8th Principle of Freedom

Men are Endowed by Their Creator with Certain Unalienable Rights.

I've had several conversations with a co-worker about 'Unalienable rights', especially about a right to 'alter or abolish' forms of government when they begin to endanger our god given rights. He has used the argument on more than one occasion that there are not 'unalienable' rights, that those rights are taken from people all the time. Here's my answer to that.

Men ARE endowed by their Creator with unalienable rights. It is true that the exercise of our rights may be restricted by others, but it doesn't mean we don't still have a right to them. They will be our rights in the eternities (if we don't give them up through sin) and those who attempt to restrict the free exercise of those rights will have given up certain of their rights when they stand before God at the judgement.

Someone may take my life. It does NOT mean that I don't still have a right to it. That is unless I'VE murdered someone, or prevented the exercise of their right to life, then I've given up MY right to life, for "Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed..." (Genesis 9:6) I suppose in the same way, we can give up our rights to just about anything through improper use of our freedom to choose. We must respect and strive to protect everyone's rights, and the exercising of their rights. In so doing, we will be protecting our rights.