Faith expressed in human rights document
posted on: Tuesday, December 06, 2011 by: renaebauer
by Sister Sally Ann
Brickner
Justice and Peace Coordinator
Have you ever felt upset, even angry, that someone violated or
infringed on one of your "rights"? Perhaps a friend (or foe) told a
lie about you, violating your right to your good name. Or someone
posted something about you on the Internet, affecting your right to
privacy. Maybe a doctor gave a wrong diagnosis resulting in a
life-threatening illness. An uninsured drunken driver crashed into
and totaled your car causing loss of property. These are but a few
examples of violations of human rights.
Persons often take rights for granted, not thinking about them
until they are violated. Sometimes legislators argue that a right
needs to be enshrined in a law, such as the Concealed Carry Law in
Wisconsin that was based on a Constitutional "right to bear
arms."
An important statement about human rights is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This
document was developed after World War II by the countries that
belonged to the United Nations. It was signed on December 10, 1948.
The basic rights and fundamental freedoms named therein are
inherent to human beings, inalienable and equally applicable to
every person. They are considered universal because they exist
across time and space, in every country and culture.
Catholics have special reason to celebrate and promote human
rights not only on December 10 but every day. Why? Because
throughout the centuries, the Catholic Church has taught that all
rights derive from the dignity of each person who is created by God
and whose destiny is union with God. Catholics, together with other
Christians and many religions, recognize that rights do not come
from the State or the United Nations. They come from God alone, and
it is the duty of each person, of organizations, and every
government to uphold individual rights.
- What right is of special importance to you? Why?
- What actions have you taken to preserve that right not only for
yourself but for others?
- When have you experienced a conflict between two rights? What
guided you in your choice of action?