"Yea, I'm all for human rights..."
Micah 6:8 (ERV) #verseOfReflection
Human, the Lord has told you what goodness is.
This is what he wants from you:
Be fair to other people.
Love kindness and loyalty,
and humbly obey your God.
It wasn't too long ago, on my last afternoon in my wilderness experience that I had lunch with a friend. We hadn't known each other too long and he was introduced to me while visiting a church member who he went to school with. I've always been interested in getting to know people and sharing in fellowship and immediately this brother came across as someone I should at least grab lunch with, especially if there was anything I might be able to do concerning his spiritual encouragement or...anything really.
Have you ever talked with someone and decided that they were "good people"? Not good in the sense of godly or even being a good person, but that something about them would make any time spent with them worth it. We've all been in situations and had conversations where we'd rather have done something else with that time...ANYTHING else, as often it might seem to amount to nothing less than a waste.
As spiritual beings who are living a natural experience (i.e. We are fundamentally spiritual "stuck" in a natural existence / dealing with the consequences of nature) we are able to pull from various spiritual resources to include different types of spirits. For now when we say spirit, we'll understand it as that which is living in the sense that it has a will, emotions, rationale, etc. The basic 3 types of spirits: human, Godly (to include any person of the triune God-head: God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit; angels and humans inspired by the Holy Spirit or God in some way), and ungodly (evil spirits / demons / fallen angels, etc). Essentially it is possible for us as humans to be affected by spiritual beings outside of our own humanity. Since this is possible it stands to reason that there is a mechanism or way by which one is able to discern what type of spirit is speaking, acting, etc.
I digress...
We must've drove to 3 or 4 different restaurants before we finally decided on a place, ordered our food and sat down. It was funny because I didn't think it would take all of this just to find a place to eat. But come to find out he's a personal trainer and anyone who has taken their health or fitness seriously knows you have to eat the right things. There's also the possibility that he may just be a picky eater!
We got into some of the heated topics of debate for the day: same-sex marriage, inter-faith dating, and the list goes on. A few times he told me to kind of calm it down so we wouldn't scare the others in the restaurant. I appreciated him for this. Another example of why we need folks we can be held accountable to. Sometimes I do believe that God sets us up and not only that, He is also able to speak through anyone.
I mentioned attending the Pride parade not too many weeks prior and his response was: "Why were you there?" So we kept talking, going back and forth, disagreeing (at the time I was pro-gay marriage) and eventually I dropped a statement often tied to the equality of rights afforded to gay persons in that it is a matter of human rights. I won't even start on the homo-comparison of race and sexuality. Essentially, many of the movements which happen today are underwritten by a slightly false doctrine of human rights. No soon as I said the words, "human rights...", the response which came from him but was not of him (i.e. his Human spirit) was "Yea, I'm all for human rights."
Thinking back on our quick study of spiritual sources, if it wasn't his human spirit which was speaking this could only leave 2 possible options. It had to be either godly or ungodly. I can't prove to you that it was either just in the recounting of a story so let's think of it this way. The topic of conversation was same-sex marriage. I mentioned human rights as the overarching umbrella for why it made sense for me as a Christian to be at an event which affirmed not only homosexuality but any type of sexual perversion and in a legal manner of relationships recognized by the state (and potentially God).
In 1 Corinthians 6:9 it talks of the types of people who will not inherit God's kingdom. Those who are unable to participate because of the sin which puts an increasing gap between them and God; most often intentionally. Based on this and many other scriptures in the Bible we know that homosexuality and same-sex marriage is condemned and not pleasing in the eyes of God. This lessens the chance of the source of this comment being ungodly. Could it be a Godly source? The statement is said with a hint of sarcasm or at the least an inferred disapproval. Doesn't this seem to go against our #verseOfReflection for today?! We're to be fair to other people, love kindness and be loyal.
Another translation of the verse:
This verse is often used in support of issues concerning social justice. In fact there was a prominent preacher who used this verse to cite the correctness in President Obama's speaking out in favor of same-sex marriage back in 2012 (a decision which was ultimately politically expedient given the election year; not to suggest Obama doesn't truly love gay people). There was also the famous right vs. rite sentiment, that we can not deny one a right just because others see it as a rite (i.e. Sacramental / sacred); on the face of it this sounds correct.
Two things that stick out to me in looking at the two translations presented: 1) Requirements and 2) Fairness. God is (once again) requiring something of us and fairness is a part of justice.
In What Does the Lord Require? author James Howell goes into splendid detail about the meaning of this verse and what it prompts us to do as Christians. Of course anyone can choose to apply this principle to their life, but here we must understand it as presented in its given context.
Here we have Micah, a prophet of the Lord who is known to be bold in his denunciation of the people's sins and even bolder in his hope for that which is to come. His name literally means "who is like the Lord?" The Hebrew word used for require "daras" means to seek, or a refusal to settle for distance (between God and man / the believer). The interesting part when thinking on this as the author has pointed out is "God gives what God requires" most notably, "How God provides...what God requires remains to be seen." So even in doing good which is required of us by God we can not do this apart from God. We'll skip justice for now, but kindness (mercy) is based on love, for example "mercy loves despite..."; doesn't matter what comes after despite because mercy loves no matter what. The humility that we are called to in our walk with God is that of being attentive, wise, and careful; having sober judgment. Well, what about fairness? Justice?!
