Human Rights

Jesus died on the cross of a result of unjust prosecution. He was prosecuted by Pontius Pilate even without any sufficient proof. He was condemned without being tried fairly. Sadly, even Pilate himself declared that no fault was seen in Christ three times. Had this happened in the modern world, the accused should have been released. Thus, the crucifixion story itself provides lessons about an essential aspect of human existence-the human rights.

The mob insisted that this innocent Man be killed. Pontius Pilate bore false witness against Christ insisting that He was a big threat to the then existing Roman Empire. He accused Him of rebellion, creating a false picture of Christ persuading people not to pay taxes to Caesar.

All of these events resulted to the story of crucifixion which is now a religious celebration for Catholics around the world. In today’s world, the same events may happen in courts. We can witness the same thing inside the courtrooms, people testifying and people being prosecuted by fellowmen.

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Human rights. We hear about them argued about, whispered about, more laws being made that we do not understand, screamed about and everything else. But what should they be? What should they come down to? How should we live? I can put the answer into one or two words, but before I do, here is this article. We scream about freedom. But due to human nature needing to grow from “zero” to evolved, all of that freedom and the like needs to be earned, let us face it. So, let me give the two words and then explain myself: We should all live by honesty and reality. Those two words are seriously what it all comes down to, honesty and reality. All else is just useless commentary. If you admit that it all comes down to those two words, then human rights disappear as fully earned and self evident for everyone. Think about it. The more you or anyone wants to destroy, steal or get away with, the more laws you or anyone needs to control you and “make you do right.” But the more genuine right you want to do, the less subjective and controlling laws you need to run your life.

If you are able to do right yourself, the less subjective laws you need made to control your behavior, and all you need to live by are those two objective words, honesty and reality. I know in some quarters, like the traditional political areas and most traditional religious areas, I would sound a little “crazy.” But the ultimate sanity is simplicity and directness in that area when you think about it. Genuine insanity is all of the laws we have “running our lives” without our thinking effort and ultimately to our destruction. I will put it this way:

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Spain is becoming a paradise for apes. The environmental committee of the Spanish parliament has approved a resolution that calls for the right to life and freedom for great apes.

The resolution has its roots in the Great Apes Project. Started in 1993 by philosophers Peter Singer and Paola Cavalieri, the project argues that “non-human hominids”, i.e. chimpanzees, gorillas, orang-utans and bonobos, should have the right to life and freedom and be protected from torture. Well-known scientists and activists like Jane Goodall and Richard Dawkins have given their support to the project.

The Spanish resolution is not the first attempt to give human rights to apes. In January 2008 animal rights activists in Austria failed to secure rights for a chimpanzee they called Matthew Hiasl Pan as the Austrian supreme court judged that an ape could not be a person.

The attempt to elevate the status of apes is based on the evolutionary belief that humans and apes are genetically closely related and have a common ancestor. Natural history museums often put the DNA difference between humans and chimpanzees at 1-2 per cent although several recent studies have suggested that a more correct figure would be at least four or five per cent.

While it certainly is ethical to treat animals well, a disturbing phenomenon is taking place in some European Union (EU) countries that actually weakens the rights of humans. Promoters of Darwinian evolution have usually been reticent about it.

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