Saint Augustine says : an unjust law should not be considered as a law. We equally see throughout history that many people rebelled against the system because they considered it unjust: Gandhi, Thoreau, Martin Luther King, Simon Bolivar. On the other hand a society needs laws in order to function - or else anarchy will rule. In your opinion, what distinguishes an unjust law from a law that we simply do not want to comply to?
Bom dia Paulo,
No caso destes personagens sempre houve a questão liberdade envolvida, mas ai ficamos com esta questão em aberto tambem, até onde pode se interferir na liberdade de um povo? Acredito que a resposta esteja na cultura deste povo! Uma lei só será injusta se ferir a cultura ou discriminar essas pessoas. Vide o caso da “lei seca” no Brasil que no começo me pareceu uma afronta, mas que com o passar do tempo notei que nao inteferia na minha vida de tal forma a mudar meus habitos.
abraços
an unjust law is one which tries to discriminate between people on grounds of sex, age, race etc.
while a law which we just don’t want to comply with are mostly related to morale policing, laws which makes the common man feel inferior ! or in some cases laws which are cumbersome to comply with, like filing voluminous IT returns.
why is the significance of this ‘topic’ ?
love
aditya
La subjetividad.
The only law is that which comes from within…what is the use of law anyway?It is going to be broken finally….breaking of promise?
unjust law is something which you use to steal from others which is not yours by right - it is driven by fear, greed, anger and loss of your humanity
and by steal, its not just wealth. i would consider ideas, hope, spirit, freedom all stealable
An unjust law is the one who imprison us and cut our wings. Without. Without. Choice. Really. From the beginning of the beginning. It´s the one who wants to let us die. Instead of. Fly.
Killing innocent people, invading land, pushing people off their properties, torturing a nation in the name of law…then that law is an unjust law.
If each human being only listened to the inner voice of love, peace and compassion, the perceived need for imposed external rules would dissipate. Rules are made by people who fear of loss of control. As you realize you only control yourself, your focus shifts and your energy vibration aligns differently.
When I look at the sky and see the bird flying, touching the clouds, dancing in the wind, I think of freedom.
When I look at certain nations where something cruel is done in the name of law, I think of freedom, or rather lack of it.
Is this the same freedom? yes, but the first is optional, the second is so often not, at least not to those who have to obey.
love
Agnieszka
An unjust law is something which denies a human his basic rights. A law which endangers his life, freedom,and safety. There are other laws also which if followed will certainly help us, but at the same time, violating these may not always have drastic consequences. For example, traffic rules. We tend to bend these sometimes for the sake of our convenience because we feel that its a small thing and it doesn’t hurt anyone.
This is a very good question. I think the issue isn’t so much justice vs. compliance, but how justice is defined. It’s defined differently by every sort of entity, from the individual to the community to the religion to the status quo to the political climate to the media. It’s a malleable thing, far too easy to mold according to the latest fashion. What one person or group thinks of as justice is another person or group’s injustice. So I think the answer depends on whether there can be a universally agreed upon idea of justice or truth. I don’t think there can be.
In my opinion, a just law is something that is put in place for the benefit of all citizens. An unjust law is any law that oppresses, excludes, or hurts someone in the population.
Dawn
I agree with Memarie’s idea, as well.
An unjust law is the law that violates the basic Human Rights. The dreamers may think of a World that everybody is doing his duty without having to be ‘forced’. The violation of the Law [natural or spiritual], has a penalty and a punishment, so that people may be prevented of acting unlawfully. Conscience is the battlefield for our actions and decisions. Evolution means …breaking the rules and boundaries and sometimes this happens after a rebellion. But Gandhi has shown us another peaceful way and Jesus had said “Love your enemy…” ‘LOVE, THELMA
an unjust law is a law that doesnt benefit the people, but
rather the ruling body and is a means of manipulation for
personal gain. It oppresses the people and serves no
civil value. what about the law of gravity?
we are condemned to remain grounded on this earth,
that is unjust.
What defines a just law?
I feel that Laws must be based on morals, ethics and values to be considered valid. Laws that are unjust are well, not really considered solid commandments in a way.
Yes, some laws are unjust and we as normal citizens often respond harshly to them. But then again, would they if the law itself was just and right?
This leaves much debate as it goes both ways but the bottomline is that Laws are supposed to maintain order and protect the less fortunate, not the other way around.
An unjust law is one we cannot possibly comply with…. but still must, because another human being says so….
A just law is one we abide by without it being written or spoken, because we instinctively know in our hearts that it is good for us and for our fellow warriors….
Love & the instinctive wisdom to know the difference, Paul
This may be a biblical question, Mr. Coelho? St. Augustine spoke of Divine Law vs. the laws of men. He urged his audience to obey the church and not the government, the church and not the community and not the Army.
