Jagger69
Three lullabies in an ancient tongue
Just to play devils advocate here, I would say if you really believe that, then prove it. In that respect people that think there is a religious basis to rights can be no less wrong than you, unless you can show either there is no God, or if there is that he didn't give people any rights just because of the fact they exist.
I guess I could be a smart-ass and ask you to prove that my assertions are NOT correct, but, quite obviously, this cannot be done. The discussion here is certainly quite subjective so perhaps I should have prefaced my statements by making it clear that my stand on this question is strictly my considered opinion. However, in response to your post, I would ask you to simply look around you. Look at yourself and ask "What rights did God give me that separates me from other creatures?". To me, the answer is obvious. Nothing....except free-will. ******* have the same right to live, to breathe, to eat, to *****, to ****, ****, fuck and have baby ******* as we do. However, these are all instinctive. None of them come from a conscious process of decision-making based upon the question "What do I want to do?". Of course, this is an extension of human intelligence, which, by transferrence, obviously also separates us from other creatures but would certainly not be confused with a "right"....more like a "gift". Again, in my way of thinking, the only "right" that is derived from this greater intelligence level is the right to free-will. Those of you with a more religious take on the universe can disagree....after all, it's your free-will right to do so!
Now, whether God exists or doesn't is really not the debate....it's whether or not certain "rights" as we call them are inherently ours simply by His divine providence. Let's assume God does exist (whatever that might mean). Your stance is based on the assumption that there is both an omnipotent and omniscient God if indeed he has granted us these rights. If this is true and He has granted us these rights, where in the fuck have they been and what the hell has He been doing for all those thousands of years when people had virtually no rights? It was not until social philosophers of the late 18th century created an enlightenment that led to the aforementioned documents that, luckily for many of us, are still being observed and adhered to today. Now, it may well have been God who had these philosophers do this but the act itself was carried out by men. To go to the next step and declare that these rights are therefore "God-given" is a serious stretch to say the least unless you are willing to admit that everything, good or bad, is God-given.
And that, my friend, is a whole other debate....
Great discussion and post, d-rock! :thumbsup: