Where Do We Draw the Line Between Law, Ethics, and Morality?

Ethics and morality are one thing I strongly believe shouldn't be sidelined when it comes to lawmaking. I understand that most laws often deal with what is legal or illegal, but then we all can agree with the fact that ethics and morals go deeper because they do speak on what is right and wrong from a societal and human point of view. Take, for instance, a country like ours, Nigeria, where religion, culture, and community values carry weight; you'll agree with the fact that we should definitely consider the moral implications of laws before putting them in place.

It's worth noting that I understand the fact that morality can be subjective. I mean, what is acceptable in one religion or culture could be deemed an abomination, offensive, or unacceptable in another, but still, I, for one, think that's exactly why law should reflect a balance in not just protecting individual freedom but also upholding ethical standards that preserve the dignity and sanity of our society. Nigeria already has morals and ethics closely knitted into its law, as we can see.

Take, for instance, an individual who indulges in an act that's morally questionable, but then it's not illegal, probably because they didn't hurt anyone in the process of doing that. Should we then permit them to go on with such an act? Personally, I don't think so, because although a crime might not have been committed, the consequences of tolerating such would definitely show up in a more severe form over time, such as in the form of rising crime rates, mental health issues, broken homes, or even a weakening moral fabric in the younger generation.

The case of Bobrisky is a typical example of what I'm saying. Now we indulge him to carry himself in that manner, and before we know it, we see a lot of people rising up using him as their mentor and a disguise away from the watchful eyes of the law to say they're just crossdressers, meanwhile, underneath that, most of them are gay, which is a foam upon not just moral standards but also the laws of our country.

It's worth noting that I'm saying this not because I want everything that feels wrong to be criminalized. I understand that we need wisdom and fairness to know when to draw the line, especially when morality intersects with public safety, shared values, and dignity, just like the example of Bobrisky I highlighted and others that promote harmful behaviors. While they might not fall under serious crimes, we all know they usually impact society negatively and would be dangerous if left to thrive without being put in check.

While freedom is a right, we can't help but agree that freedom without boundaries is chaos, so let's learn to put things in check, even with the law, because if we all do what we want, just because no one gets hurt, we are gradually opening a door to silence damage to the society's values, peace, and the coming generations.

In conclusion, once again I'm saying that laws should be considered with ethics and morals, although not every act that goes against morals should land people in prison, but we should at least have laws in place that discourage people from delving into actions that could corrupt the society over time. I think for a country to be said to be progressive, it should protect both the rights and righteousness of the people and not just because it has a booming economy or advanced infrastructure.

All photos are taken and edited on canva.