and they could change it at any time for any reason. And that each person prescribes their own penalty for breaking that law. Would "law of the land" have any meaning?
In general, we have to give up our personal authority to make our own laws to what we consider a higher authority. Is that because we aren't capable of putting aside our desire for personal gain?
?
Of course it has a meaning, as that is exactly what happens when law is made. The people agree to have a government, and it makes the law and prescribes the penalties for everyone. In most cases law is made with no reference to any god, just with reference to what is a popular or good idea.
This raises the next question, which is how do people agree to be ruled under that law? I've never been asked, and no doubt nor have you. To explore this further, read up on Rousseau's social contract theory.
Anonymous
Laws would exist without God. Athiests believe killing is wrong when it's not self defense. A ton of things would have to go wrong for a personal law of the land to exist. If everyone didn't believe in God, sure some people would be reckless, but God only has that much control over few people. Police would exist without God, and jail would exist without God. The united states government is supposed to be free of religion, and our laws have meaning. The most valuable thing a person has is time, so taking that away would suck balls
Tony R
Well if a god was actually dictating our laws for us, we wouldn't have the ones we do. For many divorce would be illegal, it's not. Gay marriage would be illegal, it's not. And it would be illegal to work on Saturday ( or Sunday as some think that is the Sabbath), it's not. A lot of laws don't follow what religion teaches. So I don't see how our laws even reflect a "god" in the first place. Looks like we are shaping them ourselves as we go along anyway.
numbnuts222
Considering every land makes up their own laws, that makes God a bit redundant
Maurog IV
That would be meaningless and stupid, and I wouldn't want to live in that land.
Instead, we should form societies based on rules that everyone in the society agree to follow. You know, like we do now.
What does this have to do with gods being totally made up, again?