Sins Versus Crimes
An opinion on what constitutes a sin or a crime.
Sins are religious in origin. Crimes are secular.
If the principle of inalienable rights was upheld, rather than just given lip service, then any behavior (among consenting adults) that did not violate, or threaten to violate, the rights of others could not be considered a crime, although the religious among us might consider some such behaviors to be sinful.
Sins that are not crimes are behaviors that some people find to be immoral and wrong due to their religious or personal moral beliefs. Many of these people adhere to the notion that if they find something to be immoral, then it should be illegal.
The prosecution of crimes, that is, the prosecution of the violation of the rights of others is a social good. No one has the right to violate the rights of another person without good cause. Good cause applies in defense of yourself, your loved ones, or innocent others.
The prosecution of sins goes against the true nature of individual freedom and liberty in the United States. In other nations where the government is ruled by religious beliefs, the prosecution of sins is a normal, everyday occurrence. Think of Moslem nations under the sharia laws where the right to express yourself freely, openly does not exist. Instead you must follow the religious laws as found in the Koran. (Several years ago a Saudi princess and her lover were publicly beheaded for having sex and not being married.)
Our nation, the United States of America, was founded on the principle of inalienable rights; the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. You may pursue your happiness with only one caveat: You may not harm or threaten to harm others . . . without good cause.
Well, that was the theory. The reality is much different. A strong religious nature has influenced our secular government and laws. And by religion I mean personal moral beliefs, whether based on the belief in a particular deity or not.
Under such religious influence things that are not crimes are made into crimes . . . and punishment follows.
The philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche, said: “Mistrust those in whom the urge to punish is strong.”
The United States, representing approximately 5% of the world’s population, has nearly one-half of the world’s imprisoned population. (http://www.drugwarfacts.org/cms/?q=node/62, paragraph 40).
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Post CommentBillHarris
On November 16, 2009 at 5:36 pm
One need not travel to China to find indigenous cultures lacking human rights or to Cuba for political prisoners. America leads the world in percentile behind bars, thanks to ongoing persecution of hippies, radicals, and non-whites under prosecution of the war on drugs. If we’re all about spreading liberty abroad, then why mix the message at home? Peace on the home front would enhance global credibility.
The drug czar’s Rx for prison fodder costs dearly, as life is flushed down expensive tubes. My shaman’s second opinion is that psychoactive plants are God’s gift. Behold, it’s all good. When Eve ate the apple, she knew a good apple, and an evil prohibition. Canadian Marc Emery is being extradited to prison for selling seeds that American farmers use to reduce U. S. demand for Mexican pot.
Only on the authority of a clause about interstate commerce does the CSA (Controlled Substances Act of 1970) reincarnate Al Capone, endanger homeland security, and throw good money after bad. Administration fiscal policy burns tax dollars to root out the number-one cash crop in the land, instead of taxing sales. Society rejected the plague of prohibition, but it mutated. Apparently, SWAT teams don’t need no stinking amendment.
Nixon passed the CSA on the false assurance that the Schafer Commission would later justify criminalizing his enemies. No amendments can assure due process under an anti-science law without due process itself. Psychology hailed the breakthrough potential of LSD, until the CSA shut down research, and pronounced that marijuana has no medical use, period. Drug juries exclude bleeding hearts.
The RFRA (Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993) allows Native American Church members to eat peyote, which functions like LSD. Americans shouldn’t need a specific church membership or an act of Congress to obtain their birthright freedom of religion. John Doe’s free exercise of religious liberty may include entheogen sacraments to mediate communion with his maker.
Freedom of speech presupposes freedom of thought. The Constitution doesn’t enumerate any governmental power to embargo diverse states of mind. How and when did government usurp this power to coerce conformity? The Mayflower sailed to escape coerced conformity. Legislators who would limit cognitive liberty lack jurisdiction.
Common-law must hold that adults are the legal owners of their own bodies. The Founding Fathers undersigned that the right to the pursuit of happiness is inalienable. Socrates said to know your self. Mortal lawmakers should not presume to thwart the intelligent design that molecular keys unlock spiritual doors. Persons who appreciate their own free choice of path in life should tolerate seekers’ self-exploration.