Is Speeding a Sin?

[MeekOne]

Does the Bible say whether or not speeding in your car is a sin? If so or if not, please discuss...

 

[Mrs. Luther073082]

The Bible doesn't say anything specific about that since there weren't any cars back when it was written, but I'm going to go with yes, speeding is a sin, because it is breaking the law and putting other people in danger (whether they be in the car with you or on the road with you).

 

[Brieuse]

Does the Bible say whether or not speeding in your car is a sin? If so or if not, please discuss...

I guess it is. Can't remember where exactly, but the Bible does say to obey the laws of the land.

 

[HypnoToad]

It's Rom.13:1-2 - "Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except by God’s appointment, and the authorities that exist have been instituted by God. So the person who resists such authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will incur judgment."

As long as the gov. instructs something that doesn't go against God's word, we are expected to obey. Driving at excessively high speeds also poses quite a threat to the safety of others - kind of disregarding Jesus' instruction to love our neighbors.

 

[UberLutheran]

If you're driving down a road where the posted speed limit is 30 mph, and notice that a tornado touches down ahead of you and doesn't seem to be moving but is gradually getting larger and larger -- which means it's moving directly towards you, and your choices are:

• driving towards the tornado
• staying where you are, and letting the tornado catch up with you
• driving 65 to 70 mph away from the tornado in a desperate attempt to escape

I think driving 65 to 70 mph to get away from the storm would not be considered "a sin".

Or, you can do what my uncle did, and leave the safety of your car and home to catch this picture:

His house was the one to the left. It wasn't hit, but this particular pair of tornadoes killed 72 people.

 

[Macrina]

It's Rom.13:1-2 - "Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except by God’s appointment, and the authorities that exist have been instituted by God. So the person who resists such authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will incur judgment."

As long as the gov. instructs something that doesn't go against God's word, we are expected to obey. Driving at excessively high speeds also poses quite a threat to the safety of others - kind of disregarding Jesus' instruction to love our neighbors.

^^What he said.

I obey the speed limit for this reason.

 

[HypnoToad]

If you're driving down a road where the posted speed limit is 30 mph, and notice that a tornado touches down ahead of you and doesn't seem to be moving but is gradually getting larger and larger -- which means it's moving directly towards you, and your choices are:

• driving towards the tornado
• staying where you are, and letting the tornado catch up with you
• driving 65 to 70 mph away from the tornado in a desperate attempt to escape

I think driving 65 to 70 mph to get away from the storm would not be considered "a sin".

Yeah, but come on, now. I think it's clear we're not talking about special circumstances where we're making a choice between driving fast and death.

There are going to be special circumstances that overwrite most rules. For example, police officers/firefighters can violate the speed limit in emergency situations. We're talking about normal, general practice.

Further, if the law required you act in a way that basically forces you or others to die (i.e. drive slow in front of a tornado) - then they violate God's law about murder, and therefore invalidate their rule.

 

[UberLutheran]

Yeah, but come on, now. I think it's clear we're not talking about special circumstances where we're making a choice between driving fast and death.

There are going to be special circumstances that overwrite most rules. For example, police officers/firefighters can violate the speed limit in emergency situations. We're talking about normal, general practice.

Further, if the law required you act in a way that basically forces you or others to die (i.e. drive slow in front of a tornado) - then they violate God's law about murder, and therefore invalidate their rule.

Well, most folks here are literalists (or at least, we like to think we are), and we insist that rules are to be followed, no questions asked -- so I provided a specific counter example.

It would have been nice had you said something about my uncle's photograph. It did win him a Pulitzer Prize.

 

[Chie]

If you're driving down a road where the posted speed limit is 30 mph, and notice that a tornado touches down ahead of you and doesn't seem to be moving but is gradually getting larger and larger -- which means it's moving directly towards you, and your choices are:

• driving towards the tornado
• staying where you are, and letting the tornado catch up with you
• driving 65 to 70 mph away from the tornado in a desperate attempt to escape

I think driving 65 to 70 mph to get away from the storm would not be considered "a sin".

Or, you can do what my uncle did, and leave the safety of your car and home to catch this picture:

His house was the one to the left. It wasn't hit, but this particular pair of tornadoes killed 72 people.

awesome pic. congrats to your uncle for his achievement in capturing such forces of nature and for his bravery. although I believe I wouldn't have drove 65 or 70, it been more like 100 tops lol.

 

[JimfromOhio]

Disobience is sin. When you disobey God's ordained Government laws, you have sinned unless you are told to break God's commandments.

 

[JimfromOhio]

If you're driving down a road where the posted speed limit is 30 mph, and notice that a tornado touches down ahead of you and doesn't seem to be moving but is gradually getting larger and larger -- which means it's moving directly towards you, and your choices are:

• driving towards the tornado
• staying where you are, and letting the tornado catch up with you
• driving 65 to 70 mph away from the tornado in a desperate attempt to escape

I think driving 65 to 70 mph to get away from the storm would not be considered "a sin".

Or, you can do what my uncle did, and leave the safety of your car and home to catch this picture:

His house was the one to the left. It wasn't hit, but this particular pair of tornadoes killed 72 people.

Its not sin unless you harm someone in the course of "escaping" danger. When than happens, its sin.

