My view on rights

[Milk-Drops]

As I've gotten older, and my view on the world has been demystified through educating myself on how things work, I have come to the conclusion that rights don't exist.

When I say rights, I mean the rights we as people bestow on each other. Rights are concepts of what we are allowed to do. They exist in a sense that they are agreed upon boundaries of who can do what and to whom. rights are superficial concepts we come up with to state who has power over what, and who can challenge that power.

The Bill of rights is not a holy document in the United states. It wasn't even part of the original document. It was added to make sure that the people knew the boundaries of the US government. Rights are fought for and protected by the people who value them. They only exist as long as there is strength to defend them. Power wil define rights, and those that sit in power hold the keys to them.

What are you guy's thoughts on this?

 

[Knotical]

Coming from a Christian perspective Rights are really just a false sense of feeling we somehow are owed some kind of respect, or deserve to be treated in some positive manner that we have predetermined and expect others to follow, including governments.

In reality all that we really deserve, as sinners, is a life of torment in hell; however, since Jesus died on the cross and paid our way into heaven, by the grace of God we have a path to live in paradise that was not there previously.

Now, what this means to us while we are still on this planet is that we have a duty to treat each others with respect and kindness, as an emulation of how Jesus treated those He came into contact with while He was fulfilling His purpose on this earth. This is done as a way of thanking Him for His sacrifice, as well as reflecting back God's glory through works of righteousness that He equips us for.

 

[WIP]

I have always believed rights are earned and only valid so long as I don't infringe on another's rights. A huge example for me, relating to the rights guaranteed by our US constitution, is Freedom of the Press. This is one that is so often allowed to go too far. Think about OJ Simpson for a moment and his situation. Forget whether you think he was guilty or not and show me how he got a fair trial by an impartial jury of his peers. By the time the media got done with their repeated analysis of what happened there is almost no way that anyone could be found that would not come into that jury with some presupposed bias either for or against him. This is a classic example of how one person or group exercising their rights can go too far to the point of infringing on another's rights and this is, in my opinion, a violation of the constitution.

 

[Knotical]

WIP Are you suggesting we put a leash on the press core? Though I am for it, that could be pretty dangerous considering how influential they are. Then again, who would be those that would hold the leash?

 

[Obadiah]

I believe we in America do indeed have rights. But you are correct that these "rights" are things that people have bestowed on each other and codified into law. I've many times questioned the common statement "We have a God given right to (insert your favorite right here)" especially when it is used by Christians. I've not yet seen one person point me to any scripture where God gave us any of these rights that so many people claim He gave us, yet they sure get mad when questioned on this!

 

[Knotical]

Obadiah That is the thing. There are those in authority that we could make the argument that God put them there, and therefore, should be respected and obeyed (to a degree), but you are right that there is no reference in the bible that states that God has given us any "rights". Everything we have received is by grace, or mercy depending on the cause, tangible or otherwise.

 

[th1b.taylor]

As I've gotten older, and my view on the world has been demystified through educating myself on how things work, I have come to the conclusion that rights don't exist.

When I say rights, I mean the rights we as people bestow on each other. Rights are concepts of what we are allowed to do. They exist in a sense that they are agreed upon boundaries of who can do what and to whom. rights are superficial concepts we come up with to state who has power over what, and who can challenge that power.

The Bill of rights is not a holy document in the United states. It wasn't even part of the original document. It was added to make sure that the people knew the boundaries of the US government. Rights are fought for and protected by the people who value them. They only exist as long as there is strength to defend them. Power wil define rights, and those that sit in power hold the keys to them.

What are you guy's thoughts on this?

You sound like one of those American Revolutionists that some of us, myself included, call our founding fathers.

 

[WIP]

WIP Are you suggesting we put a leash on the press core? Though I am for it, that could be pretty dangerous considering how influential they are. Then again, who would be those that would hold the leash?

Yes. When we allow the press to exercise its rights at the expense of the our rights we give them too much power. I have freedom of speech but does that gone me the right to use that freedom to slander another?