Laws are to be obeyed

LAWS ARE TO BE OBEYED

What are laws? According to the Cambridge English Dictionary, a law is a ”rule, usually made by a government that is used to order the way in which a society behaves, or the whole system of such rule or a general rule which states what always happen when the same conditions exist.” Laws are rules and regulations that order the behaviour of people in a society or an identifiable group. They carry with them the power of authority and sense of morality for orderliness and peaceful co-existence. In short, laws are the Dos and Donts of society.

Laws can be addicts, decrees and acts. But cultural and traditional practices, conventions, policies, prohibitions, command and even wise saying can pass as laws.
Laws can be labelled in various forms depending upon their source, environment and purpose. Laws can be religious, Christian, Muslims, administrative, social, professional, scientific etc. Christian laws are ingrained in the teaching of the bible and the practices of the Christian churches. Muslim laws are also ingrained in the teachings of the Quran and the practices of the various Muslim sets. Social laws derive their source from the acceptable norms and age long practices of a people. Scientific laws are more or less facts derived from scientific processes and experimentations. Administrative laws are ingrained in the constitution, conventions, policies etc. Some examples of laws are the Ten Commandments, laws governing discrimination, traffic laws, criminal laws, human right laws, moral laws, law of motion, taboos, superstitions, law of density, law for calculating power, laws of reflection etc.

Kings and people with political authority and power can make laws. Government invested with administrative and political authority can also make laws through credible institutions of government such as parliament, assembly, boards, committees and individual who act for the government in specified areas. Heads of education and other institutions can also make laws for the smooth running of their institutions. Professional bodies can also make laws through their executive bodies for the effective performance and the projection of the image of their profession. Even in the home parent have fundamental obligation to make laws for the smooth running of the home and the prosperity of the home. But what about the individual? The individual can also make laws for himself or herself to guide his life in accordance to his personal beliefs and aspiration. Such laws can be roughly defined as self control.

Laws are to be enforced to make the purpose for which they are made effectively; otherwise they seize to be laws. Agencies that enforce laws are rulers, heads of administrative and institutions charged with that responsibility such as police, the judiciary, individuals and corporate bodies that are charged to do so. Laws attract penalties otherwise they seize to be laws, for people can choose to obey them and do whatever they like in society. Some penalties connected with the preach of some laws are fines, imprisonment, ostracism, withdrawal of benefit or disproval in some way such as gestures like frowning and eyeing. In human society, many people believe in God, and so God is the most powerful agents for the enforcement of laws. Even when people have been unjustifiable treated and feel like wrecking vengeance, God says we should leave it for him for vengeance is his. In many cases people who have been victims of injustice say ‘I live it to God’.

Laws are laws. They are to be obeyed to ensure peace and orderliness in society. They are to be obeyed to manifest the morality of the society and establish justice for all therefore the saying ‘no one is above the law’. This will make society cohesive, strong and vibrant. If laws are not obeyed, there will be free for all and people will do anything they like without a controlling force leading to disintegration. Even in the jungle, and in uncivilised societies, there is a law known as “the law of jungle” or “the survival of the fittest”. This law has no moral evidence and has no iota of justice in it, yet it is a law all the same practiced and observed by all who live in the jungle. It keeps the jungle life going. The strong displays and imposes his power and authority on the weak and the weak respects the power and authority of the strong. Even though this law is bad, it maintains the orderliness of the jungle life. The jungle law is an exception, for laws are to be imbued to some sort of moral integrity and moral sense. This is referred to as the ‘spirit of the law’.
In every society and situation, there are laws and laws are to be obeyed, yes laws are to be obeyed. But should bad laws be obeyed? And should good people with a sense of justice and morality obey bad laws made by immoral, despicable and bankrupt people? Your guess is as good as mine.