Is Speeding a Sin?

[JWNEWMAN]

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

Awe, come on, it was a new car, I didn't even realize I was going that fast till I saw those colorful lights in the rear view. I suppose I was wrong but, if I remember correctly, I was praying for invisibility.

 

[UberLutheran]

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?

I can't make the judgment call on whether or not that was sinful, but I think that showed remarkable quick-thinking ability!

I'm impressed...

 

[Myriah]

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.

I agree UL with common sense in a drastic situation, for instance 4 in the morning... no cars anywhere, go through red light.


Tornados, that's another story....

Sorry to hear about the above situation UL.

However, if not in a desperate situation, drive safely, as "reckless driving" under normal circumstances is against the law, and especially if caught on camera. Where I live, they have cameras now.

 

[HypnoToad]

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

Really? "God-given"? Where does Scripture give us that right?

 

[Ave Maria]

Yes, speeding is a sin. The Bible says to obey the government. Not obeying the government is a sin unless the government is telling you to do something that would go against Christianity.

 

[Myriah]

Yes, a car is considered a weapon, that's why we have laws. If we drive recklessly or speed and cause a car crash, we could kill people.

I live around a bunch of lead feet unfortunately, but it got much better after the cameras. There'd be flowers on corners were people were killed, etc, because the speeders were ridiculously fast, and at least 60% drove way too fast.

 

[JimfromOhio]

SPEEDING TRIPLES THE ODDS OF CRASHING, NEW AAA FOUNDATION REPORT REVEALS

If you cause an accident, you disobey God due to careless driviing.

 

[Gwenyfur]

Well if speeding's a sin, I'm guilty at least twice a day...

 

[Babel Fish]

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

Only if you get caught. hehehe

 

[JWNEWMAN]

The laws are there as a guideline enforcing them to the letter is sometimes not only wrong but stupid. For instance if it's 6 o'clock in the morning and I'm in the desert at an intersection where there is no traffic literally (but me) for hundreds of miles and I don't come to complete stop at an intersection but slow down to a crawl (visibility 50 miles in each direction) and pass through it I shouldn't get a ticket. Because I didn't do anything wrong.

 

[allhart]

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.

aha Just would have got a surf board and had a ride of a life time yeeha!! surfing cowboy

 

[Gwenyfur]

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.

1- That is one *awesome* photo...
2- that in KS?

 

[GratiaCorpusChristi]

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

Wanna go tornado chasing? You drive...

Lets go!

 

[MeekOne]

That is an amazing picture. Some very good points have been brought up here...

What if one is going only 5 or 10 mph over the limit posted, is this considered a sin?

What if that person didn't know he was doing it? Is it still a sin? What if he didn't know to repent of it? Will he go to hell when he dies?

 

[billwald]

Is going 5 over like stealing small items, company pens and stationary?

 

[chach]

I don't know the verse but a lot of times people make referance to "sin and trespasses"

sin is you know your doing it and you know it's wrong.

trespasses is you don't know it was wrong or in this case that you were infact excessivly speeding (say you fell asleep at the wheel). or didn't see the sign you were still speeding but you didn't know it.

 

[lopez23]

Are you people who voted yes actually serious?

I mean where I live the posted speed limit is 55, but only the elderly drive this slow, and about 75% of them shouldnt even have licenses. Everyone else is going 70-75.

There have been studies done on certain stretches of highway that discovered the people going the speed limit actually caused most of the accidents.

Going over the speed limit isnt breaking the law.

No cop is going to pull you over for going 60 in a 55, unless you are tail gating and switching lanes erratically.

 

[JuJube]

I agree with you on the people driving slower could very well be a problem, but this is where someone needs to maybe go to the authorities to have the limit changed...if there is really a good and safe reason to do so. But until it changes, you and me, regardless of how we justify it, going over the speed limit is breaking the law. I think most of us on this thread realize that if the speed limit is 55, 56 mph is over. But a lot of officers cut us some slack, and don't tag us until we are way over.
What I have noticed tho when I speed and God convicts me of it in the spirit, is there is something deeper going on. If you find that you are angry because people are getting in your way and slowing you down, you could have a problem called:

"It's all about me".

Me getting where I need to go.
Me having something really important to get to.

If our time is more valuable than others ....well we need to stop and check out where our heart is. The sin is not so much in the speeding, (it is dsiobedience tho) as much as maybe in the why do we speed. Why can't we just leave a little earlier, slow down and enjoy the ride with the Creator of the universe (whom it seems we have put in the passengers seat.) Getting a ticket only wastes more time and God's money that He has given us to use wisely....not spend it on a fine that we have received from being disobedient. It will not send you to hell, but it sure can lead into greater disobedience.
SOOOOOO.....
It's not a speeding problem, it's a heart problem...hardening of the heart problem.

 

[Piedpiper123]

Is going 5 over like stealing small items, company pens and stationary?

No! It is far worse. 9 out of 10 people hit at 30 MPH survive but 9 out of 10 hit at 40 MPH will die. That extra bit of speed makes all the difference.

 

[MeekOne]

Just for the record, I am glad there are many interested in discussing this, I thought there would be as I have always wanted to talk about this. Love reading all your responses, please continue. How does one know it wouldn't send them to hell. Give scriptural references please.