knowledge of the law

I keep thinking about how to fix the problems in our country.  One solution presented is that "kids should be taught right and wrong".  Or the coloary, "we don't teach kids right and wrong".  I'm going to start at the beginning and say teaching the right and wrong is a waste of time.

The Bible is my text for this thought experiment.  The Jewish people knew very well throughout the Old Testament the difference between right and wrong.  The law was given to Abraham on stone tablets so he could tell everyone else the law.  So it would be hard pressed to say that the Jewish people didn't know the law.  It would also be hard pressed to say the Jewish people didn't teach the law.  There was an entire tribe whose sole purpose was to act as priests. 

Based on all that knowledge, how many people followed the law?  Zero.  Not a single one.  So knowledge of the law didn't get a single person to follow the law in the entire Old Testament.  Which I would say is pretty telling.  Because if you have a period spanning several thousand years and not a single person can follow the law, then knowledge of the law is not what keeps people from breaking the law.

Another thought experiment.  Traffic law teaches that a driver should always signal before changing lanes.  Not signaling before changing lanes means you have broken the law.  Not signaling long enough causes you to break the law.  Everyone who drives is required to pass a school of traffic law.  Yet next time you drive, observe how many people use turn signals.  I would guess the ratio is three to one against.

So, will teaching "right and wrong" solve the problems we are having today?  No.  The Jewish people knew the law in the Old Testament and not a single one followed it throughout their entire lives.  Traffic law teaches that a driver should signal before changing lanes.  That law is followed infrequently. 

So if knowledge of the law doesn't get people to follow the law, then what does?