Continued from "Protect Your Children from the Bad Guys"
In this post, I want to comment on the video "Overruled" which was produced by Parental Rights.org, an advocacy group chaired by Michael Farris. Farris is a lawyer and a professing Christian.
That last point is important because this video that features a prominent Christian spokesman nowhere identifies God as the source of rights, nor acknowledges the authority of God's written Word in the matter of parental rights. In fact, the film makes a point that no matter where you look (the Constitution, federal laws, etc.) you will find fundamental parental rights nowhere. From this perspective, it seems that any discussion of political rights lies outside the purview of Scripture.
In fact, since the makers of this documentary give no indication that they understand the Divine source of human rights, they fail to show any understanding of the nature of those rights. That's where I want to begin this discussion.
Here is the simplest statement I can think of that clearly expresses the source and nature of every human right:
If you lose sight of that truth, then you fail to see that every right you claim against the powers of civil government is, in reality a responsibility before God. Take, for example, the declaration of the Apostles before the council in Jerusalem.
Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. (Acts 5:29)
The council had forbidden them to speak in the name of Jesus. Jesus had commanded them to declare the Gospel of His Kingdom to all nations.
Peter and his companions rooted their right to free speech in the command of God.* God required them to speak the truth in general, (9th Commandment), and to preach the Gospel in particular (Mark 16:15, et. al.) Since God is the Source of all civil authority (Romans 13:1, ff.), no earthly government has the authority to countermand His Law . . . PERIOD.
In my next post on this topic, I want to apply this truth to the concept of parental rights.
* It logically follows that no one can claim an inherent right or freedom to curse, publish pornography, or do anything else contrary to God's express commands.
CONTINUED HERE
In this post, I want to comment on the video "Overruled" which was produced by Parental Rights.org, an advocacy group chaired by Michael Farris. Farris is a lawyer and a professing Christian.
That last point is important because this video that features a prominent Christian spokesman nowhere identifies God as the source of rights, nor acknowledges the authority of God's written Word in the matter of parental rights. In fact, the film makes a point that no matter where you look (the Constitution, federal laws, etc.) you will find fundamental parental rights nowhere. From this perspective, it seems that any discussion of political rights lies outside the purview of Scripture.
In fact, since the makers of this documentary give no indication that they understand the Divine source of human rights, they fail to show any understanding of the nature of those rights. That's where I want to begin this discussion.
Here is the simplest statement I can think of that clearly expresses the source and nature of every human right:
No one has legitimate authority to forbid you to do what God commands.
If you lose sight of that truth, then you fail to see that every right you claim against the powers of civil government is, in reality a responsibility before God. Take, for example, the declaration of the Apostles before the council in Jerusalem.
Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. (Acts 5:29)
Peter and his companions rooted their right to free speech in the command of God.* God required them to speak the truth in general, (9th Commandment), and to preach the Gospel in particular (Mark 16:15, et. al.) Since God is the Source of all civil authority (Romans 13:1, ff.), no earthly government has the authority to countermand His Law . . . PERIOD.
In my next post on this topic, I want to apply this truth to the concept of parental rights.
* It logically follows that no one can claim an inherent right or freedom to curse, publish pornography, or do anything else contrary to God's express commands.
CONTINUED HERE
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