Why Is Civil Disobedience Morally Wrong

Thomas Jefferson said, “Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.” Throughout history, civil disobedience has been practiced and debated. Many civil rights activists and groups have protested various rights and laws they view as unfair or unjust. Other more pro-government organizations and people take a stand against disobeying laws made by the government. While these two opposing sides have both good and bad arguments for their positions, the question as to whether a Christian should commit an act of civil disobedience adds another dimension to the debate. Although some laws of American society are morally debatable to many, Christians committing acts of civil disobedience should be considered improper, because the legitimacy of a law should not be just a matter of …show more content…
Thoreau supports this idea by saying, “…but if it is of such nature that it requires you to be the agent of injustice to another, then, I say, break the law. Let your life be a counter-friction to stop the machine.” He claims that the law should be taken into the hands of the people, in order to resist the flow of justice in a society. Unfortunately, this view creates chaos. However, there are other, simpler alternatives to protesting than unlawful resistance. In the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights, it is stated that the people have the Freedom of Speech and the right “to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” In other words, there seems to be no point in causing chaos in a society by disobeying the established laws. People could, instead, publicly claim a law unjust, or even alert the government of a possible injustice in the legislation, through due process. Protests should remain peaceful and law abiding by using the rights the people have been