New Issues in Human Rights
...This biblical passage shows us that in our spiritual identity, we
possess a God-
given
worth and dignity. The biblical We affirm that all persons are of
equal worth in the sight of God because all are created in the image of God.
Biblical tradition demands that we live in an interdependent relationship
with God and our neighbor. That moves us to We must
respond to human need at every community level.
"Now therefore, if you will obey my voice and keep my covenant, you
shall be my own possession among all people for all the earth is mine, and you
shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation."(Exodus 19:5-
6,
Revised Standard Version).
"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your
soul, with all your strength and with your mind and your neighbor as
yourself."(Luke 10:27-
28)
As covenant people of God who are a part to this covenant, we
are called to responsibility rather than privilege.
God's vision...Human rights are holistic in nature and therefore indivisible in
their social, civil, political, cultural and economic,
social, cultural, civil, and political aspects...
Further, As Christians, we receive and carry,
as Christians, a mandate to seek justice and liberation. That
mandate calls us to safeguard and dignity of all persons, whether they are the
oppressed or the oppressors by identifying and eliminating the root causes of
human rights violations throughout our global community. Isaiah
calls us to "loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to
let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke." (Isaiah 58:6)
Therefore, The United Methodist Church
reinforces continues its commitment to human rights
and as grounded in God's covenant by critically
assessing and safeguarding the following principles in human
rights as defined in the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights:...
2) All persons have the right to the basic necessities of life, as
defined in the United Nations
Declaration of Human Rights.
4) ...religious expression and practice.
The United Nations has spoken strongly against racism as a human rights violation in the United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination:
Discrimination between human beings on the ground of race, colour or ethnic origin is an offence to human dignity and shall be condemned as a denial of the principles of the Charter of the United Nations, as a violation of the human rights and fundamental freedoms proclaimed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as an obstacle to friendly and peaceful relations among nations and as a fact capable of disturbing peace and security among peoples.
In addition, the United Nations has also defined sexism as a violation of human rights in the Declaration on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women:
Discrimination against women, denying or limiting as it does their equality of rights with men, is fundamentally unjust and constitutes an offence against human dignity.
As a people "committed to Christ" and "called to change," we are
responsible for securing the integrity of our covenant in the midst of new
imposing human rights developments.
In this spirit, wWe call upon citizens within the
church and society to critically analyze critically
trends and developments which may impinge upon adversely
affect human rights. These include:
1) The increase of capital intensive technology that destroys opportunities for productive and meaningful employment.
2) The intentional use of data banks to provide pervasive
information undermine rather than enhance abundant living.
4) The possible economic and political scape-
goating
of such an "underclass" for technological and social displacement. The
criterion of a "Fourth World" and its potential scapegoat for the social
displacement resulting from technological advances.
6) The growth of militarism and the imposition of military-
like
behavior on control over civilians.
7) The increase of terrorism and the growth of less publicized
racist white supremacist movements such as the
neo-Nazi groups and paramilitary units. of the Ku Klux
Klan, the Posse Comitatus, etc. and so-
called
"National Fronts" in Britain and France.
8) In many countries Tthe decreasing
civilian control in many countries of domestic and
international policing and intelligence units as well as increasing
surveillance of their own citizenry perceived imposed
under the guise of a potential threat to national security.
9) The conflict of rising expectations between meeting the
basic needs of developing countries and the disproportionate sharing of
global resources.
History teaches us We are increasingly aware that
militarism and greed can overwhelm and undermine movements to secure human
rights. Moreover, as humanity approaches the 21st Century the role of
the church as advocate, healer, and servant of the poor and oppressed,
including the indigenous people, is necessary. The Church is called
to be an advocate for the human rights of all persons in the political, social
and economic quest for justice and peace. In the political, social
and economic quest for justice and peace, the insatiable demand for material
gain requires the church to be an advocate for the human rights of
all.
Meanwhile As people of faith and hope, we commend those
positive trends lending impetus which
contribute positively to the human rights movement. Among them:
- - The growing acceptance of universal standards for human rights.
--The establishment of organizations such as Amnesty International which documents, verifies, and publicizes political imprisonment, torture, killings, and crimes against humanity.
- - The increasing consensus against war as a viable solution to international conflicts.
-
-
Recent
moves to include Movement toward the inclusion of "basic human
needs" criteria in international aid packages and financial aid programming.
-
-
The
acknowledgment by the international community of a bona fide human role for the
church.
-
-
The
establishment growing importance of human rights
offices within governments of several nations
around the world.
-
-
The
growing emphasis on the technology appropriate to the cultural
setting.
We uphold the requirements advocated by the National Council of Churches to preserve and protect human rights:
1) Human rights require world peace;
2) Human rights require a secure and sustainable environment;
3) Human rights require sustainable human development;
4) Human rights require the preservation of communities; and
5) Human rights require the preservation of religious liberty and freedom of conscience.
We hereby call upon all governments to renew
accept their obligation to uphold human rights by refraining
from repressive repression, torture and violence
against all persons any person. We further call upon
all governments to fulfill their positive obligations to human rights
to ratifying and implementing
international conventions,...
We call the Church to be a place of refuge for the "heavy laden" and
uprooted of the global community. those who experience the
violation of their human rights. It is the duty of Christians "to help create
a worldwide community in which governments and people treat each other
compassionately as members of one human family."
While recognition and protection of human rights is an essential part
of our Christian obligations, we must remember that human rights alone do not
assure individual redemption and wholeness. The Church must keep before the
global community the claims of Christ upon humanity to seek lovingly to fulfill
his mandate expressed in the Great Commission.
Therefore, we call upon all members of The United Methodist Church to
do all within their power to further these objectives.
General Conference Webmaster: Susan Brumbaugh
PETS Creator: John Brawn
Petition Text: 21044-CS-R517-U
1996 United Methodist General Conference