There are a lot of things that the Bible lists as deeply immoral that are not outlawed. Most conservative Christians would not even want them to be outlawed either for that matter. Some examples include gossiping, being ruthless or greedy and lying. Instinctively, most conservative Christians realize right away that while immoral, these things don't inherently present a threat to public safety. Yet ironically, the sin of lying can actually be one of the most dangerous threats to public safety and order of all of the sins that we are taught about.

Consider what can be at stake with a lie. A marriage, a friendship, a business relationship or even a relationship between nations. How many divorces have happened over lies? How many companies have found themselves in very bitter disputes over a betrayed trust, and how many nations have ended up at each other's throats over a broken treaty? Too many to play this sin down as a minor one.

Despite what can be at stake, society tends to take the view that the government has no business being involved with punishing lies. There are no punishments directly related to most egregious lies. In fact, the punishment is directly related in most cases precisely to the level of damage done and whether or not it's an inherently sensitive area worthy of legislative involvement such as contract law or treaty-making.

If a sin which was considered so severe that it was listed as one of the ten commandments is generally relegated to a matter between individuals and God, then that should give conservative Christians pause as to what else might be able to fit that category. We may friendly disagreements over exactly how much public safety is involved in vices such as drugs, prostitution and gambling, but the fact that a sin as capable of devastation as lying can generally be outside the scope of the state should temper anyone's tendency to make a case for government involvement in eradicating a sin on public safety grounds.