Author Topic: Natural Law (Read 844 times)

Darcy · « **on:** June 01, 2011, 09:56:02 AM »

I know this sounds really ignorant but I am confused by it.

What is Natural Law?

Is it the same for Catholics as everyone else? How important is it and how does it fit in with our dogma?

Thanks a bunch.

Telesphorus · « **Reply #1 on:** June 01, 2011, 02:02:39 PM »

Quote from: Darcy

I know this sounds really ignorant but I am confused by it.

What is Natural Law?

Is it the same for Catholics as everyone else? How important is it and how does it fit in with our dogma?

Thanks a bunch.

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09076a.htm

SJB · « **Reply #2 on:** June 01, 2011, 02:08:53 PM »

Quote from: Telesphorus

Quote from: Darcy
I know this sounds really ignorant but I am confused by it.

What is Natural Law?

Is it the same for Catholics as everyone else? How important is it and how does it fit in with our dogma?

Thanks a bunch.

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09076a.htm

Quote

Spriago-Clark, The Catechism Explained

1.God has imprinted the natural law on the heart of every man; this forms the fundamental rule of human actions. A young child who has done something wrong lied, perhaps, or committed a theft, feels uncomfortable, frightened, or ashamed; though it may never have heard of the Ten Commandments, it is conscious that it has done amiss. It is the same with the heathen who knows nothing about God s commandments. Hence we may conclude that there is a law of nature in every human heart, a law not written upon it, but inborn in it; an intuitive knowledge of right and wrong.

St. Paul declares that the Gentiles do by nature those things that are of the law (what the Ten commandments enjoin), and consequently they will be judged by God according to the natural law (Rom. ii. 14-16). The characters wherein this law is inscribed upon our hearts may be obscured but not obliterated; the Roman Catechism tells us no man can be unconscious of this law, divinely imprinted upon his understanding. This natural law teaches us the most important rules of morality, e.g., that homage is due to almighty God; that no man must willfully injure himself; that we must not do to others what we would not have others do to us; furthermore from this moral code certain inferences directly follow; these are the Ten Commandments of God (the observance of the Sabbath excepted).

Thus the natural law does not consist of a series of truths founded on reason, but is a definite expression of the will of God, which it is binding upon us to obey, and of which in individual cases we are made acquainted by means of reason. This consciousness of God’s will is conscience. Hence it is erroneous to say reason is itself the law.

SJB · « **Reply #3 on:** June 01, 2011, 02:10:40 PM »

This may also be of interest:

Quote from: Pohle-Preuss

The ability of unaided human reason to know God is shown here in the definition from the Vatican Council, Sess. III, de Revel., can.i.:

“If anyone shall say that the one true God, our Creator and Lord, cannot be certainly known by the natural light of human reason through created things; let him be anathema.”

The proofs of this are shown in the New Testament, - Romans I, 18-20; culminating in verse 20: “For the invisible things of Him [God] from the creation of the world, are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made; his eternal power also, and divinity: so that they are inexcusable.”

In other words, God, Who is per se invisible, after some fashion becomes visible to human reason. Not by positive revelation, nor yet by the interior grace of faith; but solely by means of a natural revelation imbedded in the created world.

Darcy · « **Reply #4 on:** June 03, 2011, 12:45:46 PM »

Quote from: Telesphorus

Quote from: Darcy
I know this sounds really ignorant but I am confused by it.

What is Natural Law?

Is it the same for Catholics as everyone else? How important is it and how does it fit in with our dogma?

Thanks a bunch.

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09076a.htm

I read this but will have to read it again....and again. To me it sounds pagan. There is no mention of Jesus as if He is not material to natural law.
It assumes that all 'humans' are knowledgable by conscience of the "natural law" which tells them that there is a God who must be worshipped and obeyed. But that cannot be right because our God is a Trinity and this fact has to be learned.

The "natural law" here as it is described sounds to me like the Noahide laws that Jєωs have set up for us Gentiles.

Do I understand this right that "Natural Laws" trump all other laws?
This I cannot decipher from reading that. Perhaps I missed a point or two.

What about people with low IQs---fixed at birth---are we to take their sense of natural law seriously?

I don't know what is stumping me here. :reading:

Exilenomore · « **Reply #5 on:** June 03, 2011, 01:49:13 PM »

The fact that God is a Trinity is a revealed truth, and can thus only be known through the virtue of faith, but the fact that there is one God Who created everything can be known through the natural light of reason. This is the distinction.

In other words, some things we can know through natural law. Other things can only be known through divine revelation.

Lighthouse · « **Reply #6 on:** June 03, 2011, 02:26:26 PM »

Well, I don't know if this helps, but it is not a bowing down to some kind of priority of the natural. Natural law cannot exist without the pre-existing construct by the Divine, Triune Creator. A Good God has created a universe which is a reflection of His Goodness. (And He looked upon it, and it was good).

Natural Law would not be a limitation, but a sign of the presence of an All-good Creator. God cannot create evil. Anyone who approaches the natural world with openness and understanding, will see that it is good.

(Sorry, I hope I haven't muddled things. It's as close as I can come to dispelling your objections).

PartyIsOver221 · « **Reply #7 on:** June 03, 2011, 09:25:15 PM »

Hmm, natural law is a good topic to study in regards to the growth of faith and combat of the world by apologetics.

Thanks for posting this and rekindling my interest in reading a book I had on the subject. Defending the faith ties (against non-Catholics) ties directly with Natural law, in case anyone is interested in pursuing a path of study or has some free time to use.