Paper 4

Christian Based Laws?
Have you ever noticed how many of the United States laws have a Christian background? Many times laws are passed or vetoed depending on Christian morals. Although our nation was
founded on religious tolerance, occasionally the court system may refer to the Bible when
deciding a case. Religious persons make up 87% percent of the American population. Can
Americans expect our constitution to not be biased towards the nation’s leading religion?
In Christianity, modesty is the best policy. Christians frown upon showing too much skin
in public. The law prohibiting indecent exposure is based on this policy. My best friend Pamela
is a Mormon, and every Sunday they are allowed to take the bread and water if they have not
sinned that week. She was not able to take the bread and water one Sunday because the shirt
that she was wearing was considered to be too revealing. Right now, there is a case in court
about a man that flashed a hotel clerk, and now she is filing charges against him. Her Christian
parents said that he has ruined her purity. He was arrested and will be tried soon.
Embryonic Stem cell research is an issue that often leads to Christian protests. President
Bush just vetoed a bill stating that embryonic stem cell research “crossed a moral
boundary”(CNN). Bush, along with most Christians, believes that destroying embryos is
equivalent to destroying a child’s life. Many Christian activists were present at the Whitehouse,
protesting the passage of that particular bill. Christians consider this type of research murder.
The fact that this law was denied because of the Christian protest demonstrates how huge of an
influence Christianity has on our government.
Another law that has been derived from Christian beliefs is the law that prohibits gay
marriage. Just last year, it was legal for two people of the same sex to marry in certain states.
The law was too controversial because of Christian morals, so they revoked that right. Christians
say that in the Bible it states that homosexuality is a sin. They believe that some people may be
born attracted to someone of the same sex but, that the sin occurs when they give into those
desires. Laws regarding gay rights are struck down because of the large amount of Christians
that make up this country. For example, in 2000, the Supreme Court ruled that a man could be
fired from his job as a Boy Scout Leader because he was homosexual. He wasn’t considered a
suitable role model once they found out he was gay.
It is a common Christian belief that God should decide when we die. Humans are not
supposed to control when they die. When someone does plan their death, it is considered suicide, which is a sin. They believe that suicidal people will go to hell. It is no surprise that the Christian
population protests against assisted suicide. Doctors are often held accountable for their patient’s death if they fulfill their wish to help them die. Assisted suicide is legal in Oregon and the law has very strict conditions. Christians have caused the Bush Administration to appeal this law and they expect a response in early 2008.
Another controversial law that Christians have openly protested is the law prohibiting
cloning. They are struggling to make cloning against the law. They have proved victorious on
other similar issues and are hoping for the same outcome. President Bush is supporting the
Christians and their proposal to ban cloning. So far, the House has passed the bill, but they are
still waiting on the Senate (CNN). This is an example of how the Christian religion is persuading
our secular U.S. government.
It is against the Ten Commandments to commit adultery. In some states across our
nation, it is also against the law to commit adultery. Colorado, Alabama, Florida, Georgia,
Massachusetts, Michigan, and Oklahoma all have laws against adultery (Wikipedia.com). These
laws are a product of Christian values. Different state laws have consequences that include
tickets, jail time, and divorce if there is evidence. Some of these states may choose not to enforce these laws but they are still considered valid. Again, the enactment of these laws, is proof that
Christianity influences the laws of our religiously tolerant nation.
The contentious laws that I have mentioned are examples of the Christian
sway on our government. Gay rights, adultery, indecent exposure, and embryonic stem cell
research are all issues that have resulted in laws favoring Christianity. The United States was
not established as a Christian based nation, yet my examples confirm that some of our laws
have a Christian background. Our founding fathers wrote the constitution with hopes that
America would be religiously tolerant. If they were alive now, would they consider these laws to
be constitutional?