Thursday, January 22, 2009

What Right do you Have?

I was at mass today and heard a homily that got me fired up! Father was right on the money. He spoke about how our Government has their head screwed on wrong and they just don't get it! We are constantly talking about rights in our country. A woman's right to chose, the right for gays to get married, animal rights etc. Well where do rights come from? Rights come from God. A government's job is not to confer rights or take rights away. A government's job is to protect people's GOD-GIVEN rights. When a government gives someone rights or takes rights away they are usurping God's soverignty and offending Him. Remember what Jesus tells pilate? "You would have no authority had it not been given to you by my Father in Heaven." Well anytime a Government gives or takes rights away they are abusing the authority given to them by God.

We talk about a woman's right to have an abortion. Guess what? God never gave a woman that right.

We talk about two men's rights to get married to each other. Guess what? God never gave them that right.

We talk about animal rights. Guess what? God never gave animals rights!

It's time our government remembered where their authority comes from and stop handing out rights that God never gave out!

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Obama would not have any authority had it not been given by "the People", therefore You should really be praying for the conversion of "the People." When the majority of Catholics believe in contraception and a minority believe in abortion, to single out one person as the scapegoat is unfair. Pray for the Church and for "Man's Government."

Kathleen said...

god didn't give slaves rights either, but that doesn't mean slavery was a right. I guess I'm confused about where you're getting these. The bible doesn't mention abortion or gay marriage and while I'm not sure about animal rights, I don't think the bible mentions them either. But perhaps our definition or concept of the word rights is different.

Anonymous said...

Excellent post, definitely makes sense. Too bad people are too arrogant to accept that. :\

Jose said...

God gave people rights, slaves were people therefore it is implicit that slavery was wrong based on the fact that all men have human dignity and are created in the image and likeness of God. And the Bible does mention all those things I talked about. Gay marriage (Adam and Eve not Adam and Steve, Leviticus, Romans etc.), Abortion (Be fruitful and multiply-Genesis, Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you-Jeremiah), Animal rights (God gives Adam and Eve DOMINION over the animals, meaning control over them). There is more I could list but am only on break from class. Frankly if God says it once that's enough for me but if you would like more proof let me know and I'd be happy to provide it.

Anonymous said...

"We talk about animal rights. Guess what? God never gave animals rights!"

Are you kidding me? Laws against cruelty to animals shouldn't even be an issue. A human doesn't have the right to be cruel to animals. Animals DO have the right not to be abused. ANY living thing has that right.

And I'm really glad I wasn't at that Mass. Nothing upsets me more than when a priest goes on a political rant. There's supposed to be separation of church and state. Since the state can't interfere with the church, what makes the church think it can interfere with state?

I don't like abortion, and I oppose it, but I still vote Democrat because there are other issues to consider. And even after a Republicans have been in office, guess what..... abortion is still legal. And even if it somehow miraculously became illegal, women will still go out and have illegal abortions.

Did you know abortion rates skyrocketed in Bush's two terms as opposed to Clinton's? Because while Clinton was in office, there was more prosperity, and more women felt they could afford to support their babies. When Bush came into office, the economy fell so drastically that women didn't think they could support a baby, leading to higher amounts of abortion. There are others things to look at about a candidate besides whether they are pro-life or pro-choice.

Kathleen said...

Unless I have my history incorrect (and I doubt it, since I have a master's in history, though it's possible) and my bible incorrect - but what about Exodus 21:20-21? And Jesus never said anything against slavery either - so if it's wrong, why didn't god (through Jesus or a burning bush) say so?

Jose said...

First,

Jessica: I do not mean humans should be cruel to Animals. There is no need for that. However, there is no such thing as animal rights because God never gave them rights. It is a little wierd that the same people that yell about save the whales, are pro-choice. Also your understanding of separation of Church and state is flawed. Seperation of Church and state was intended to keep the state out of Church affairs, not the Church out of state affairs. These issues are moral issues and the Church has every right to vocalize its opinion. Lastly your arguments for voting are weak. Is it ok to think there are other issues to consider if someone where to be pro-killing of Jews? To say women will still perform abortions even when they are illegal is also weak because people still steal and murder when those things are illegal whould we make them legal? Also to think the abortion statistics will go down is ignorant. Obama just repealed the Mexico city plan. Your tax dollars are now responsible for even more abortions. Also economic policies take years to show effect. Bush had a bad economy because he was cleaning up Clinton's mess. Clinton had a good economy cause he was riding Regan and Bush's coat tails! I'm sorry, not to offend you but I'm calling it like it is, it is time for Catholics to face up to their mistake if they voted for Obama.

Jose said...

Second,

Kathleen,

You are not incorrect. Slavery was a part of life in the ancient world. But that was also a living out of the OLD Covenant. Jesus came and called the Jews to a higher standard and slaves were no longer part of life because of Jesus' teaching on the dignity of the human person. Jesus himself took the form of a slave to redeem us. Jesus didn't have to directly say anything to show us it was wrong. His actions and teaching imply the imorrality of slavery.

Kathleen said...

I'm re-reading the New Testament and i can't help but notice that Jesus never once condemned slavery. What about in Luke 12:45-48, which talks about beating slaves? Or in Paul's instructions to slaves in Ephesians?

Jose said...

Kathleen,

Jesus does not have to specifically say it. Based on how he called us to love our neighbor and the His basic teaching on the dignity of the person imply that slavery is wrong. Also if you read on in St. Paul there is a slave that runs away and comes to him for help. He baptizes the slave and sends a letter to the owner pleading on his behalf and the slave is then set free. St. Paul also mentions how there is no longer, slave nor free person, nor Greek, only those who are one in Christ. Granted I'm paraphrasing but you get the gist. While slavery may have continued doesn't mean it was something approved and supported by Christ. Christ doesn't have to say slavery is condemned but he gives guiding principles for living live of which can be deduced that slavery is a moral evil.

Anonymous said...

Not to offend you or anything, but it is not a governments job to protect your God given rights. It is the governments job to maintain structure and order with in society. In fact historically it has not been the norm for a government to protect the personal rights and well being of people until recently (meaning the past 50 years). The only power the government has, is not given to them by God either, it is granted to them by those they are governing. Therefore the government does have the right to pass such legislation saying what a woman does and does not have the right to do. It is the female who has willingly given this power to the government by electing the officials who decided this or by not voting at all which is nearly the same thing. I guess what I am saying is that the government is not the enemy, the enemy first and foremost satan for he has corrupted the minds of many voters in this country and secondly the voters themselves for putting the officials in office.