A pair of divine Declarations on human rights

I believe that the founders of our nation were guided by the Spirit of God in forming the laws, government and Constitution of America and in declaring to the world that all people are created equal and are endowed with certain unalterable rights. Since that time, God has poured down His blessings on this land in abundance. He has done this for His own purposes which extend far beyond the blessing of those fortunate enough to be born within its boundaries. Indeed, America was meant to stand as a beacon of light to the entire world. A beacon of freedom, equality, and a hope that people do have the ability to rise above their tyrannical kings and may form their own governments with checks and balances in place sufficient to prevent the otherwise inevitable outcome of tyranny and oppression.

The Declaration of Independence of the United States of America is presented to Congress. Painting by John Trumbull.

America does not have an exclusive right to divine inspiration. All of God's children are equal in the eyes of our God, regardless of where they were born. The profound ideas that all people are created equal and that each has a right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are human values which originate from God. If the source of these ideas is divine, then these values will not only be found within America, but we would expect them also to be found among peoples throughout the world. All humans have the potential to realize or at least imagine these enlightening beliefs, and the most functional and benevolent societies have managed to put systems of government in place that support them. In addition to the Declaration of Independence, there is another document that I believe was created by men and women under the inspiration of Almighty God. It is entitled "The Universal Declaration of Human Rights" and was proclaimed at a United Nations General Assembly more than 70 years ago by representatives from around the world from varying religions, ethnicities and cultures.

Eleanor Roosevelt and the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, November 1949 © Wikimedia Commons

The declaration states that all human beings are born free and equal and that they are endowed with the same basic rights regardless of race, color, sex, language, religion, opinion, national origin, property, birth or any other status. Those rights include life, liberty, safety, and the basic needs to sustain life (food, clothing, shelter, and medical care). Also included are fundamental legal rights such as equal protection under the law, the right to fair trial, and presumed innocence until proven guilty. Furthermore, humans have the right to work, marriage and family, leisure, education, culture, social security, participation in government, and freedom of thought, expression and religion. It also lays out fundamental rights of people to move within their own country and to seek and enjoy asylum from persecution in other countries.

These rights apply to all people. Period.

God has blessed us with an abundance of resources, but history shows that without benevolent governments in place, the rights mentioned above are often not realized for the majority of the population. Therefore we depend on governments who act in ways that uphold these ideals on behalf of all people. A people who believes in these ideals and who values even those who are different, outcast, or who may not have the means of supporting themselves will sustain a government that upholds these universal values.