But every society has its unwritten agreements, even a society of two. They differ based on one’s frame of reference. And if that law, according to St. Augustine, is not in accordance with God’s law, then it is not Supreme. It has no authority. We only have anarchy, I think it goes, when man disobeys both flavors simultaneously.
I think that not everyone can distinguish between the two…because if everyone could, the unjust low would never exist in the fist place. The reason that we have those unjustis lows is because some people can’t or simply don’t want to recognize the fact that we all different one from another but in the same time we are equal.
I had a law professor in college who always used the say:
“The law is an island floating on a sea or morality”.
Basically, this means that anything that is against the law should be immoral, however, just because something is immoral does not mean it should be against the law.
In my view, an unjust law is one that infringes on people freedome, the freedom to choose, the freedome to live happy lives and pursue their dreams. Laws are meant to protect people, not hinder them.
I guess it could be argued that making murder illegal is hindering someone’s desire to kill another, but that is ok because under no circumstances does anyone have the right to hurt another, and people should be protected from those who would want to hurt other people.
America has had its share of very unjust laws in the past. Just a decade ago we dealt with segregation. Blacks were not allowed to attend the same schools as white kids, use the same bathrooms, drinking fountains…etc. This served no other purpose that to make sure that blacks were never treated as equals in this country. This is an unjust law, it protected no one, and only served to hinder a large group of people from achieving their dreams.
We also currently have a very strick just law regarding driving while intoxicated. Though it does restrict someone ability to go out and drink way to much, then get behind a wheel a drive, the danger this action poses to public is very evident, and thus I would consider this law just. This law serves to protect the general public, while not really hindering anyones ability to do anything. There are plenty of other means of transportation to and from bars.
The laws that we just don’t want to follow are just bothersome laws really. They do not serve to protect anyone, but they also do not really restrict anyones rights as a human either. The best example of this would probably be J-walking.
Ultimately there is no other law than the supreme one: Each of us has an unconditional obligation to fulfill our destiny.
At their very best, human laws can promote a social environment where compliance with that supreme law is facilitated. Unfortunately, this is not always the case.
None of us can escape our responsibility to determine whether a particular law must be broken or obeyed in order to comply with the supreme one.
Sure, there will be consequences if one would decide to break the laws of a society. But history shows that subservience may entail even worse consequences.
I think that the best would be an ‘acid test’. First of all apply this law to one that you really love. Afterwards apply it to someone who you really hate.
If your feelings have not been the same it means that it is not just!
A law should be to bring some order to our coexistence. Not imposition.
Joan
Cuando una ley va en contra de los derechos humanos. Es injusta.
Un beso Paulo.
Las leyes escritas por hombres para hacer que la impunidad sea la forma de vida, por ende no son respetadas. Las leyes que son escritas por hombres que saben que mienten, por ende no son respetadas. Las leyes que son escritas para dominar como un imperio anulando todas las disposiciones internacionales de convivencia civilizada, por ende no son respetadas.
Las leyes que han sido fabricadas para impedir que la verdad sea conocida como revela la Biblia en el tiempo en el que la Bestia marca a los seres humanos, por ende no son respetadas. Y la Bestia ya marca a los seres humanos con las implantaciones de microchips de Verichip de los Estados Unidos de America, basados en torturas experimentales con seres humanos, por ende no son respetadas. Las leyes que surgen para proteger mafias secretas, por ende no son respetadas.
La ley que no es igual para el poderoso que para el que es reprimido, por ende no es respetada.
Las leyes que anulan las libertad de PENSAMIENTO, por ende no son respetadas.
LAS LEYES que anulan la LIBERTAD de EXPRESION, por ende no son respetadas.
Las leyes que dicen castigar el terror cuando el terror es propio, por ende no son respetadas.
Las leyes que surgen de la mentira, por ende no son respetadas.
Las leyes que son escritas por los hombres que no desean respetar los derechos humanos, y que conforman nuevas formas de apartheid, por ende no son respetadas.
Las leyes que pretenden hacer que unos pocos mafiosos se arroguen el derecho de ser dioses esclavisando a millones de seres humanos, por ende no son respetadas.
Alejandra H. Covarrubias
Periodista
I´m sorry, I dont´speak and writte inglish.
las leyes están creadas para una colectividad, un sistema, un país, una nación, ya es bastante díficil saber cuando un individuo es justo, para intentar saber cuando una ley es justa.
Yo pienso que las leyes son siempre injustas, siempre hay alguien que se perjudica.
Con esto no quiero decir que no deba de haber leyes, sino que como dice Memare, hay que plantearse ¿Qué es justicia? ¿Qué es justo?, en mi opinión: “la ecuanimidad” o lo que es lo mismo equilibrio.
¿Y no es equiibrio al que le violen, que se ha violado? ¿Al que le roben que le robemos? ¿Al que le asesinen, que sea asesinado ?. ¿Volvemos entonces a la Ley del Talión?.
