More on Libertarian Christians/Catholics

I haven't been able to think about these issues since the last post on this topic, but Eric Rasmusen has more brain cells than me. He has posted a nice object lesson about the intersection between law and morality.  I suppose (again, I am not a moral theologian) that the difference between my way of thinking about libertarianism and the way that Prof. Rasmusen is talking about it, is that I assume that there is some "true" standard by which to judge the state's law. 

If the state's law violates natural law (a supposed true standard) then it is unjust and unenforceable.  If, in contrast, the state's law is consistent with natural law (say a prohibition on killing crippled children) then I'd say that the state's interest in upholding natural law can not interfere with my natural rights as I do not have a natural right to cull the human herd.  I am less of a pure libertarian as a result.

 

Comments

[Allan Wallace]

I come to this debate late and with but two simple comments:

1) A reasonable constraint on man and government is that they not harm others.

2) As a follower of Christ first, and a Libertarian second, I will follow Biblical precepts first.