On the Spirit of Rights, and Remaking the World

Op-Ed by Chris Veritas

In this day and age, where confusion is rampant, and the inversion of American Principles a thoroughgoing affair, I think it crucial to renew knowledge of the origin of our Rights and Freedoms, that we may the better defend them from their most subtle enemies.

It’s an open secret that the Declaration declares the Rights of Americans to be the gift of God, not the gift of Government; which turns said gift into grift. As such, they are not magnanimous largesse, similar to a welfare check or entitlement; but something “inalienable”; which, essentially, means Government derives its power from free persons who “consent” to be governed, and not the other way ’round.

You wouldn’t think this is the case, the way the President behaves, and the Courts legislate; as they bypass the people, to push controversial or unpassable policy. (Hey, what ever happened to Sic Semper Tyrannis?)

If the Obama Administration had its way, the revolution in human values would be over.

Extremely telling was the President’s speech, on the day when he declared the Beatitudes to be dangerous to Liberty. Either he doesn’t understand that this is where the idea of individual Liberty came from; or he does, and he was mounting an indirect assault at it. And frankly, I can’t say which is worse.

Let’s backtrack a moment. Before the Beatitudes, before Christ, there was the pagan world, which had Rome as its shining pinnacle. Though containing laws and a complex legal code, Rome was extremely venal; and the rich and powerful were favored, while the poor and unconnected were considered expendable. (Sound familiar?) In short, the State was the true living being, and “goddess Rome”, and “divine Caesar”, alone, had transcendent importance.

What was the meaning of one human life? A man lived and died, and nothing remained of him. At best, he might be remembered as a hero, and thus obtain some measure of immortality. Perhaps for the powerful, the case could be different; if the inscrutable gods were impressed with their prowess. But for ordinary men, there was no eternal life; and thus, no fraternal Rights.

But everything changed after Christ.

Although He was not actively teaching political theory, His ideas still revolutionized the way human beings saw Themselves and their States.

The foundation of this revolution is the idea that all human beings have Spirits, which make them eternal; and, therefore, invaluable. Governments will pass away; stars will pass away; the universe will cease to be; but even the least among humanity will outlive the universe, the stars, and the might of “divine Caesar”.

The true spirit of the revolution in Rights is the revelation that Spirit alone gives value to life. (Not that the animals are valueless; in fact, the more spiritual a person is, the more they will tend to care for lesser beings.)

Now, the values of the Spirit are the values of the “peacemaker”; the “meek”; and the “poor in spirit”; that is, those who are not unnaturally attached to riches and power. Not that riches and power are always evils, but they do tend to become inimical to individuals; especially as States advance and become ossified. You will, of course, recognize the Beatitudes, here; but perhaps you didn’t realize how dangerous they are to the Barack Obamas of the world, or how essential to modern Democracies?

Unlike the way the ancients practiced Democracy (which, in truth, was very little different from a suffragettic Oligarchy), we practice it as an inherently free; voluntarily peaceful; valued citizenry; mostly composed of – get this – ordinary workers! (that is, the “meek”). Truly, the Founders got it right when they linked human Rights to God, because only a God could guarantee the cause of the powerless in this cruel world.

Super Corporatization, Federalization, and all the enormous “isms” of modernity, are like armed men hired out against the individual; and the “subtle” societal campaigns against religion (affecting superiority in the name of Rights), are like a steep road leading us right back to Rome.

To avoid this potentiality, the human Spirit must be held eternal and priceless; this alone places the State beneath our feat.

Otherwise, peoples tend to end up subject to “geniuses” like Marx and Lenin; two materialists who thought their type of State to be the “final revolution” in the history of humanity. (Of course, their “brilliant insights” led to the deaths of nearly 100 million people.) Not to reduce all opposition to a straw man, but it seems the contact of modern, spiritually enlightened Democracies, with atheistic counter-movements, has produced nothing but slaughters.

(Sorry, Karly; the revolution is not of this world.)

Human beings are always trying to create utopias. Regardless of this, I imagine there will continue to be tension between the poor and the rich; Peoples and States; and Spirit and material. This dynamic tension has the power to produce wonders for the world; or make miserable environments, like the Gulag Archipelago.

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You see, in the midst of all this tension, it’s clear; we can have whatever we want, now. Our eyes have been opened by a new tree and a new fruit. The old world had gone as far as it could; but in the new, the eternal opens out before human beings, once again.

At this crucial moment, let’s be clear; the source of human Rights is not to be found in institutions; politicians; or manifestoes. No; it’s in a blazing Concept, Supernal and Spiritual.

This Perfections seems to be the final purpose of man; a creature with such enormous potential for the Beautiful and the Good.

God-willing, he will wake up and realize who he really is; and remake the world in the spirit of his true Image and Likeness.

This piece was featured on Natural Blaze with permission from the author. Chris Veritas writes provocative pieces like this at his blog, and humorous satire news at Some Cry Wolf.