Human Rights and the Image of God

The concept of rights is thrown around almost casually, but often without knowledge. People may cry that they have their rights, but actually have no idea of the ultimate source of rights. Indeed, this is similar to when folks say that they deserve something, but cannot really say why.

Simply demanding something and saying that it is a human right does not make what is desired necessary — or even a right. Sure, the state can grant legal rights, but those can be capricious and even removed. True rights do have an ultimate source, but this is in stark contrast to what secular people desire.

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The infamous Roe v Wade decision by the US Supreme Court was erroneously thought to give women the right to get abortions. The Dobbs decision in 2022 reversed Roe. Democrats were outraged because they thought their leftist sacred sacrament was threatened, and there are many false statements about the "right to an abortion" being ended. Abortion was never a right. Even if it was a "Constitutional human right" as some claim, the Constitution can be changed through amendments.

Secularists try to stand for human rights, but they cannot be consistent. Immoral things are touted as "rights" and laws enacted to protect them, but the human rights of others (such as Christians) are trampled. In reality, the most consistent way to view and implement human rights is to go back to Genesis and the image of God. Some rights are stated directly, while others need to be set in writing using biblical principles.

The existence of human rights, or prima facie entitlements applying to all persons on account of their humanity, is often treated as a basic assumption in ethics, law, and justice. Many ethical dilemmas concern conflicting claims to rights, and voices on both sides of major controversies like abortion frequently frame their arguments in terms of rights. But all this discourse is meaningless unless the rights referred to are grounded in a meaningful foundation. If such a foundation exists and is knowable, then we can understand which rights exist, which rights take precedence, and how to resolve controversies surrounding rights.

This article is not a quick read, but very useful. To finish, see "God’s Image as the Foundation for Human Rights."