If they opposed it anyway, ignoring the Ten Commandments. They would be following the law, which just so happened to be based on Christianity BUT also comply with what they also thought. Fine, sorted. No issue there.
But, if an individual, a non-Christian individual, felt there was a situation appropriate enough for theft or murder, of which happens to be against a Christian-based law...surely as non-Christians that individual shouldn't be made to follow it?
Wouldn't it be an infringement on rights, almost? To force someone to conform against their own beliefs and values?
Also, wouldn't it be on the same lines as refusal to allow religious clothing in schools, to promote secularisation and "equality"? Would it not be fundamentally the same; it's still an infringement, surely?
I have a feeling something like this might be abused, though. Claims for atheism and agnosticism, heck even to other religions, just to avoid punishment or defend their actions. To what can this be extended to? Large, organisational crime, or petty/small crime? And, if the legal system did change to reflect something like this, how can we avoid misuse? How can we have secularised morals and laws, not based on Christianity or religion or whatever, after being exposed to a religion-based law and order for so long?
I also have a feeling I need to get out more.