GN Commentary: July 15, 2009 - Judge Sotomayor and Just Law

How has America missed the key attributes of a just law?

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Video Transcript

How has America missed the key attributes of a just law?

US Senate Judiciary Committee hearings have just begun for the confirmation of Judge Sonia Sotomayor. She could potentially be the first American Hispanic citizen to sit on the US Supreme Court.

She's also the first Supreme Court justice nominated by newly elected President Obama.

In her introductory comments to the Judiciary Committee Judge Sotomayor stated that her legal philosophy "is simple - fidelity to the law." "The task of the judge is not to make the law," she said, "It is to apply the law."

Conservative thinkers voice concern about this word, "apply." Activist judges—both liberal ones today and conservative ones just after the American Civil War in the 1860s—have tended to apply the law as they saw fit, irrespective of how it is actually worded.

The United States has prided itself on being governed by the "rule of law"—rather than by the tyrannical whim, fancy or fury of a dictating parties or leaders.

However, Supreme Court nominations nearly always highlight how often America misses the three great points of the law.

These are drawn from the world's most ancient, authentic and authoritative legal document—the Bible.

One – You must have the same law for all citizens—no partiality.

This nation has paid a dear price in suffering and death to finally make strides in applying this point of the law. But as is inevitable, the pendulum of human nature swings to the opposite extreme, judge Sotomayor will face a challenge here.

Two – You must not add to or take away from the law—the law is the law.

Judges don't make the law, they administer the law based on how it is worded. Judicial activism misses this point.

But the biggest flaw in American law is number…

Three – You have to have the right law.

America is not alone here—the whole world misses this supreme point of the law.

The right law to govern all human and divine relationships—to govern all nations is God's Law, summarized by the 10 Commandments.

The divine law of the Bible was the basis of United States juris prudence in 1787 when the US Constitution was drafted, but there's no remote chance that it will be applied by any judge in our secular-humanist America today.

But not to worry, the three points of the law will be coming here soon. God has His own literal Supreme Court nominee—Jesus Christ. He has already been confirmed and just waiting to begin judgment when He returns.

There will be fairness—for everybody! There will the law, the whole law and nothing but the law. And it will be the right law—the law of love for God above all else, and love for neighbor equal to love for self.

Now that's the Judge and there's the Law that you need to learn more about today!

For GN magazine, this is Randy Stiver.