Today I heard and interesting statement. “Laws are based upon values and then support the values.” This thought has made me think about how things are changing in our country and other parts of the world.
The phrase came in church after an discussion of The Leverite Law in Deuteronomy.
Deuteronomy 25:5-10 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
Levirate Marriage
5 When brothers reside together, and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the deceased shall not be married outside the family to a stranger. Her husband’s brother shall go in to her, taking her in marriage, and performing the duty of a husband’s brother to her, 6 and the firstborn whom she bears shall succeed to the name of the deceased brother, so that his name may not be blotted out of Israel.
Times have changed since this was in effect. The woman was not considered at all. Now our laws recognize women as equal.
However, as we look at the initial quote we begin to question exactly what the values are today. So many are changing so fast that we can’t keep up with them and are part of our divisions. Even various religious denominations have switched from one idea to another. The earlier position of life at first breath came from the Bible: And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. Gen 2:7
It is debated if the shift to life at conception was a political one or a change due to science or some other influence. Either way it was a big shift that has led to a conflicted country regarding abortion.
This is just an example of how “Laws are based upon values and then support the values.” I never thought of it from this perspective and it is interesting to do so.
worry-less-journey 
That is very interesting. I was asked today to support my positions against women in combat and abortion. Both are based on my moral and ethical values and pertain to the family as the basic unit of society. People today don’t seem to care much about the family anymore.
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I am sorry that we have lost focus on the family. We all need that support in order to function.
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It is an interesting perspective. An in theory this is correct and we learn in law school the basis that underlies the passage of laws and what lends to their enforcement. In the real world though, politicians only pass laws reflecting the will of the people 30% of th he time 🙂
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Sad to say that doesn’t surprise me.
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