Obama orders end to the practice of denying same-sex partners hospital visits

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by deepimpact2

I'm not following the point you're making. The point is that the laws exist. I made those statement in reference to the fact that someone was saying that no one is making laws concerning these things.

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 Despite what you claim is going on where you live, these laws remain rarely used and are generally considered outdated unless in the off chance that people really want to arrest someone for something.

Originally Posted by deepimpact2

Oh and I'm not sure those laws really qualify as "blue laws."

I have never heard them called anything BUT blue laws.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

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.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

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.

Thanks I was thinking along the lines of outdated laws and reduced every perceivably "religious law" to a "blue law."

Could you please explain what "blasphemy laws" are?

[deepimpact2]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

Could you please explain what "blasphemy laws" are?

I would like to know that one as well.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by deepimpact2

I would like to know that one as well.

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

[deepimpact2]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

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

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

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by deepimpact2

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.

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

Originally Posted by deepimpact2

I would like to know that one as well.

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.)

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

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.)

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?

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

Okay, so, is there a name for the types of laws that would cover adultery?

If you're talking criminal, they'd generally fall under offenses against public morality and decency. A personal (civil) claim would be for alienation of affection, although that doesn't actually have to involve adultery.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

If you're talking criminal, they'd generally fall under offenses against public morality and decency. A personal (civil) claim would be for alienation of affection, although that doesn't actually have to involve adultery.

Oh ok and there have been a couple of alienation of infections...affection...cases in the media recently.

[deepimpact2]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

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.

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.