This is my first post of 2013. There have been times since the middle of December when I have been sorely tempted to blog but then read things or seen things that have put the case far better. Three things have dominated cultural debate over the last two months. One is a UK issue, one a US issue and one a Northern Ireland issue. I am talking here about marriage, guns and flags.
They are very different issues in very different contexts but they all boil down to one thing - a question of rights and whose rights are more important, whose rights are worthy of defending. The rights of gay people, gun owners and unionists have all been up for discussion over the Internet and the TV news. What is amazing is that all these discussions took place over Christmas, when the Christian community celebrated the one who gave up all his rights to enter this world as a helpless child whose upbringing was determined by his parents, his community and, for at least the early part of his life, the evil schemes of a tyrannical king.
One lesson I learn from Jesus' approach to his rights is that he willingly gave up his rights for others. He gave up his right to be recognised as the Son of God so that I would have the right to be called a child of God. I, as a follower of Jesus, am required to give up my rights for others. But I also learn from Jesus that, as a disciple of his, I am required to stand up for the rights of others who no-one else will defend. Jesus stands up for the leper and the woman caught in adultery and the people who are being robbed by the Temple money changers. He stands up, above all, for God's right to be honoured and glorified by his people.
When I made the argument in a flags discussion on Facebook that Jesus gave up his rights I received the reply that it is just as well we didn't take the 'turn the other cheek' approach against Nazi Germany. But of course in World War II we were (possibly too late) standing up for the rights of other people - the Czechs, the Poles and ultimately the Jews, Gypsies, homosexuals and many others who were sent to the death camps.
The question also must be asked about what are the real human rights issues of our day. I don't believe that marriage is a fundamental human right that should be available equally to all kinds of sexual relationships. I believe that it is a gift of God's grace to be shared by one man and one woman. I also don't believe that it is a fundamental human right to bear arms, although I accept that, in the American context, it is important for the government to give good reasons before it curtails that constitutional right. I do not believe that it is a fundamental human right to see the flag of the country in which you live flying over the principal government building in the capital city.
I do believe that it is a fundamental human right to be able to live and feed your family. This is aright that, according to the IF campaign, one in eight of the world's population do not enjoy. It is to scandalous that gay people are not allowed to marry. It is not scandalous that semi-automatic rifles might be banned. It is not scandalous that the Union flag only flies on designated days. It IS scandalous that one billion people will go to bed hungry tonight. Will we stand up for their rights?
In the words of the old and cliched bracelet, what WOULD Jesus do?
