I believe that our society is WAY out of balance. Everything is weighted toward the "rights" side of things with barely any emphasis on the "responsibilities" side.
Do you agree? In what areas of life do you see this?
Check out this section from the Canadian Bill of Rights (as taken from http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/showdoc/cs/C-12.3///en?page=1)
Recognition and declaration of rights and freedoms
1. It is hereby recognized and declared that in Canada there have existed and shall continue to exist without discrimination by reason of race, national origin, colour, religion or sex, the following human rights and fundamental freedoms, namely,
(a) the right of the individual to life, liberty, security of the person and enjoyment of property, and the right not to be deprived thereof except by due process of law;
(b) the right of the individual to equality before the law and the protection of the law;
(c) freedom of religion;
(d) freedom of speech;
(e) freedom of assembly and association; and
(f) freedom of the press.
Recognition and declaration of rights and freedoms
1. It is hereby recognized and declared that in Canada there have existed and shall continue to exist without discrimination by reason of race, national origin, colour, religion or sex, the following human rights and fundamental freedoms, namely,
(a) the right of the individual to life, liberty, security of the person and enjoyment of property, and the right not to be deprived thereof except by due process of law;
(b) the right of the individual to equality before the law and the protection of the law;
(c) freedom of religion;
(d) freedom of speech;
(e) freedom of assembly and association; and
(f) freedom of the press.
[all emphasis mine]
Language is a delightfully (or maybe despicably) subtle thing.
We often speak of the "right of the 
individual" but where is the responsibility of the individual? I remember reading in Meic Pearce's book, Why the Rest Hates the West, how we usually state our rights in the first person ("I have the right to...") while responsibilities are stated neutrally...
individual" but where is the responsibility of the individual? I remember reading in Meic Pearce's book, Why the Rest Hates the West, how we usually state our rights in the first person ("I have the right to...") while responsibilities are stated neutrally...ie) Instead of saying, "I have the responsibility to feed the poor" we might say, "the poor must be fed." Subtle linguistic changes like this create a culture where we can push aside our Biblically mandated responsibilities (like taking care of the poor) to someone else; I have rights, while responsibilities simply must be done... by who? I dunno, but not me.
Do you see this displayed in your life?
What other conflicts between rights and responsibilities can you think of?
How does our discussion around Wants vs Needs tie in?
How does Philippians 2:5-11 play into this?
1 comment:
It seems to me that our culture thinks of responsibilities as the unfortunate side effect that sometimes comes with rights. We keep seeking the solution to eliminate these nasty responsibilities so we can better enjoy our rights. It's pretty hedonistic when you think about it. If I don't get my way (rights) then I won't be happy. The ironic thing is that in our search for pleasure or our quest for my rights, we never feel fulfilled. Because we were created to fulfill our responsibilities.
I think of owning my own home. What I want is a great looking yard and a beautiful house. That means that it is my responsibility to make it that way. If someone just did it for me, I might be happy for a while but it would never be good enough. But doing the hard work myself and making it look good is the satisfying part. How much more when we take on our responsibilities in Kingdom building? If we could get away from saying, "It is my right to have a voice in the church" to saying, "It is my responsibility to serve God in whatever way He has gifted me." It's interesting, I just finished reading John 21:15-20. Read verse 20 with this idea of responsibility in mind. Jesus is saying to Peter, don't compare yourself to others, focus on your responsibility.
Tim S.
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