“Demos a Dios lo que es de Dios y al César lo que es del César”. Que cada uno obre con su responsabilidad, según la cultura, el país, y el momento en que se encuentre. Que cada uno pelee por que en su país se hagan las leyes lo más justa posible según su conciencia.
Losjuristan se basan en el interés de un sistema, una comunidad, con lo cual están influenciados por lo cultura de la sociedad o el país al que pertenezcan,…es más se deben a sus partidos, el partido se debe a sus votantes, todos los votantes nos debemos
a una idea preconcebida, ( ni que hablar de las ideas religuiosas)
unos votantes, a su vez estos se dejan influenciar y más últimamente por los mass-media, en el mio en concreto
(España) hubo un atentado contra Miguel Angel Blanco, y la estadística de personas a favor de la pena de muerte aumentó.
Y las estadísticas, a quién se deben las personas que hacen estas estadísticas?
Todas las leyes son injustas, con una injusticia directamente proporcional a los intereses de sus legisladores. Las leyes más justas serán las leyes hechas por la mayor cantidad de hombres y mujeres justos, sin intereses.
¿Dónde buscarlos? Haberlos, hailos, como las brujas, ¿Dónde hallarlos si la mayoría son tan justos que no desean hacer justicia?.
En cuanto a su cumplimiento, creo que las leyes son
de debido cumplimiento. (claro que habrá siempre excepciones)
Estamos en un sistema y nos debemos a él, si no nos gusta, luchar por mejorar, cuando joven yo odiaba a los jueces, a los legisladores, todavía creo que tengo algo de eso, pero reconozco en mi opinión que un concenso, el mejor concenso posible, es la única vía posible de una convivencia en paz. Y la paz es el único cauce posible para educar a los niños, futuros legisladores para
hacer cada vez leyes más justas.
Heart’s will
Paulo, What did those Jesuits do to you? So serious this week!
To me an example of an unjust law could be; Everybody has to learn the same Curriculum in school. Imagine if you have a frog, a monkey, a cat, a turtle, a bird, a dog and an elephant, and ask them all to climb a tree. Certainly, the task is easy enough for the bird, the monkey, the cat and even for the frog. How about the elephant,the dog or the turtle? They couldn’t climb the tree, no matter how hard they try. So, therefore schools should offer individualized education. Right?
A law we do not want to comply to? Take the law; Everybody, during any nation’s education system learn to read and write, and a few moral principles. In undeveloped places, the parents might keep their children away from school to help working on the farm, or in the family business. In overdeveloped places, people often set themselves above any moral principles and say anything goes. In both cases the student will miss out on a great opportunity to learn something fundamental to have a good life.
So how did the St. Augustin distinguish between the two? He referred to the masculine legalistic Church, and found the answer in the conscience of each individual, who will search for the law of the heart, as an ultimate goal, when looking for the truth.
Heart.
An unjust law, simply put, is one which serves “justice” without the right justification while a law which we simply do not want to comply to, is one which serves “justice” but we do not believe in its justification. The former lacks essence, the latter lacks acceptance.
Unjust laws exist where greed, tyranny or dictatorship of the ruling class is prevalent.
Laws that we do not want to comply with are the product of pettyness and/or shortsightedness.
The fact is no distinction exists between such laws.
Bad law is or should be tantamount to no law at all.
An unjust law is a law we deem to go against justice. A unfair law that does not consider the welfare of all people.
A law that we do not want to comply too; is our use of our free-will, (our inherent nature, that which makes us human), with this we can for the most part rationally determine the fairness of the law. Because our nature is to question everything, even its just for a milli-second, we can discern if the law is useless, unjust, goes against our morals, is unfair toward innocent parties so on and on. This I feel is our right.
A law which supress or discriminates people or a law which gives so much freedom without any accountability.
An unjust law is one that provides incentives for us to value life differently. Any law that implicitly says a group of people don’t deserve to have what everyone else deserves to have because their lives aren’t worth as much, is unjust.
I do like what Memarie and Alison have posted - they seem to be speaking from a similar voice. For Augustine, an unjust law would have been anything that violated his version of Christianity. That notion of truth and justice has shifted.
It should be noted, however, that Augustine spoke from a particular experience - he truly lived life prior to his recommitment to Christianity. Would he himself have characterized his actions in his early decades as unlawful? Unjust? Simply justified given the authority within which they were pursued? His problem with theodicy did not come till later.
Unjust outcomes make me squeamish, as well as a lack of legitimate authority.
I wish my reading comprehension in all other romance languages was better. :(
an unjust law would be one that violates some sort of basic and more or less universally acknowledged human right
a law we simply wish not to comply with, on the other hand, would be one wich, while being generally acknowledged as morally acceptable, still stands in the way of or somehow serves to keep in check a common human desire….such as the desire to speed on the highway in order to get somewhere faster. most people wouldn’t argue that speed limits are morally acceptable, and yet most people deliberately speed on a regular basis
woops…meant to say most people wouldn’t argue that speed limits “aren’t” morally acceptable
An unjust law is typically a law that permitts a certain amount of human beings an amount of rights that another group cannot have.
