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THE BASIS OF HUMAN RIGHTS
A Comment on : Vote Muza, Bizarre legal demands from other jurisdictions,
Financial Gazette, 30 Sept-6 Oct 2004 Vote Muza wrote that giving same sex
"marriages" proper legal status "is attempting to usher in a new dimension to
the broad and controversial issue of human rights". Indeed, it raises the
question about the basis and foundation of human rights. Not every lobby
pursuing some common interest can claim for their demands the status of "human
rights". However desirable something may appear to one set of people, if it is
harmful to other people and to society in general, it cannot be claimed as a
"human right". E.g. there is no "human right" and freedom to abuse children
sexually or to promote child pornography.
Human rights are based on the fundamental dignity and value of every human
person. The philosophy of "human rights" has indeed deep spiritual, religious
and moral roots. If, biblically speaking, people have been "created in the image
of God" then their life is infinitely precious and the personal integrity of
every person must be protected. Which shows that "human rights" always go
together with moral duties and obligations. If I have a right to life, then
everyone else is obliged to respect it
"Human rights" flow from the way the human person is constituted, i.e. from
human nature as designed by the Creator. Until recently universally, but even
today still for the vast majority of people, the principle is valid that man was
made for woman and woman for man. Their union creates the family and gives the
new generation a suitable environment in which to grow up to full maturity. Man
and woman, different but equal, complement each other. Children need both a
father and a mother. That is the created order which makes marriage a
universally accepted institution to be protected by the state, while same sex
unions cannot claim the same status.
However, denying same sex couples the right to legal recognition as married
people does not mean denying them "the right to exist". It is a fact that
homosexually inclined people exist. They have all the usual human rights to
life, to personal integrity, to freedom of expression and assembly etc. Just
because they are afflicted with a certain disorder does not make them subhuman.
Hate campaigns against fellow citizens afflicted by this disorder should not be
tolerated in a humane society.
The universal recognition of human rights, a milestone in the moral
development of the human race, should not be put at risk by dubious claims to
human rights status for all kinds of selfish interests.
(See also my article in EDICISA NEWS, November/December 2003: African Family
Culture and the Homosexual Aspect of the Sexual Revolution: A Challenge to the
Church in Africa). Fr Oskar Wermter SJ
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