Rule The Law


When reflecting on past events from our lives, do we desire to imitate or repeat certain things?

Sure, the good things of course!

How about the not so good things, or the tough lessons?

That time you learned how 'not' to respond to an elder, a superior, or a loved one.

The negative experience, the fallout, or the consequences taught you a lesson, although you may have already 'known' what not to do.

You may have heard from parents or elsewhere that you should speak kindly, or respectfully, or not with angst or in a foul way to another person.

The aftermath brought forth the lesson and made the unwritten rule, or what you heard / read, real.

The experience completed your wonder if such a 'rule' or 'law' or 'do not do' was relevant or applied to you.

Regarding the manner one person speaks to another, it seems dependent on one's character, and perhaps how one may perceive themselves in terms of temporal power or relative wealth.

Depending on several factors, like what caused the verbal interaction, or what the self thinks of themselves, one's speech towards others may be different if the recipient of a verbal lashing has some influence or leverage over you.

This is not to say every wealthy or powerful person speaks harshly to others, whether those others are subordinates or even their own mother.

Same can be said about a very poor person; not every poor person is kind, respectful or humble.

We grow up with rules and laws of all kinds, many unwritten but otherwise verbalized or very much imbedded on our conscience.

Imagine a world without the rule of law.

Depending on your individual upbringing, you can perhaps appreciate rules growing up, or perhaps would have wished there may have been more rules.

Maybe it isn't the presence of 'rules' that creates order, but obedience and adherence to rules.

Imitation and example has much to do regarding obedience to rules.

Parents / guardians who do not adhere to their own rules, or the unwritten rules found on our hearts and conscience, shouldn't be surprised when their children disobey or fail to adhere to their or society's rules.

Every year thousands of new rules / laws are published and enacted in the U.S..

Do more rules make for a more ordered society?

Some would say that America has turned a dark certain corner, although laws are plenty.

Some would argue it is the social leadership, either in business or politics, that is a major contributor to some problems.

Others may add or point to social norms being rewritten, naturalizing the unnatural.

This isn't to say that yesterday, or yesteryear, was 'better' or more 'righteous' than the present time.

But perhaps the desire to widely publicize and present what used to be considered obscene or obscure is another factor.

Some people seem to flow with the climate change of ethical and moral swings.

Others do not fall for the changing winds and have a strong, even militant response.

Still others are not swayed, but adapt to the social changes in terms of loving humanity despite obvious depravity, yet keeping themselves and their homes in order no matter what happens outside the front door.

Have you noticed that although you may not know all the thousands upon thousands of rules in politics, or city ordinances, or religious groups, you somehow have a decent idea between what is right from wrong?

How does this come about?

Some rules, and thus lessons, are eternal.

As a child, you may have been warned to never touch a flame, or put your hand into fire, or something similar.

Some of us did it anyway, testing the authority, wondering if it wasn't as bad as the warnings stated it was.

Now as an adult, you don't repeat to yourself the rule of not touching fire.

Why?

You already know and understand the consequences, the pain, and the further issues that may come about.

But the moment you have a child, what are the chances you will repeat the advice, or command, to your children regarding fire?

Rules always apply, but rules don't always adequately address contemporary issues.

If we would always start and finish with the golden rule, the eternal law of love; to love others, even to love one's enemies, then the mountain of other rules, laws, religious or otherwise, could be not only easily understood, but adequately obeyed.

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