Constituting God

Slogging through Glenn Beck's book Broke I have finally reached the chapter I knew would be there. Yes, I have finally reached the part where Glenn Beck talks about the need for a religious revival in America. This conclusion stems, oh so rationally, from the fact (FACT!) that our rights comes from God.

That's part of the Constitution you know.

Not only that, it should be obvious that our rights come from God. This much should be evident from the long history of the bible.

Who can forget wise Prime Minister David?
Or the republican reign of President Solomon?
But this is a Judeo-Christian land, so let us not forget the more gentile persuasion, such as Jesus's oft quoted remark "Render unto the Premier that is which is the Premier's, and render unto God that which is God's"

Oh but the history of religion is the very history of consent of the governed!

So it is no wonder that our rights, as Americans, come from God. Well, it was some wonder to me. See, I always thoughts our rights come from the Constitution. That if rights were given in that document, or specifically forbidden in that document, then that is the rights we do and do not have.

So for example in 1920 when the 19th Amendment was ratified, that gave women the right to vote. This is a right they did not previously had, but after this amendment did. Oh how fortuitous it is that on that date God changed his mind about that right!

Or in 1919 when the 18th Amendment was ratified, Americans no longer had the right to drink intoxicating liquors. I guess God decided to take that right away.

No, God did not decided to grant one right and take away another. Men decided what rights they had under a society of their organization. Under the Constitution people have the ability to decided what rights we have as citizens. If today three fourths of the states decided that we have the right to something, then we would have that right. If today three fourths of the states decided that we did not have the right to something, then we would not have that right.

That is the basic meaning not only of a Constitution, but of a free organization of people. That it is they, and they alone, that can decided what they do and do not have the right to.

Suppose today that God were to declare that "Now therefore hearken unto their voice; howbeit thou shalt earnestly forewarn them, and shalt declare unto them the manner of the king that shall reign over them." (1 Samuel 9)

Would that be acceptable? After all, if our rights come from God, then they are his to take away. I reckon this would, and should, be unacceptable to us.

I plan a post more focused on the relationship between God, man, and freedom, but let me just end this on a quote I have always cared for but can't recall where I first heard it:

"God did not ask us if we wanted to live, why then should he be allowed tell us how to live?"