It’s our basic childlike mentality of what’s right and wrong. Unjust laws are the wrong. Any law that puts anyone in an unfair position. For example, treating every Muslim that enters America’s borders as a potential terrorist. This is unjust, because it defies our basic human rights, not to be stereotyped. Once again, those childhood lessons of “Don’t judge a book by it’s cover”.
Unjust laws are basically a violation of an individual, or a group of people’s, basic human rights.
An unjust law is a law that is applicated.
Love
Damien
A good lawyer.
On a more introspective note, an unjust law is one that we cannot viscerally tolerate, even if it doesn’t affect us personally.
I think it depends on our own quality. How good are we in self- restraint and self justice. How much can we put ourselves in others shoes and judge. Mahatma Gandhi rebelled against the government which ruled him… But all those who rebel against the government are not Mahatma Gandhis. I feel we must be good enough to find our own mistakes, Then we will definitely be good enough to find mistakes with the law.
L’ humanité n’ est pas prête à vivre sans lois et non plus à vivre dans l’ anarchie. Qui décident des lois,et à qui servent t’ elles. Ecrire des livres sur les lois c’ est très bien mais dans la réalité appliquer ces lois est une tout autre chose. La démocratie est une illusion, car l’ économie mondiale empêche la justice, la libre expression, et l’ égalité. L’ économie mondiale rend l’ être esclave de sa survie, manger, dormir, s’ habiller , boire, vivre dans la paix. Pour manger, pour dormir sur un lit déscend , pour s’ habiller il faut travailler, sans travail , sans argent une personne n’ est rien, peu importe son âge ou sa condition. Dans cette perspective de survie, la démocratie se vie difficillement, alors celle ci se vie par la violence. Les peuples se rebelles à leur façon , par la criminalité, par le pouvoir, par la discrimination, par la haine, par le mépris, le racisme, les guerres , la violence conjugale, la violence familliale, la violence économique, la prostitution. Ces par la démocratie que les lois peuvent naîtres. Sans démocratie les lois seront toujours dictées par des gens avides de pouvoir et qui n’ arriveront jamais à faire de notre monde , un monde où la pauvreté et les inégalités sociales verront le jour. L’ économie mondiale rend l’ humain dépendant d’ un système qui l’ éloigne de la démocratie, qui l’ éloigne de ses droits, et qui l’ éloigne de l’ arene politique. Nous sommes tous occupés à chercher à nous mettre de la nourriture sous la dent et à payer notre loyer, pendant ce temps l’ humanité se détèriorent, et les guerres sont toujorus présentes sur la terre, des enfants ne mangent pas et des femmes battus traînent les rues en risquant leur vie jour après jour, et ont en fait un problème individuel, lorsque cela est un problème sociale et économique..
Je suis en accord avec Saint Augustin. Mais aujourd’ hui des Saint Augustin il n’ y en a pas. Si peu. Nous aimerions bien changer les choses mais les grands médias ne nous écoutes pas, les élites sociaux ne nous écoutent pas, rien ne changent. Ce n’est qu’ illusion de dire que nous sommes plus éveillées qu’ avant, c’ est de la bonne conscience.
Les humains aiment les conflits, ils s’ en abreuvent, sans conflits ils croient que la vie n’a pas d’ importance. Un rien, un regard, une phrase déplacée et les conflits éclatent. Les humains aiments les conflits parcequ’ ils veulent d’ un coté faire cesser les injustices sociales, mais de l’ autre coté ils ne changent rien dans leurs propres habitudes de conscommations et de pensées. Il y a beaucoup d’ hypocrisie, de mensonges.
Pour se libérer de tous ces conditionnements qui empêchent l’ homme d’ être libre cela demande beaucoup de courage et de volonté car peu y arrive, et avec l’ économie mondiale encore peu y arriveront. La plupart tombe malade, ou se suicide avant d’ en arriver là…
Les lois servent l’ économies, comme elles servaient les rois dans les régimes monarchiques, comme elles servaient les religions au moyen âge…Aujorud, hui Dieu est l’ Argent. Au détriment de la Vie, du sacré en nous. Sans argents l’ être humain, la vie n’ a plus son sens…
Une question fort intéresante qui demanderait un plus grand espace de discussion…Merci de l’ avoir soulevée…
I think an unjust law is a law which don’t correspond to the good of the community; this is the reason that shoud drive every citizen to reject it.
A law we don’t want to comply to is a law that is simply prejudicial to our interest.
