PDF Format – 1999 Voters Guide

Side Bars – Who We Are – The Name – Christian, not Conservative – A 19th Century Christian Theologian’s Comments on Secular Conservatism – Crime and Restitution – Juries: Past and Present – The Notorious Ox and Safety – Self-Incrimination and the Bible – Judges versus Computers – Open Pits and Paying Your Own Way

Ballot Recommendations Summary Measure 68 Measure 69 Measure 70 Measure 71 Measure 72 Measure 73 Measure 74 Measure 75 Measure 76

Open Pits and Paying Your Own Way
Lets turn to a consideration of the “general equity” of God’s case laws as we think through ballot Measure 76. As we stated in “The Notorious Ox and Safety,” a summary of Old Testament civil law is set out in the Law of the Covenant found in Exodus 21-23. This law has an “equity” to it, a truth behind it, which can and should be considered as we think through what our laws should be. Deuteronomy 4:7,8 says that if we want to make wise laws, we will consider what God told Israel, and then apply those same truths to our law today.

Exodus 21-23 addresses certain cases, or examples, to point to a general truth that can guide us as we seek to make application of that truth in many other circumstances. One such case is the “Open Pit” found in Exodus 21:33 and 34.

These verses give us a case of a man who had an open pit on his property and failed to cover it or fence it. According to God’s law, he was to be held liable for damages that resulted from another man’s animal falling into it. Two similar laws are found in Exodus 22:5 and 6. In these laws, a man must make restitution if he allows his animal to graze n the field of another man, or if he allows a fire he set on his property to get out of control and burn up his neighbor’s property.

In each of these cases, men were engaged in lawful activities, but activities that could produce some degree of possible harm to others or their property. According to God’s law, we are responsible for our actions and the potential harm they do to others. If we are engaged in a business practice that profits us, we should not make our neighbor pay part of the cost for our business. We can burn our fields to get rid of disease, but our neighbor shouldn’t have to bear part of the cost by his field or crops being burned. We can dig a pit to collect rainwater. But we should take adequate steps to protect animals and small children that may inadvertently come onto our land and be harmed. If you have a refrigerator in your unfenced back yard, you should take the door off of it! As they say, it’s not just a good idea, it’s the law!

Applying these laws to ballot Measure 76, if trucks create a certain amount of wear and tear on the road, then their owners should be held liable for repairing the “open pits” they make. We are very thankful for trucks and the benefit they bring us. And the increased cost of trucking will be passed on to those who use these services. That’s as it should be. We believe Measure 76 is a correct application of the truth found in the cases laws of the Bible we have cited, and so we support it.

This voters' guide produced by Parents Education Association, PAC.