Freedom and Democracy: Law and Order

1. Freedom and Democracy: Law and Order Civil authorities are a deterrent to evil, not good 1 Peter 2:13-14

2. Relationship between freedom and democracy • in a democracy people have freedom of speech, worship, association, belief • if these freedoms are not preserved, democracy will fall into the hands of the undemocratic (page 104 Ideologies) • freedoms can not be preserved by destroying them

3. Need for order • despite the need for freedom in a democracy there is a need for restraint • we are restricted by our social morals and beliefs, government rules regulations • freedom to do what one wants does not mean one has the freedom to interfere with others

4. Obligation to obey the law • violence in a democracy is not justified - alternative solution is to solve problems through democratic means • citizens must obey laws because there is no guarantee that they will only disobey unjust laws - leads to anarchy

5. Right to disobey the law • disobedience as a norm not condoned, but justifiable sometimes when the law is wrong

6. Police Powers In A Democracy • problem of striking a balance between allowing individuals to have their freedom and giving the police the power to exercise state control • freedom - police have no right to break laws in order to catch criminals except in the case of the FLQ Crisis in 1976 (War Measures Act – martial law)

7. no one, including the police, is above the law • state control - crooks are getting off scott-free on technicalities • how can the police capture dirty rotten crooks unless they adopt dirty rotten tactics

10. Decision by lot has scriptural precedent and, done in recognition of God’s sovereignty, can indicate God’s will