…then that law is an unjust law.
i still think it’s just a matter of perspective.
as others had commented before me, the question of distinction between an unjust law and a law we simple do not want to comply to is a subjective one. the heart will know if there is justice to the rules brought down upon the people.
but as always, the heart is easily blinded. some may easily say that a law is unjust, while some will just say it is not (and they’d all not comply with it in the end).
the easiest measuring stick that will allow people to discern whether or not a law is unjust is this: if a law serves to bring about social order, make every member of the society equal in ranking, privileges and responsibilities, foster a good environment for the development of EACH and every one of the individual members, and nurture and protect individual freewill - then surely that law is just.
i’ve seen in one of your books:
there is one real law:
“Love other people how you would like to be loved”
and all the rest is only an over-written description.
Jherskie,
With that definition of just laws, not many laws are just I am afraid…
Well said, Jherskie. I think the answer to this question is definitely subjective. It depends on the life an individual has lived and greatly on culture. Laws that we may think are absurd and an infringement on our personal rights may be commonplace and accepted in another country. Even within our country, sub-cultures may have different views on laws. Take views on polygamy, abortion and Stem Cell technology here in the US. Some greatly support and others greatly oppose these issues.
When you get to the base of the matter, a just law is one that brings equality, maintains stability and frees from harm, those within a society. The real questions become, what is equality, what is stability, what is considered harm, and even, who is considered a member of society? That, I believe, will always be debatable.
For me there is an unjust law.
There are helpess creatures in the hands of humans. It´s a long torture for most of them that only finish with their death.
A bird for example. A bird behind the bars of a cage. Day after day. It´s a torture.
Some humans like to think that they are happy but I would like to hear what the birds have to say about that.
They cannot protect themselves. They are just there, in the cage. And some humans are very cruel with them.
***
I would like that humans who may read this could take a moment to imagine what must feel a bird who is obliged (because of the darkness of humans) to spend his/her whole Life contemplating Life with nothing to do but wait behind bars. Every single day. The same.
I would like also that we could compare the Life of the birds who Live freely, with the Life of our poor bird, the one who is into the cage of the house of a human.
***********
And the same happen with the other slaves: dogs, cats, snakes, rabbits, etc.
The dark side of humans need to keep these helpless creatures as slaves.
True Understanding is starting to Bright in the Heart of humans however. While this process is Helping us to see the face of God, we could try to give our slaves a better Life.
What do they need to have a better Life? What would have had if they had been born Free, in the Wild?
If our slaves (dogs, cats, birds, etc.) are having an antinatural Life, what could we do to improve their quality of Life?
Of course there are slaves who are luckier than others; that also depends, generally speaking, on the country (the environment) they are Living. Some countries (or environment) are awful if they have had the misfortune of having been born there.
Maybe it is a question of Education and also changing the humans laws to Help them but … I think that Change, that Law, that Miracle, must happen in the Heart of humans.
Through True Understanding.
Why do we need slaves at home (a rabbit, a snake, a bird, a dog, a cat) if most of them are not having what they need?
Do we Love them? Do we really Love them?
We could treat our slaves the best we can and we could consider, next time we might wish another one, if they are having what they need to have to fulfill their Lives.
Or are we just thinking that they are happy because we want to think they are happy?
Wow so much wisdom and insight and yet trying to define what is just and unjust is like trying to hold the wind i your hand. The closest and simplest explanation goes right back to Paulo’s book the Alchemist where the simple shepherd in many challenging situations listens to his heart wherein all the answers lie, irrespecive of culture or religion or preconceived notions. We simply have to become still and wait for the one true answer that tells us what is right in any situation where this question arises. Yes, those situations are infinite but the truth will always be the same, if we abandon our egos and listen to our heart and soul. As a wise person once said, it is not who is right but what is right, and that knowledge or answer is available to all mankind if we just take the necessary time…take care everyone..:-)
Justice has the colour of the ink that writes it. Justice its shaped, transformed and adjust according to the views of the majority or menority in some cases. But who are they to say of what is just?
Rules and laws are given to organize and control individuals of a certain group, to develop societies which will maintain a certain order on the ways things are done thus developing cultures, countries, religions. These cultures, countries and religions will keep reshaping, transforming and adjusting the same laws/rules to keep the order and stability of the societies on which they were built.
But humankind its extraordinary!
There are no unjust laws as much as there will always be laws that we wont comply to just because it doesn’t suit our persona or situation.
What is Justice? Who can tell what is fair or not? Is it in the eyes of the oppressed or in the mind of the oppressor, the oppressor can become the oppressed and the oppressed can become the oppressor.
An unjust law is an unfair law. It’s not so much distinguished from laws that people don’t want to obey as subsumed within that much broader category. (That is, there are many just as well as just laws that people often try to avoid complying with.)
Legal laws and moral laws are made to make society function. They are made by people with rulemaking power in whatever culture. If I find one such law unfair, that´s my opinion - do I agree is disagree with this social or moral or legal rule?
If I in my personal life am faced to deal with the effects of one such law that goes against my heart´s ethics in such a way that I
can´t comply with the social or legal or moral law, than
I´m faced with an ethic choice. This is a question of which authority I should follow, somebody else´s rule or my own self authority? Do I want to follow a rule I can´t comply with or do I need to follow my heart´s ethics?
