That doesn't surprise me because while I'm sure it may exist, I don't know too many reasons beyond religious ones that people use to oppose it.

If that's the point you're making, then you need to give examples of laws like that being enacted. If someone is saying that no one is making laws concerning these things, you don't refute that assertion by pointing to laws that have been on the books for decades if not over a century.

Yes, they exist but everyone knew that. Does that mean that most of the laws IN GENERAL have some basis in the Ten Commandments? You are referencing laws on the books that have either been forgotten or are rarely used. Despite what you claim is going on where you live, these laws remain rarely used and are generally considered outdated unless in the off chance that people really want to arrest someone for something.

I have never heard them called anything BUT blue laws.

I've never heard laws that deal with adultery or fornication referred to as blue laws. As I've always heard the term used, blue laws are laws that prohibit certain commercial or recreational activities on Sunday. The term may also be used for laws relating to the sale of alcohol or tobacco.

My understanding of "blue laws" is that the laws relate to commercial business on a Sunday.

And apparently everyone doesn't know that those other laws that were referenced exist based on some of the comments in this thread. I also believe that I DID state that SOME of the laws are not frequently used. But criminal conversation and alienation of affection ARE used quite often. Right now Elizabeth Edwards is in the process of bringing an alienation of affection claim against Andrew Young.

I will put it this way, I have interactions with many criminal attorneys in the state. I have done research for a law journal casenote and a comment on these subjects. I know what is going on in my state. One of our crim law professors has had TWO cases in the last two years where someone was prosecuted under one of these laws.

Thanks I was thinking along the lines of outdated laws and reduced every perceivably "religious law" to a "blue law." :o

Could you please explain what "blasphemy laws" are?

I would like to know that one as well. :D

Now you are grasping at straws. That's a very weak argument. If the laws are already on the books then no one WOULD be making them because they were already made.

I tried the cowardly route of wikipedia and don't know what the hell it was talking about. :p

I did too :o didn't make sense to me either. :D

Are you arguing** that the mere existence of these outdated and underused laws means that most of the laws (both active and outdated) were inspired by the Ten Commandments? Or, are you arguing** that this is only the case for those old old old old old laws, which are a small percentage of the total laws on the books?

Does anyone remember the supposed OLD law (often called the "something rule") that says a man can beat his wife with a certain sized object? I can't recall the specifics, but is it bullshit like the "brothel law?"



**see what I did there? :p

Same sex partners aren't wanting to be married to take a vow in front of God but for all the equal rights married couples are allowed to have. I do see that it does discriminate for not just same sex but for straight common law people. A marriage is just a written contract with the government. I however don't agree that he should force hospitals to do this because what about our Christian hospitals. If they are forced to serve same sex partners then next will be abortions. People are only supporting this because it is equal rights but no matter what it is the government can't force rules for non public places. If this is allowed how long before a private Christian school can't have a Biblical class? It doesn't matter if things are right or wrong in society if the government is able to interfere.

But you gave them, in your words, as examples of making such laws. Apparently, you don't agree with yourself.

Many states used to have blasphemy laws on on the books, like this one from the 1800s in Maryland:

If any person, by writing or speaking, shall blaspheme or curse God, or shall write or utter any profane words of and concerning our Saviour, Jesus Christ, or of and concerning the Trinity, or any of the persons thereof, he shall, on conviction, be fined not more than one hundred dollars, or imprisoned not more than six months, or both fined and imprisoned as aforesaid, at the discretion of the court.

Such laws have long been considered unconstitutional; SCOTUS struck down New York's in the 1950s. But there may be some on the books still somewhere, like apparently Pennsylvania, where in 2007 the state would not allow someone to incorporate "I Choose Hell Productions" because the name violated the commonwealth's blasphemy law. (NYTimes article here.)

ummmm...:confused:

Thanks, so it's just like it sounds. Blasphemy. The good thing is that it only covered "he." :)

Okay, so, is there a name for the types of laws that would cover adultery? Are these...the Ten Commandment laws? :)