October 26, 2020

GED 117 – OL 56 Prof. Evangelista

Since the dawn of human civilization, laws have singe-handedly revolutionized

society into a world of order. The oldest known promulgation of laws known to
humanity is the Code of Hammurabi. Carved on gigantic slabs of stone and rock, it is
said that these laws were passed on to the ancient king of Babylon, by the God of Justice,
Shamash. By providing society with an ordered system of laws, humanity can bring
upon a world rid of chaos and anarchy. However, it is important that these laws do not
transcend the natural morality of men and of the divine commandments of God.
Instead, these laws must be structured into an amalgamate between the two governing
concepts.

In a religious perspective, the natural morality of men is said to be derived from

the divine commandments of God. When one is asked as to why one should not commit
adultery, the most common answer would be because it goes against the laws of God.
This is known as the Divine Commandment Theory, and for thousands of years, the laws
of society were structured based on this theory. However, as the world progressively
advances to the modern standards. The cultural and societal context on which humans
base their laws upon are now shifting. Thus, the Divine Commandment Theory is no
longer as dominant in guiding the laws built upon for society as it was before.

Being raised as a Catholic, I have a strong understanding of the principles behind

the Divine laws of God. In fact, the very foundation of my life was built upon these
morals. However, as I grew up, I was also exposed to the morals in which society is now
built upon. I quickly realized that some of my views were in conflict with what my peers
regarded. So, I learned to understand their side and adopted the change to my own
character. I now understand that it is oppressive to deprive the LGBTQ community of
their rights, even if the Bible says otherwise. I know this because I understand the
foundation of our humanity. We are all children of God, we deserve to be part of a family
and we have a right to live normally within society, no matter our faults or indifferences.
Even Pope Francis has pointed this out, despite the contrast of his views to that of his
peers. Even since then, I have realized that there must be an equal balance between the
laws of humanity and of God.
 October 26, 2020
GED 117 – OL 56 Prof. Evangelista

Without this balance, the contrast between the laws of men and of God will just
invoke turmoil than promote order and prosperity. A prime example of this can be seen
in one of Sophocles’ most renowned tragedy, Antigone. Throughout the play, Antigone
and Creon dealt upon the clashing ideas between human and divine laws. Antigone was
a noble, lion-hearted, and religious woman who was willing to commit a crime, in order
to honor her dead brother’s body and pay respect to the gods, while Creon was a
perverse king who wanted everyone to obey the laws of men. Both characters were
stubborn and obstinate to see the errors in their actions. Creon wanted to sentence
Antigone to death because she disobeyed his decree. He is so eaten up with his pride
that he is incapable of listening to the reasoning of Antigone and her peers. Moreover,
Antigone was also stubborn enough, that she was not afraid to face death, just to stand
by her convictions. In the end, Antigone killed herself and Creon lost his wife and son to
the curse of the gods. If both of the characters employed a balance between their beliefs,
this tragedy would not have occurred.

With this, I have realized that in some instances of my life, I have also
exemplified the stubborn characteristics of Antigone and Creon. Whenever I get into an
argument with my family, like Creon, I sometimes lose my temper and get devoured by
my pride. Whenever I become too overconfident on my convictions, like Antigone, I
sometimes lose the ability to properly comprehend the gravity of the situation in front of
me.

The establishment of a system of laws within the society has massively helped
humanity to promote an orderly world. However, these laws can also sometimes be the
cause of disorder, as exemplified in the tragedy of Antigone. The laws of men inhibit the
very principles of humanity, while the laws of God explicate a divine commandment on
which humanity bases their laws upon. In some ways, these laws work together.
However, they also have contrasting ideologies. That is why it is very important that a
clear balance between the two of them is achieved in order to ensure a just and equitable
world.
 October 26, 2020
GED 117 – OL 56 Prof. Evangelista