Legal laws and moral laws are made to make society function. They are made by people with rulemaking power in whatever culture. If I find one such law unfair, that´s my opinion - do I agree or disagree with this social or moral or legal rule?
If I in my personal life am faced to deal with the effects of one such law that goes against my heart´s ethics in such a way that I
can´t comply with the social or legal or moral law, than
I´m faced with an ethic choice. This is a question of which authority I should follow, somebody else´s rule or my own self authority? Do I want to follow a rule I can´t comply with or do I need to follow my heart´s ethics?
While we encounter a law that is simply difficult to obey, what is in our mind is just OUR OWN convenience and safety.
But we recognize a law as unjust only when we have OTHERS also in our mind,who are going to be affected unfairly by that law.
With love…smitha
Well, technically, nothing. For we do not wish to follow both, and so the feeling is mutual.
Most laws are based upon religion. Worldwide laws are made to treat humans ethically, some not really but as long as it complies with the standard of their religion, yet not everyone believes in God or the teachings of Jesus or whatever other religions. The Bible began laws and with time laws have blinded love and those laws have created chaos.
It seems to me that the idea of what is just is wide open to interpretation. What may seem just to one man or society may seem like a prison to another. Perhaps it is true that we only feel bound by laws - just or otherwise - when we bind ourselves internally with fear, lack of trust, honour or respect and by attempting to be what we are not.
Love and blessings
Rebecca
love. If the law is based on love, it is fair. but if not, you should not obey it.
Hello Paulo!!!
C’est peut-être enfantin et simpliste mais pour moi, si mon coeur est en paix avec quelque chose c’est que ça va et qu’il n’y a pas d’injustice… Mon coeur est mon fidèle allié…
LOVE…
Hi all,
In my opinion
A law is a written rule set for us to comply whether we like it or not.
Unjust law occurs when individual/people disagree and rebel against that written law due to certain reasons
If I’m against a law (new/existing), I refer it as an “unjust law”
If I agree to a law which some don’t, I would say that it’s just a law that people don’t want to comply to.
A law can be an unjust law but an unjust law should not be considered as a law (I agree with St.A)
Have a good day all
this is so weird! the law defines justice…! so what on earth does unjust law mean? maybe it just needs a clause for exception-handling, in cases when the human heart does not see that the law indeed upheld what is right and good.
Olá
Paulo nos dá uma boa idéia do que seja uma lei, na sua carta aos Gálatas, ele nos diz que para se cumprir uma lei primeiramente precisamos estar em “conduta” errada, para que a lei possa ser cumprida.
Uma pessoa que não é assassina por natureza não está cumprindo nenhuma lei ao não matar ninguém, mas se ela afirmar que não comete tal ato por medo da lei, ela assume que possui tal “tendência” em si.
Então se alguém diz: Eu não cometo adultério porque a lei não permite. Está afirmando em alto e bom som, que é um adúltero ou idólatra (em se tratando de leis Divinas).
Por isso, digo que as lei foram feitas para os seres que ainda não conseguem viver sem ela e para proteger os que podem.
Quanto a uma lei ser injusta, então se pode dizer que ela não é uma lei e sim uma ordem imposta por alguém que não conhece a lei primordial (proteção aos que não precisam praticar a lei!)
Muita Sorte e Ótimas Vendas de seus livros!
Ana Paula Camillo
Dear Mr Coelho and visitors to this blog,
A Malaysian citizen by the name of Anwar Ibrahim was taken into police today, 16th of July, 2008, at about 1pm local time in Kuala Lumpur by a large team of police office that also comprise a group of police special action force, that is police commando, to apprehend Mr Anwar. He was arrested in a very brutal manner over a charge of sodomy, for which Mr Anwar was on his way to the police station to have his statement recorded. Malaysians largely, do not accept this accusation of sodomy brought by his temporary assistant, a young man of 23, (while Mr Anwar is about 61 year old and suffer back pain due to an earlier police beating while in police custody about 10 years ago.)
This sodomy case, as was the previous sodomy charges 10 years ago, was politically motivated to discredit Mr Anwar and particularly to destroy his political career.
This information concerning Mr Anwar Ibrahim is not exhaustive but simply to voice out my sense of anger and distress at such blatant use of force against an individual which has no special power nor team of bodyguard nor weapons of any kind by the instrument of the state, namely the police.
Many Malaysian regard this sodomy charge as politically motivated by the highest political elite of the dominant political party of the governing.
Mr Anwar was a Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister of Malaysia back in 1998 before he was unceremoniously sacked by the then Prime Minister, Dr Mahathir, trial over trump up charges of sodomy and corruption, put to jail and while in jail was brutally assaulted by the Chief Police Officer of Malaysia. This beating nearly caused his death. Since his release from prison in 2004, Mr Anwar has over the years, rebuild his politically career although he was restricted from running for public office until April 2008.
