Matthew's Journal

I think laws are generally in place to make sure that one's actions don't infringe upon another person's freedoms. Within a reasonable extent, of course. But most are designed towards limiting destruction (and thus anarchy); ensuring the greatest amount of personal freedom that doesn't involve restricting someone else's personal freedom.

That's a large part of why I think religion and law need to be kept far, far away from each other. Religions involve their own sets of religious law which may or may not be analagous or even appropriate in a changing society, particularly one including a number of religions and thus inevitably conflicting religious beliefs. Granted, my own foremost reliegious belief is centered upon respect for others' beliefs, so that's something of a self-fulfilling prophesy and thus hypocritical.

But also religious laws (being connected to faith) should, in my opinion, be a matter of personal choice and testing, kept between one and one's God and not punishable by earthly officials. If they also are illegal for other reasons as well (see above), so be it, but they shouldn't become illegal solely because they are immoral by the tenets of one's religion.

I'm not sure I'm putting any of this well.