Disrespect of God’s, man’s rights breeds crime

EDITOR: The recent spate of killings, exposure of violent crimes and ugly behaviour of persons in our society has caused an outcry, as it should. It troubles the safety and comfort of society such that many see the place as dangerous. Scripture told us before in 2 Timothy 3:1-5 that, “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.{{more}} 2: For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3: Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4: Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5: Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”

In short, the bad human personality traits into which human beings deteriorate, are what make the times perilous/dangerous and these manifest themselves more and more in the time the Bible calls “the last days”. The truth is it will get worse. Note the ingratitude, unholiness, selfishness, lack of natural affection and incontinence (also meaning lack of self-control and restraint) which the Bible says will be manifested in human personality traits which imperil our world, our nation, our society, our community, our villages. I would like you to especially note traits which manifest disrespect for authority: disobedient to parents, incontinent, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God, proud, blasphemers, lovers of their own selves. All these inevitably manifest in breakdown of order, as bad human personality traits operate from extreme selfishness and gratification of self, against the necessary restraints of law, rules and restrictions.

There is a high knowledge that can help us. It is true that criminal and other anti-social behaviours are choices people make, but I commend to you suggestions whose origin is in God’s authority and his gifts to his human creation; suggestions that if followed will positively impact on the situation. Criminal behaviour is the same as sinful behaviour. They are both lawlessness. God himself is anti-crime and violence and this is clearly seen in the criminal behaviour his ten (10) commandments law forbid. This is so because God made humanity with certain natural rights, the respect and protection of which, is required for the very sustenance of the race.

The Americans summed it up nicely in the US Declaration of Independence, which is instructive here: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Liberty here refers to the Right to Liberty of conscience and the pursuit of happiness is an expression which enjoins the right to private property. Note that these rights are unalienable or inalienable and this simply means that the source of these rights is God himself – the Creator, who made humanity with rights. They are natural components of the human being by creative design. They are called “freeborn rights” by 17th century English politician John Lilburne; “natural rights” which cannot be “surrendered” by 17th century philosopher John Locke; and “unalienable” by 1700s Scottish enlightenment philosopher Francis Hutcheson. Along with these three fundamental God-given rights, the Creator endowed humanity with basic freedoms: freedom of thought, belief, conscience, opinion, choice, speech, expression and movement. All other subordinate rights and freedoms fall under these categories in one way or another.

Not only does God command respect for these rights and freedoms in the Ten Commandments, but He also asserts His own rights by pointing out that He will judge mankind for breaching His laws. Ecclesiastes 12:13, 14 say, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter; Fear God and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil.” It is therefore the sovereign ruler who himself has rights and his human creation with rights of their own. This statement by God shows He has certain claims upon man and thus He has certain rights to be recognized. Each commandment reflects the rights of God and the rights of man. “Thou shalt have no other Gods before me”, because He is God alone and He alone has the right to be worshipped by all. “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour” because God is truth and He has the right to be revelator to all. “Thou shalt do no murder (not kill) because God is Saviour and He has the Right to be the judge of all. Similarly, to steal is to breach the human right to private property; to murder is to infringe upon one’s right to life; and to interfere with someone’s worship of God (by say forcing them by law to follow this or that religion, thought or position) breaches their right to liberty of conscience. Thus the law of God is broken and God’s authority is attacked.

How do we expect to have a safe, peaceful and civil society when God’s authority is disrespected through breach of his commandments? How also do we expect to bring rational solution to this problem without interventions which encourage humanity’s obedience to God’s moral law? We need to educate our people about the rights of God and the inalienable and inviolable rights of humanity. Think on these things.

Anesia O Baptiste