Can Governments Legislate Morality?

Ultimately with R.C. Sproul

Ligonier Ministries

Christianity, Religion & Spirituality

4.9 • 1.2K Ratings

🗓️ 27 September 2024

⏱️ 4 minutes

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Summary

“You can’t legislate morality.” Have you ever heard someone use that expression when talking about the role of the government? Today, R.C. Sproul responds to this statement, reminding us of the ethical role that God has established for civil rulers.

Read the transcript: https://ligonier.org/podcasts/ultimately-with-rc-sproul/can-governments-legislate-morality/

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Transcript

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0:00.0	When we say you can't legislate morality, are we suggesting that there ought not to be government
0:05.0	laws against murder?
0:10.0	If we would eliminate moral concerns from legislation, what would Congress be left to do?
0:37.2	We have an axiom in our culture that is repeated every time a law is in dispute and it goes something like this. I'm sure you've heard it, perhaps God forbid you've even said it. That it is said of governments you cannot legislate morality.
0:45.0	Have you heard that expression?
0:47.0	We can't legislate morality.
0:50.0	Now, on the surface prima facie that is a ridiculous statement it is an exercise in absurdity. In a word, ladies and
1:06.2	it's silly. Because if we mean by that that you can't legislate morality, and
1:11.7	this is the way it's used again and again and again in public debate,
1:15.3	is that the government ought not to be involved in enacting laws or passing legislation that curves, restrains, or restrict. or Well, think of it. If we would eliminate moral concerns
1:36.1	from legislation, what would Congress be left to do
1:41.6	in terms of the enactment of laws.
1:45.4	Past laws regarding the state bird, but even that would have ecological and therefore ethical and moral ramifications.
1:54.7	When we say you can't legislate morality or the government ought not to legislate moral issues,
1:59.6	are we suggesting that there ought not to be government laws against murder or that murder is not
2:05.2	a moral issue or that theft is not a moral issue.
2:08.6	Ladies and gentlemen, what do you think government does?
2:10.9	The basic purpose of legislation is to enact laws that are heavily weighted with moral concern.
2:20.0	It is a moral issue how I drive my automobile on the highway because I'm not a law unto myself and out of my own convenience
2:30.5	I might become a reckless driver and a clear and present danger indeed a menace to the safety and the livelihood of anybody around my automobile.
2:41.0	But the law puts restraints on my desires. It takes away some of my freedom to express
2:48.2	myself with the automobile and establishes a limit in terms of what speed I may drive without transgressing a law
	...

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