Egalitarianism is an idea that all people are equal and deserve equal rights and opportunities. This can also be known as equalism and has various forms such as racial, economic, political, etc. It may be possible in certain situations to treat all as equals as would make sense given the two great commandments cited by Jesus: Love God. Love neighbor.
That covers fairness, but let's get back to justice. Justice here mentioned in verse 8 of the 6th chapter of Micah is "mishpat". It's a loaded term as many are in other languages which aren't English. Mishpat is a specific commandment from God, which describes (usually) ways people are to act. There tends to be this bias towards the poor, outsider, sojourner, and foreigner which goes beyond fairness and equality. Essentially, the purpose is to achieve some special kind of community; a beloved one.
In going back to the story I presented, I was able to discern that the source was Godly. It was inspired by the Holy Spirit, and perhaps I was talking to Jesus himself (He who abides in those who believe). We have an idea of what God requires, what justice is (in this context), and that we must be merciful and humble. Part of that humility includes obeying God's command. It's hard to fight for justice which sets itself up against the knowledge of that which is considered Godly and righteous. If it is ungodly it can not be just nor right.
How would you respond if God told you in a face-to-face conversation before looking off to the left: "Yea, I'm all for human rights."
...
Recently there was a lawyer in Florida pushing for support of the medical marijuana provision on the ballot. Most people understood that this was a stepping stone to the legalization of marijuana. Part of his argument was that many minorities had been imprisoned with harsh sentences as a result of carrying marijuana (often times in very small quantities). I understand that legal reform may be necessary in how these individuals are punished but I don't see how approving medical marijuana will help them especially when the plant is not for medicinal purposes. The likelihood that you are buying to sell / provide to those who are in need of it for medicinal purposes is highly unlikely as well.
This is one example of how we try to purport justice by perverting justice and the arguments used in support of our attempts to make strides in the political arena. I'd link to the commercial but I dare not be sued ...for telling the truth of course. Honestly, every time I heard the commercial I wanted to lose it, but I was often driving....moving on:
Do people know what justice is?
Are human rights worth the fight?
Why would God be against (not "all for") human rights?
Have you ever talked with someone and decided that they were "good people"? Not good in the sense of godly or even being a good person, but that something about them would make any time spent with them worth it. We've all been in situations and had conversations where we'd rather have done something else with that time...ANYTHING else, as often it might seem to amount to nothing less than a waste.
As spiritual beings who are living a natural experience (i.e. We are fundamentally spiritual "stuck" in a natural existence / dealing with the consequences of nature) we are able to pull from various spiritual resources to include different types of spirits. For now when we say spirit, we'll understand it as that which is living in the sense that it has a will, emotions, rationale, etc. The basic 3 types of spirits: human, Godly (to include any person of the triune God-head: God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit; angels and humans inspired by the Holy Spirit or God in some way), and ungodly (evil spirits / demons / fallen angels, etc). Essentially it is possible for us as humans to be affected by spiritual beings outside of our own humanity. Since this is possible it stands to reason that there is a mechanism or way by which one is able to discern what type of spirit is speaking, acting, etc.
I digress...
We must've drove to 3 or 4 different restaurants before we finally decided on a place, ordered our food and sat down. It was funny because I didn't think it would take all of this just to find a place to eat. But come to find out he's a personal trainer and anyone who has taken their health or fitness seriously knows you have to eat the right things. There's also the possibility that he may just be a picky eater!
We got into some of the heated topics of debate for the day: same-sex marriage, inter-faith dating, and the list goes on. A few times he told me to kind of calm it down so we wouldn't scare the others in the restaurant. I appreciated him for this. Another example of why we need folks we can be held accountable to. Sometimes I do believe that God sets us up and not only that, He is also able to speak through anyone.
I mentioned attending the Pride parade not too many weeks prior and his response was: "Why were you there?" So we kept talking, going back and forth, disagreeing (at the time I was pro-gay marriage) and eventually I dropped a statement often tied to the equality of rights afforded to gay persons in that it is a matter of human rights. I won't even start on the homo-comparison of race and sexuality. Essentially, many of the movements which happen today are underwritten by a slightly false doctrine of human rights. No soon as I said the words, "human rights...", the response which came from him but was not of him (i.e. his Human spirit) was "Yea, I'm all for human rights."
Thinking back on our quick study of spiritual sources, if it wasn't his human spirit which was speaking this could only leave 2 possible options. It had to be either godly or ungodly. I can't prove to you that it was either just in the recounting of a story so let's think of it this way. The topic of conversation was same-sex marriage. I mentioned human rights as the overarching umbrella for why it made sense for me as a Christian to be at an event which affirmed not only homosexuality but any type of sexual perversion and in a legal manner of relationships recognized by the state (and potentially God).
