RELIGION AND SOCIETY

Religion and Society ~ 427 ~ This statement may not constitute a valid argument in support of that particular school of legal thought, but it does contain an element of external truth. Moreover, for the law to be effective, there also have to be forces at work in society, which discourage crime. Apart from punishment, there has to be prevention, for the activities of law enforcement bodies in themselves do not necessarily inspire sufficient fear to act as deterrents. This is largely because, all to often, punishment can be eluded by resorting to bribery and corruption. Anyone who is confident of being able to escape in this way will pay no heed to the law or its enforcement. In divine law lies the answer to all the shortcomings of man-made law. We have seen how an atmosphere in which people are encouraged to uphold the truth has to be engendered in society as a whole, for the penal code cannot, merely by its existence, induce correct attitudes. This has to originate elsewhere—from a source effective enough to ensure that, in the last analysis, anyone who perjures himself will not escape self-