What the Civil Government Should or Should Not Prohibit

[Hornet]

Out of all the things that are morally wrong, how do you know which of those things the civil government should or should not prohibit?

Some people think that since the civil government is supposed to punish evildoers and those who promote heresy are evildoers, that the civil government is supposed to punish those who promote heresy.

[firstfloor]

Out of all the things that are morally wrong, how do you know which of those things the civil government should or should not prohibit?

Some people think that since the civil government is supposed to punish evildoers and those who promote heresy are evildoers, that the civil government is supposed to punish those who promote heresy.

Yeah, but they usually get tucked in at night by big blokes wearing white tunics.
Heresy should be supported and promoted by the civil authorities loudly and frequently against authoritarian dogma at every opportunity.

[mikewhitney]

If the government were to punish heresy, we would have to rely predominantly on the self-interests of those in power to determine which aspects are considered heresy. This all would simply lead to more power in the hands of dictatorial rulers -- who also are likely to promote heresy.

[EvoUK]

*BLAM* HERESY! /commissar

[Jedidiah]

"As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master." Abraham Lincoln

[Mountain Man]

There's a reason America's Founding Fathers wrote the First Amendment.

[Hornet]

If the government were to punish heresy, we would have to rely predominantly on the self-interests of those in power to determine which aspects are considered heresy. This all would simply lead to more power in the hands of dictatorial rulers -- who also are likely to promote heresy.

Not everyone is in agreement concerning what is a heresy so under a certain government person X would be considered a heretic, but not person Y. If there were some other government, person Y would be considered a heretic, but not person X.

[Hornet]

The Bible teaches that the civil authorities are supposed to punish evildoers (Romans 13:4). Who is an evildoer? Which evildoers should the civil authorities punish? Many people would agree that committing fornication is evil, but I don't think people would want the civil government to outlaw fornication. Being rude to people is immoral, but I don't think the civil authorities should make being rude to people a crime. Going to strip clubs is immoral, but I don't think going to those places should be outlawed by the government.

[Mountain Man]

Governments punish those who do evil, but that doesn't imply that they will necessarily punish all evil.

[mikewhitney]

Not everyone is in agreement concerning what is a heresy so under a certain government person X would be considered a heretic, but not person Y. If there were some other government, person Y would be considered a heretic, but not person X.

It sounds like you at least partly agree with what I said.

[demi-conservative]

Many people would agree that committing fornication is evil, but I don't think people would want the civil government to outlaw fornication.

'what people want' doesn't matter, God doesn't care, banned it for Israelites.