"God-given Right"

[Marathoner]

I've been encountering the phrase in the title of this topic with increasing frequency as of late, and I confess my cluelessness regarding such an assertion. I'm not aware of any instance in scripture where the Lord guaranteed mankind anything at all --- apart from death and judgment --- but seeing as how I don't know all there is to know, I might have missed something. This is entirely possible.

I thought a poll might be an interesting departure from the usual here on the General discussion forum. I set it to close next month, so there's plenty of time for members to participate if they wish (that is, if the topic goes anywhere). This has the potential to be a great topic... a controversial subject... or dead in the water. 

We shall see!  

[Who me]

Basicly ever ' right ' claimed by people today can be traced directly back to Christianity.

 

Under Gods law all people regardless of race, status, wealth or religeon are equal and are to be treated in the same way. You do not find this in roman or greek laws, or in islamic or hindu laws.

Freedom of the individual, again a judeochristian concept. slavery was forbidden, yet it was normal in the ancient world and in islam/hinduism.

 

Any nonchristian claiming human rights should be challenged where those rights come from.

[Sower]

Is There Such a Thing as a "God-given Right?" 

Yes, the right to obey, or to sin. It is a choice.

[The_Patriot21]

Yes, and pretty much every right protected by the original constitution came straight from the Bible

 

[just_abc]

@Marathoner

Thank you so much for asking about the phrase "God given right" !  

I have been puzzled too.  And recently even considered asking in one of the other threads on worthy....

If I may ask a few questions..

I am wondering is this phrase / concept an american one?  i.e cultural etc?

Or is it something actually in the Bible?

 

Also if I may ask my fellow brethren here on worthy who are not from North America  (or also those from North America but who are familiar with other parts of the world).. is this phrase commonly used outside North America where you are from etc?  Or is it mostly american english  or North America specific?

 

I truly truly mean no offence to anyone with my questions.  Trying to figure out what is cultural /society.. and what is actually Bible..

Thanks to everyone for your patience with me! 

 

ps.  To @Marathoner    Very sorry for asking so many questions in your poll thread..  I hope it is ok with you?  Not trying to hijack your thread.. just really really excited to be able to ask about something which has been puzzling to me! 

Thank you so much!

 

Edited July 20, 2022 by just_abc

[Marathoner]

14 minutes ago, just_abc said:

@Marathoner

Thank you so much for asking about the phrase "God given right" !  

I have been puzzled too.  And recently even considered asking in one of the other threads on worthy....

If I may ask a few questions..

I am wondering is this phrase / concept an american one?  i.e cultural etc?

Or is it something actually in the Bible?

 

Also if I may ask my fellow brethren here on worthy who are not from North America  (or also those from North America but who are familiar with other parts of the world).. is this phrase commonly used outside North America where you are from etc?  Or is it mostly american english  or North America specific?

 

I truly truly mean no offence to anyone with my questions.  Trying to figure out what is cultural /society.. and what is actually Bible..

Thanks to everyone for your patience with me! 

 

ps.  To @Marathoner    Very sorry for asking so many questions in your poll thread..  I hope it is ok with you?  Not trying to hijack your thread.. just really really excited to be able to ask about something which has been puzzling to me! 

Thank you so much!

 

Of course it's fine, my friend. I'm paying attention to responses (and questions!) because I started this topic and poll to learn. 

[ladypeartree]

not a phrase you hear often in the UK .. just to answer abc question

 

I was always taught that with every " right " comes a responsibility ...God gave Adam the right to name all the animlas but the responsibility to care for them . There are several " Rights " such as the right for a bondman/slave to freedom butthe responsabilioty to work for it ( I believe 7 years is the normal amount of labour for freedom  plus more years for the wife or children he may have aquired whilst a slave /bondman  ?)   I cannot think of any instance when a " right " was given WITHOUT a corresponding responsability 

[AnOrangeCat]

IMO the phrase is misused a lot. I ended up spending some time in the company of a group of so-called "progressive Christians". Had about as much as I can stomach of them but that's another matter entirely. it's very true that the US Constitution draws heavily from the Bible and uses the phrase, but in this era it feels like the phrase is mainly used to attempt to present a given thing as both culturally American AND culturally Christian.

So far as whether or not we actually have rights, I largely agree with ladypeartree. I feel like it's more accurate to say that God has made conditional promises and that His nature is such that we can count on Him to keep those promises. None of us are guaranteed so much as living through the next few seconds. We can be assured of our salvation through Jesus Christ, but again, I don't feel like this is presented as a right so much as an agreement, or in more Biblical terms, a covenant.

[Starise]

If we get to the place where we only want to do what God wants us to do, the whole question of rights goes away.

[Selah7]

Let's see now… We have the right to do everything that the good LORD above has commanded us to do. 

selah …