We hope no harm of any kind will come to Mr Anwar Ibrahim while in police custody for he was readily to cooperate with police investigation over his alleged sodomy charge.
The hope here is, like any other police state society in many parts of the whole, truth and justice will prevail so that peace can remain.
There is one particular unjust law that Malaysian wants to remove, that is, the Internal Security Act. This act gave the authority unlimited power to detain a person without trial for an indefinite amount of time. Anyone on only mere suspicious of threat to national security will be detained by the police indefinitely.
There are other unjust laws, this one is the first to go if a new government of the people for the people by the people rule.
Thank you for your patient and space for allowing this comment.
YOU CANT ! It’s based on common sense but not every one has common sense. We are influenced by our teachers, friends and of course parents but everyone is raised differently . There are no definite answers to any questions. It’s a matter of power that creates law either it’s a power of a society or of a dictator
By the way I dont no how i found you but YOU are threw my eyes a inspiration (genius) . But is knowledge a curse or a gift ?
You know, I am amazingly ecstatic about how many people chose to express their opinion about this question. It just goes to show, that people really do care in this world. Any way, an unjust law, to me, is one that goes against the natural law of the world aand universe, and subjects people to unfair punishment. A specific example is the unfair punishment for people who are in possession of, or grow marijuana. It is natural, and it also has many benefits and practical uses. It is unfair to be put behind bars for years and years, just for growing a plant. The logic behind it is just not there.
I’m with laws that secure individual rights that are related to public safety & health, laws that organize any community & lead to its prosperous & take it to higher levels. Also laws that have humanitarian senses & values which can be applied to any human being.
On the other hand unfair laws come when laws that are related to specific cultural conventions & traditions force others to follow it.
the unjust law is “to kill the Free Will” of any person.
A just law is one that is designed out of love - like red traffic lights for example, save lives… or at least that is the intention. “Just” laws generally provide more good things than bad. They are like blankets to soften the rough edges of life and make people feel safe, so they may prosper with business, family, enjoying life, etc.
An unjust law is one designed out of greed, ego or lust for power and generally causes more harm than good. And some unjust laws are created out of fear of CHANGE.
Its amazing how can a simple question generate these many different point of view. It actually proves that every point (of view) is also comprised of other infinite points.
An unjust law is difficult to define. To refine it down to one sentence we can just say a law makes everyone better off without making someone worse off (sorry for my tech accent). But if you look at the micro level there is nobody in this world which can make such a “law”. So we even if we say we must all start going with our intuition what is the guaranty that everyone will like what you do. Its true that our intuition will never try to harm anyone but there is nothing to ensure that whatever we do will not harm anyone. Its complicated but i just tried to say what i wanted
a justified law is one that doesn’t harm anyone and prevents suffering… an unjust law like those Gandhi, Thoreau, Martin Luther King, Simon Bolivar fought against are laws created to benefit a certain group of people by using another group of people.
Hola Pablo, paso a dejar mi huella por su blog y a decirle que todos sus libros me han gustado muchísimo, en especial Brida (mi favorito) y El Alquimista. Feliz estataré de tenerlo en mi lista de favoritos.
Un beso.
Law,
the solicitors knows more about it then me. A fair law is the one which keeps the order on the society, could not be on your side altough is generally good. An unfair law is the one which is not good generally speaking, support one side better than the other.
I love reading all the different opinions…makes this board really great!!!
It is interesting how this all comes down to point of view really, even regarding the laws themselves. Unjust laws are not unjust to everyone, and those I doubt see it as unjust. I doubt the slave owners ever really saw much of a problem with laws legalizing slavery, while I am sure they saw the laws that abolished slavery as unjust.
There is a great quote from Winston Churchill “History shall be kind to me, for I intend to write it”. So true, especially for that time period. How we would look at things like the Holocuast had Hitler had won the war. Unfortuanatly, winners tend to get their way in this world. We have this beleif that good, has in the end, always triumphed in this world. But is that really the case? Or is just that once you win you are in power and thus it is tough to be proven wrong?
When an unjust law is challenged by just men (Ghandi, Martin Luther King Jr), it is displayed to the world what is wrong with the law. These people were able to be more then just people, they were able to do more than just speak out against something, they will able to not only have, but become and idea. And idea can be a powerfull thing to move humanity to be better.
I think in the end good almost always does triumph evil in this world, and the old unjust laws give way to increased freedom and civil liberties. It just takes a person to stand up against that law and become an idea, that idea seems to spread and inspire others. For great examples see Ghandi, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr, Hariet Tubman, Jesus.
Law itself is unjust, a product of the human mind seeking to control the uncontrollable. Which is not to say that ‘law’ does not operate in the cosmos. Gravity has a pretty good way of convincing us that it works! Yet birds fly!!! The trick is to find how we can become attuned to the law which works, and implement that as a way of life, instead of laws which tell us what to do and what not to do… Like anti-smoking laws and laws against trans-fats in restaurant food…
I remember Lau-Tzu referring to water as a most powerful force. If we can only become attuned to such a flow in the world we wouldn’t need restrictions other than the natural course through which we would flow. Not the Los Angeles river though…
So, yes, I have to say that all man made laws are off the mark and any set of ‘god-given’ laws probably are to since they tend to end up in man’s hands and become a cudgel to whip people into shape.
What distinguishes an unjust law from a law that wesimply do not want to comply to?
There is God, there is Love and then there is law.
Notice the order. God’s law is love, “Law” is what we, or they
conveniently put in place for better or for worse.
If we took the time to understand why laws are necessary then we would then know the importance in which to follow them according to the will of God, so distinguishing between the two is simple.
Do unto others as you want done unto you, what is right is right, and what is wrong is wrong and it is up to you to decide if you are willing to live with the consequence of your decision.
I will say to comply with an unjust law is merely a choice to
reconcile the differences of the situation at hand, and discover the real reason why the law was set in
place first and foremost. Usually the root of it all will hold the truth, the answer and weather or not it is about standing up for what you believe in or about being prideful and unwilling to embrace your humility. For the wise man comes from one who has learned from his mistakes and is proud to except them as his own.
thank you for your inspiring heart.
-costa
Laws are usually fair for some people and unfair for other people, and I mean in the same society. People are mostly driven by their personal interests. For the one who is poor, it’s fair to give him land. For the one who is rich, it’s unfair to take some of his land and hand it out to others. There are always two sides on a coin.
The only law that can actually make earth a better place, if each and every one of us respects it, is: ‘don’t do to others what you don’t want them to do to you’.
an unjust law is one that prevents people to move freely in spirit. I believe that spirit moves freely within truth, honest life experience… with an option to choose between “wrong” and “right” through a conscience…a feeling…like a filter. Laws prevent people from deciding who they are for themselves..hence taking consequence away…robbing us of lessons that need to be learned.
a just law…does the opposite it forces those lessons. It allows us to moves freely safely and with discipline. Like universal laws…they are tools to get us through…maybe those “wrong” decisions…
Uma lei injusta ajuda-nos a lutar pelo justo..a aperfeiçoar o sistema de regras e leis, a outra lei ajuda-nos a aperceber que existem essas regras e que temos algum espaço de manobra no meio delas.
mesmo assim anarquia foi “encontrada” em alguns grandes reinos africanos….antes dos ocidentais deixarem a sua marca….muito antes…
An unjust law is one that gives certain rights to the majority but not to minorities, based on the current popular religion (though justice is supposed to be blind).
A just law that we don’t want to comply to may be something like following the speed limit when the roads seem clear, or stopping at red lights in the early morn when there is no traffic. … seemingly ridiculous rules that save lives or prevent us from harming eachother.
First thing I would like say thank you Paulo … you changed my life and my friends life your book the alchemist made us change … the book went around the whole group and we all loved it and we started to think and become HUMANS…..
The idea of a law being just or unjust law is personal dilemma…. and wither if you going to comply to or not it is a totally different story….let us start with knowing what a law and if it is a good thing or just a way of suppressing our freedom …… Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) … was a British philosopher and author of the famous political treaties “Leviathan” … his work can be summarised in one statement… “The nature state of man is one of war and strife, unless acted upon and governed by the rules of social living” it means simply if we did not have laws whatever its source we wouldn’t have came that far on our journey on earth as a human race we will be still be probably living among the rest of the beings in the jungle..Struggling to survive!!! So without laws we wouldn’t have become superiors over other species … that doesn’t mean that all laws are to be obeyed… Because some of them are made to be suppress us and it is not part of our human nature … St. Thomas Aquinas identifies the rational nature of human beings as that which defines moral law: “the rule and measure of human acts is the reason, which is the first principle of human acts”….
Scientist have proven that human are born were a set of codes that govern our behaviour we do without thinking about like walking, talking, helping each other and even believe it or not do mathematics ( I was like wow when I heard that fact specially that I study molecular pathology …. I was like where are the genes for that sort of stuff but I have seen experiments done psychologist and their work is very genuine) … the natural laws is thing that we do without thinking about, however the impurities of lives like greed, hunger, pain, poverty, abuse, stress and the busy life make us change the way we used to be when we were born ,,, make us forget about our dreams and the simple stuff that used to make us happy ,, and loving life… Life make us go back to the state of war and strife like what Hobbes philosophy ,….
So in conclusion if it is a natural law … it is Just law that everybody will comply to… without fighting or opposing cause its part of who he is !!!… The Question is now how to know if a law is a natural Low or not …with three examples in reference …Legalising abortions, legalising marijuana and just simply stopping at the traffic light, wearing your seat belt !!!!!