In 1 Corinthians 6:9 it talks of the types of people who will not inherit God's kingdom. Those who are unable to participate because of the sin which puts an increasing gap between them and God; most often intentionally. Based on this and many other scriptures in the Bible we know that homosexuality and same-sex marriage is condemned and not pleasing in the eyes of God. This lessens the chance of the source of this comment being ungodly. Could it be a Godly source? The statement is said with a hint of sarcasm or at the least an inferred disapproval. Doesn't this seem to go against our #verseOfReflection for today?! We're to be fair to other people, love kindness and be loyal.
Another translation of the verse:
He has told you, O mortal, what is good;So you see, it's hard to do justice if you're not treating people fairly. Isn't that what the majority of these movements are about today, involving some sort of fair treatment??? #blackLivesMatter #feminism #humanRights #allLivesMatter
and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love mercy,
and to walk humbly with your God?
This verse is often used in support of issues concerning social justice. In fact there was a prominent preacher who used this verse to cite the correctness in President Obama's speaking out in favor of same-sex marriage back in 2012 (a decision which was ultimately politically expedient given the election year; not to suggest Obama doesn't truly love gay people). There was also the famous right vs. rite sentiment, that we can not deny one a right just because others see it as a rite (i.e. Sacramental / sacred); on the face of it this sounds correct.
Two things that stick out to me in looking at the two translations presented: 1) Requirements and 2) Fairness. God is (once again) requiring something of us and fairness is a part of justice.
In What Does the Lord Require? author James Howell goes into splendid detail about the meaning of this verse and what it prompts us to do as Christians. Of course anyone can choose to apply this principle to their life, but here we must understand it as presented in its given context.
Here we have Micah, a prophet of the Lord who is known to be bold in his denunciation of the people's sins and even bolder in his hope for that which is to come. His name literally means "who is like the Lord?" The Hebrew word used for require "daras" means to seek, or a refusal to settle for distance (between God and man / the believer). The interesting part when thinking on this as the author has pointed out is "God gives what God requires" most notably, "How God provides...what God requires remains to be seen." So even in doing good which is required of us by God we can not do this apart from God. We'll skip justice for now, but kindness (mercy) is based on love, for example "mercy loves despite..."; doesn't matter what comes after despite because mercy loves no matter what. The humility that we are called to in our walk with God is that of being attentive, wise, and careful; having sober judgment. Well, what about fairness? Justice?!
Egalitarianism is an idea that all people are equal and deserve equal rights and opportunities. This can also be known as equalism and has various forms such as racial, economic, political, etc. It may be possible in certain situations to treat all as equals as would make sense given the two great commandments cited by Jesus: Love God. Love neighbor.
That covers fairness, but let's get back to justice. Justice here mentioned in verse 8 of the 6th chapter of Micah is "mishpat". It's a loaded term as many are in other languages which aren't English. Mishpat is a specific commandment from God, which describes (usually) ways people are to act. There tends to be this bias towards the poor, outsider, sojourner, and foreigner which goes beyond fairness and equality. Essentially, the purpose is to achieve some special kind of community; a beloved one.
In going back to the story I presented, I was able to discern that the source was Godly. It was inspired by the Holy Spirit, and perhaps I was talking to Jesus himself (He who abides in those who believe). We have an idea of what God requires, what justice is (in this context), and that we must be merciful and humble. Part of that humility includes obeying God's command. It's hard to fight for justice which sets itself up against the knowledge of that which is considered Godly and righteous. If it is ungodly it can not be just nor right.
How would you respond if God told you in a face-to-face conversation before looking off to the left: "Yea, I'm all for human rights."
...
Recently there was a lawyer in Florida pushing for support of the medical marijuana provision on the ballot. Most people understood that this was a stepping stone to the legalization of marijuana. Part of his argument was that many minorities had been imprisoned with harsh sentences as a result of carrying marijuana (often times in very small quantities). I understand that legal reform may be necessary in how these individuals are punished but I don't see how approving medical marijuana will help them especially when the plant is not for medicinal purposes. The likelihood that you are buying to sell / provide to those who are in need of it for medicinal purposes is highly unlikely as well.
This is one example of how we try to purport justice by perverting justice and the arguments used in support of our attempts to make strides in the political arena. I'd link to the commercial but I dare not be sued ...for telling the truth of course. Honestly, every time I heard the commercial I wanted to lose it, but I was often driving....moving on:
Do people know what justice is?
Are human rights worth the fight?
Why would God be against (not "all for") human rights?
The debate and legislation surrounding same-sex marriage is far from over. Yea the Supreme Court made a decision, but that's all it was. There's another branch that actually has to draft legislation, but even then it's going to always be left up to the states. America is too diverse for it not to be. As a Christian I don't think preventing same-sex couples from marrying legally will prevent homosexuality any more than putting a tax on cigarettes or causing certain counties to be "dry" on Sunday will prevent lung / throat cancer or alcoholism.
What does the Christian do concerning human rights? C'mon, you know what's good! Do justice, love mercy, and walk HUMBLY with your God. Everything else should fall in place.
Sumthn2Ponder (s2p):
- What are civil rights?
- Is there a difference between 'civil' and 'human' rights?
- Does disagreement mean the same as fear / hatred (e.g. bigotry)?
- How do you think God views equality?
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