Lots of thoughts...so little time

Moses and the Egyptians

Though I am not sure why this came to me it occurred to me that Moses probably knew Pharaoh. If he didn't know Pharaoh personally, he probably knew his parents. Moses was raised for 40 years in the palace of Pharaoh, as a son basically. We don't know how many daughters Pharaoh had, but, Moses certainly would have been privy to many things. Especially over a 40 year period, prior to his exile, Moses must have seen and gotten to know the entire royal family. So, presuming that royal lineage was passed down within the family, the person he confronted 40 years after his departure from Egypt probably had more than just a random face. It was probably a cousin, a relative, someone who recognized Moses and was enraged at his demands. Imagine an adopted relative living a life of luxury in the royal family. They kill a fellow countryman and disappear. Then, forty years later they reappear demanding that your entire slave population be released. This overtone to the Book of Exodus has never been pointed out to me and holds some interesting characteristics to consider next time I look at that book.

Rights - Godly or not?

You know, I frequently get into mental debates with people. I guess I am trying to prepare myself so, if I do ever get into an argument with this person, I will be prepared for the battle. Typically, when these imaginary conversations do take place, they never go as expected (or hoped). At any rate, one such thread of mental fights revolves around the notion of rights. "People deserve this right and that right..." Lots and lots of arguments about what people should be able to do and shouldn't be able to do. But, I have to stop and wonder, are rights even Biblical? When a person argues that they have a God-given right, is there any basis for this at all?

Underneath this set of questions lies the fundamental curiosity (and potentially new way of thinking): if rights are not something we are justified in proclaiming, declaring, defending, etc, then, every rights-based argument is just a lie regardless of how "self-evident" it might be. According to this site the NLV only mentions rights 18 times.

Exd 21:9
Exd 21:10
Deu 21:16
1Ch 5:1
1Ch 5:2
Job 36:6
Psa 82:3
Pro 31:5
Pro 31:8
Pro 31:9
Ecc 5:8
Isa 10:2
Jer 5:28
Lam 3:35
1Cr 9:15
1Cr 9:18
Gal 4:5
Hbr 12:16

Most of these are in the context of the Old Testament. Furthermore, most of these carry with them the implicit context of the law. In essence, rights are only mentioned when the law is being discussed.

To me, this is very interesting. If we, as Christians, are no longer subject to the law then, what does that mean for rights? Are we still capable of invoking our rights? Without getting too far off base, I like this as a starting point for reflecting on what rights are, at least from a worldly point of view.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rights

Then, in contrast, I throw out this idea: 1 Corinthians 9:18

What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make use of my rights in preaching it.

In this context, rights is the Greek word, exousia. Power. This word has come up for me many times, but, in a different context, that of apostolic/prophetic ministry.

I am not trying to get off on another tangent, yet, I have begun to wonder, these arguments in our world today, are they about freedoms, or, are they disguised power plays? A wolf-in-sheep's-clothing, if you will, where people speak of fairness and liberty to dis-empower our God-stated call to "...tear down arguments." (2 Corinthians 10:1-4) Speech and rhetoric of rights has been abused and I don't see many (any really) logical, loving, Christian arguments against this attack. It has been going on for years now and we have not to show for it.

Lord, I ask that you would reveal the root of this deception. Make the rights-based arguments transparent. Unmask the spirit and tactics of this ruse and help your followers tear down this argument. Pour forth truth and logic rooted in You. May love flow from this discovery and may those who have perpetuated this deception be shown powerless and deceived by their own designs. May your Truth shine Lord and may Jesus' fulfillment overpower any such non-sense. Release this new wave of refutation.

I think a basic starting point is here: Rights have to do with "conforming with or conformable to justice, law, or morality". So, the question, if you are trying to define it, naturally rests on notions of justice, law and morality. Well, these are age old arguments and no universal answer has been accepted. Yet, as a Christian, I look and see, the Bible has clearly defined what is Just. The Law is a special issue, complex and deep beyond the scope of a single post, but, clearly within the context of this thought stream. And, morality, well, that is apparent and obvious in the context of Scripture. So, rights and Scripture have a lot to relate to each other and dig into.

The practical question for me, trying to not get intellectual, is how does a Biblical framework of Rights help me to "tear down arguments"? I don't want to beat people with better arguments. That's just a matter of the soul. I want to show people God's love and truth through the idea of true justice, the law as God sees it and morality through His eyes. Rights are things people are passionate about, but, how can that passion be used to draw people closer to God, into relationship with Christ and out of the mindset that rights, in and of themselves, are worth living and dying for?