 

[NHB_MMA]

Slight speeding, I would say no. I can't think that it is our duty to make sure we don't go the slightest bit over 55, 65, or whatever. However, I believe excessive speed that puts a person at greater risk to others, and himself, is sinful.

 

[JimfromOhio]

Slight speeding, I would say no. I can't think that it is our duty to make sure we don't go the slightest bit over 55, 65, or whatever. However, I believe excessive speed that puts a person at greater risk to others, and himself, is sinful.

So.. "alittle disbodience" is not sin?

 

[GratiaCorpusChristi]

As long as the gov. instructs something that doesn't go against God's word, we are expected to obey.

But speed limits do infringe on our God-given right to engage in activities in civil society that do not harm ourselves and others.

It's Rom.13:1-2 - "Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except by God’s appointment, and the authorities that exist have been instituted by God. So the person who resists such authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will incur judgment."

Paul's narrative assumes that government is exercising its God-given mandate- to punish the evildoer and reward the good (verse 4). The federal and state governments are not exercising this purpose in setting manditory and abitrary limits on how fast I can move in my privately-owned vehicle.

If a person is a bad driver, they should not speed because that endangers others. But speeding in-and-of-itself is not particurally harmful if the driver knows how to maintain control of the vehicle. It may increase risk, but so does driving at all.

Was I sinning when I got a $525 ticket for going 110 mph in a 55 zone? Yes, fine, I'll admit it. I was surprised that the officer didn't give me a reckless endagerment citation.

But am I sinning when I regularly drive a 15 mph over the limit? No, because I'm a very alter driver who consistenly uses signals (which are not required by law and yet contribute far more to safe road conditions than speed limits), perform headchecks (also not required by law, but also contributive to road safety than speed limits), and never changes lanes in the middle of an intersection (just made legal in the state of Maryland, and an extremely dangerous practice).

So basically, I'm the one acting safely, and the government is the one not fulfilling it's God-given purpose to protect equitable freedom (which it is not doing by posting arbitrary speed limits) and safety (which it is not doing by not requiring signals, head checks, and allowing mid-intersection lane changes).

 

[UberLutheran]

awesome pic. congrats to your uncle for his achievement in capturing such forces of nature and for his bravery. although I believe I wouldn't have drove 65 or 70, it been more like 100 tops lol.

We thought he was freaking NUTS for leaving the house (1/4 mile away) to catch that picture -- but hey, a Pulitzer Prize is a Pulitzer Prize!

I remember that evening vividly: there were so many reports of tornadoes on the ground that the National Weather Service issued a "general tornado warning" for most of northern and central Indiana. It was bad enough that a tornado might hit a spot, but several areas were hit by two or even three tornadoes in the same evening!

 

[UberLutheran]

Was I sinning when I got a $525 ticket for going 110 mph in a 55 zone? Yes, fine, I'll admit it. I was surprised that the officer didn't give me a reckless endagerment citation.

I thought *I* was fast -- but I've got nothing on you!

Wanna go tornado chasing? You drive...

 

[NHB_MMA]

So.. "alittle disbodience" is not sin?

It depends on how you want to define it. If you truly feel that the speed limit is a rigid, "no and, ifs, buts, etc." kind of issue than you shouldn't drive over it. If you view it as more of a guideline (not that they won't fine you if you completely ignore it) concept, then I don't think you need immediate repentence if you look down and see you're driving 57 MPH.

The speed limit is ultimately an arbitrary standard set by the government, which doesn't render it completely meaningless. However, look at Montana. At one time, and maybe it's still this way, the state had no speed limit. Does God look favorably on a person that drives 55 MPH through Idaho, but drives over 100 MPH in Montana, just because it's legal? I can't imagine so. Talking on your cell phone is still legal most places. I do it all the time when I'm out on business. However, there is no doubt I'm at greater risk of having an accident when I am doing so. It may be relatively low, but the chances are certainly greater. Is talking on my cell phone better for those around me on the road than me driving 1 MPH over the speed limit just because of what the state legislation dictates?

 

[JWNEWMAN]

I remember cruising about 80 on a 55 and noticing the lights of police car in the distance behind me. This was on the highway. There were several tractor trailers in front of me (all doing the speed limit) I had a good jump on my friend in blue and the highway was bending at this point, friend in blue momentarily disappeared. I slowed down and pulled in-between to tractor trailers keeping an eye out for friend in blue when I noticed him (through side mirror that he was approaching the trailers I was in-between, I maneuvered from the center lane to the far right lane and slowed down dramatically then stopped - waited about 10 minutes and proceed on my journey at 65-mph (they'll usually give you 10-mph) and thus avoided a heavy fine.

Was that sinful?

 

[Piedpiper123]

May God help the police catch, fine or jail all those who break the law.

 

[Merciel]

Well, most folks here are literalists (or at least, we like to think we are), and we insist that rules are to be followed, no questions asked -- so I provided a specific counter example.

I think most people are actually sensible enough to know that rules are to be followed sensibly. Even Jesus pointed out that David ate food that was meant for the priests once, and it wasn't held against him. And if there was a keep off the grass sign, I doubt anybody would refuse to step on the grass if they saw a baby being attacked by a dog on the grass.