Personhood: The Fact Of Existing

"I perceived clearly that I was participating in a truly significant historic event in which a consensus had been reached as to the supreme value of the human person, a value that did not originate in the decision of a worldly power, but rather in the fact of existing—which gave rise to the inalienable right to live free from want and oppression and to fully develop one's personality." — Hernán Santa Cruz of Chile, member of the drafting sub-Committee of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. ·

Personhood: Is Being Human Enough?

Hernán Santa Cruz of Chile

The "Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)" was adopted Friday, December 10th, 1948 and is understood to be the foundation of international human rights law. The PREAMBLE makes clear that the "recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world." Since its adoption more than 80 international human rights treaties, declarations, conventions, bills, provisions have formed a comprehensive and legally binding power for the promotion and protection of human rights. However, simply being a member of the "human family" or "the fact of existing" is not enough to be covered by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Today special interests groups have taken the lead in defining the body of international human rights law by promoting their own agendas to address concerns such as racial discrimination, torture, enforced disappearances, disabilities, and the rights of women, children, migrants, minorities, and indigenous peoples.

Personhood: Before As Well As After Birth

"WHEREAS the child, by reason of his physical and mental immaturity, needs special safeguards and care, including appropriate legal protection, before as well as after birth." — Declaration of the Rights of The Child, Adopted by UN General Assembly Resolution 1386 (XIV) of 10 December 1959 ·

Personhood: Human Rights and the Unborn Child

Rita Joseph, Australia

Rita Joseph has lectured at the John Paul II Institute for Marriage and Family Studies in Melbourne, Australia and represented family concerns at United Nation (U.N.) conferences. In her masterpiece, Human Rights and the Unborn Child, Rita successfully argues that the right to life of the child in the womb is clearly defined in the U.N. Declaration of the Rights of the Child (1959). ¹ Rita is on record as saying the right to life of the child in the womb has "been obscured for some decades now by the rise of a new pro-abortion ideology in the form of radical feminism" and such forces have conducted "a masterly campaign of ideological reinterpretation." ² Rita adds that the word "child" was understood in 1948 to include the child in the womb, (see the quotes above) and references the historical and legal prohibitions on aborting any woman "with child" and the original Hippocratic prohibition on abortion which was reaffirmed by the World Medical Association's Declaration of Geneva only three months before the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: "I will maintain the utmost respect for human life from the time of conception, even under threat …" ³ If you're reading this column and know Rita, tell her I said "Thank You!" Her commitment to the child in the womb reflects a deep and abiding love for Christ. I'm hoping we can meet and talk one day.

Personhood: The Morality Of The 21st Century

"The morality of the 21st century will depend on how we respond to this simple but profound question: Does every human life have equal moral value simply and merely because it is human?" — Wesley J. Smith, Featured on Starbuck's take-away coffee cups as part of its "The Way I See It" 2006 Campaign ·

Personhood: Again, Is Being Human Enough?

Wesley J. Smith, J.D.

In 2010, Lori and I were invited to a Napa Wine Cave to hear the latest on Proposition 8 (Traditional Marriage) from the lawyers themselves. The cave was awesome, the meeting was attended by both National and Statewide leaders and very, very informative. Still, my heart was broken in that meeting. One panel discussion opened this way: "We do not want to make the same mistake the Pro-Life movement is making. Millions of lives have been lost since 1973. RIGHT HERE and RIGHT NOW — is our 1973 and we will not settle for 'Domestic Partnerships' or 'Civil Unions!' We will stand together and stand without compromise for traditional marriage. One Man. One Woman. For Life." I cried. Not because I did not agree with the statement. I cried because the statement was true. Millions of lives have been lost since 1973 and the Pro-Life movement is fighting over strategy and tactics. It's Personhood versus Overturning Roe v. Wade. Why? We need both. Furthermore, we can have both because our God shall supply all our needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus ⁴ (Philippians 4:19). If the morality of the 21st century depends on how we respond to this question: "Does every human life have equal moral value simply and merely because it is human?" If we believe that every human life has equal moral value. If we believe that being human is enough. If we want to avoid thirty-nine (39) more years of legalized abortion on demand. Then perhaps ending abortion in 2012 will depend upon us seeing the value of meeting the physical and heartfelt needs of men, women and children ⁵ (James 2:15,16), preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality ⁶ (1st Timothy 5:21) and working together as brothers and sisters in the Body of Christ "simply and merely because" we are human.

Brothers, we really need to talk.

Note(s):
· The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was adopted by the UN General Assembly on 10 December 1948, was the result of the experience of the Second World War (http://bit.ly/SqjvG).
· Declaration of the Rights of the Child, G.A. res. 1386 (XIV), 14 U.N. GAOR Supp. (No. 16) at 19, U.N. Doc. A/4354 (1959), (http://bit.ly/vQVCL2).
· Wesley J. Smith, Featured on Starbuck's take-away coffee cups as part of its "The Way I See It" 2006 Campaign (http://bit.ly/b83dKq).
Reference(s):
01. Women for Faith & Family, Voices Editorial Board, Rita Joseph (http://bit.ly/s1jVJ4).
02. "International Human-Rights Law and the Unborn Child", by John Keown, September 24, 2010, (http://bit.ly/cK8JjV).
03. Ibid.
04. Philippians 4:19: "But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." (http://bit.ly/rFcJsR).
05. James 2:15,16: "If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?" (http://bit.ly/tShYqU).
06. 1st Timothy 5:21: "I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality." (http://bit.ly/vuYCim).