No universal morality and the Law

Thank you for responding to my question, “would you consider yourself to be a good person?” You responded, basically, that there is no universal morality (despite what some religions claim) and are uncertain if there is a “good” answer to that question. If there was no universal morality, would I be correct to state that the things you do (you gave me a list) to “make them and myself feel good (without causing harm in the process, of course)” are really done for some other reason?

Let’s do something. Let’s put the Bible aside and go to the courtroom. Ok? No “religion,” just law.

How many things would one have to steal in order for the police to brand him a thief? Just one, right? Just like it takes one rape to make one a rapist, right? What about telling lies? Have you ever thought about what telling lies makes you? If I told you a lie I am certain you would file my face under the word “liar” in your dictionary, correct?

I am certain you are able to construct a string of cases where lying may be “good,” but the point of the question is not motive, but “have you ever done it?” Besides, by your argument, there is no universal morality, so lying must be “not good.” Hmmm.

I know you believe there is an absolute morality because if you didn’t, you would go around stealing right and left! Why don’t you do that? Because if you did, you would break the law. What happens to people who break the law?

Let’s go a step further, and a little faster: imagine you are driving in a car on the highway and other cars are passing you right and left. You pass a sign that everyone can see that says “Speed Limit 60 mph.” But everyone is going faster than you, so you speed up: 65, 70, 75 . . . then you hear a sound. Sirens. You look down at the speedometer and realize you are going 80 mph and the police pulls YOU over. Why did he do that? Because you broke the law.

What keeps you from getting in a car and disregarding all traffic signals and speed limits? The law is something GOOD that has been put into place by an authority—and you obey it without question. When you break the law, you get caught, you feel guilt, you get punished.

Now you stand before a judge who is about to pass sentence on you for breaking the law. The judge asks, if you have anything to say for yourself. What are you going to say? Let’s use your own words in court: “At most I can say that people who know me will tell you I am, given that in their experience I'm honest, an A student, kind to people, put my thrash in the thrash can, give back missing objects to people who lost them, etc. Do I think all these things make me a good person? I don't know, because there is no universal morality (despite what some religions will claim), but I try to live my life doing things that won't cause harm to others or myself and, if possible, that will make them and myself feel good (without causing harm in the process, of course).”

First, if there is no universal morality, what is law for?
Second, what is the judge going to do?

What if you lie and tell the judge, “I was not speeding!” Better yet, “Everyone else was speeding too!” What is he going to do?

If he is a GOOD judge, what would he do?