Human rights

In response to the South African national holiday, Human Rights Day, I found a few quotes from the scriptures, which would be good to read in light of our Christian response to the rights of all people. This is usually a sensitive topic as we all have varying opinions on our rights, but hold these verses up to the debate and see if they add any wisdom.

"Woe to those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees,
2 to deprive the poor of their rights and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people,
making widows their prey and robbing the fatherless.
3 What will you do on the day of reckoning, when disaster comes from afar?
To whom will you run for help? Where will you leave your riches?" - Isaiah 10:1-3

1 Corinthians 8:8-9 - "But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do. Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak."

Lamentations 3:34-36 - "To crush underfoot all prisoners in the land,

35 to deny people their rights before the Most High,
36 to deprive them of justice—would not the Lord see such things?"

As Christians, how do we view 'our' rights in the context of a fallen world? What action should we take to protect the rights of the marginalised and poor?

Living in Grace

D3LM3