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are all humans equal?

Eddi

Agnostic
Premium Member
From a Christian perspective at least, all humans are equal to one another:

What Does the Bible Say About Equality?

But that's equal in terms of worth and status in the eyes of God

However: Are all people actually equal to one another? Even if God loves them all the same?

Also, do you agree or disagree with God that all humans have equal worth and status?

Basically: Are some people superior to others, and are others inferior to others?

If so, how and why? In what way are some superior and others inferior?

And should people be treated according to how superior or inferior they are?
 

Kenny

Face to face with my Father
Premium Member
From a Christian perspective at least, all humans are equal to one another:

What Does the Bible Say About Equality?

But that's equal in terms of worth and status in the eyes of God

However: Are all people actually equal to one another? Even if God loves them all the same?

Also, do you agree or disagree with God that all humans have equal worth and status?

Basically: Are some people superior to others, and are others inferior to others?

If so, how and why? In what way are some superior and others inferior?

And should people be treated according to how superior or inferior they are?

Each person has a different function.

I like the way Paul states it:

No matter our heritage—Jew or Greek, insider or outsider—no matter our status—oppressed or free—we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Here’s what I mean: the body is not made of one large part but of many different parts. 15 Would it seem right for the foot to cry, “I am not a hand, so I couldn’t be part of this body”? Even if it did, it wouldn’t be any less joined to the body. 16 And what about an ear? If an ear started to whine, “I am not an eye; I shouldn’t be attached to this body,” in all its pouting, it is still part of the body. 17 Imagine the entire body as an eye. How would a giant eye be able to hear? And if the entire body were an ear, how would an ear be able to smell? 18 This is where God comes in. God has meticulously put this body together; He placed each part in the exact place to perform the exact function He wanted. 19 If all members were a single part, where would the body be? 20 So now, many members function within the one body. 21 The eye cannot wail at the hand, “I have no need for you,” nor could the head bellow at the feet, “I won’t go one more step with you.” 22 It’s actually the opposite. The members who seem to have the weaker functions are necessary to keep the body moving; 23 the body parts that seem less important we treat as some of the most valuable; and those unfit, untamed, unpresentable members we treat with an even greater modesty. 24 That’s something the more presentable members don’t need. But God designed the body in such a way that greater significance is given to the seeminglyinsignificant part. 25 That way there should be no division in the body; instead, all the parts mutually depend on and care for one another. 26 If one part is suffering, then all the members suffer alongside it. If one member is honored, then all the members celebrate alongside it.

Not superior or inferior but rather different functions and all important.

It is man who makes, in their own minds, inferior and superior
 

ChristineM

"Be strong", I whispered to my coffee.
Premium Member
@Eddi

Yes i believe all humans are equal. Some are taller, some fatter, some younger, some older, some richer, some more intelligent but i see one thing that make them equal. There is just as much life in joe bloggs as jane doe.
 

Exaltist Ethan

Bridging the Gap Between Believers and Skeptics
From a Christian perspective at least, all humans are equal to one another:

Except for Jesus, which is both God and man. And the prophets, which were able to hear God himself.

No. All humans are not equal.

Exactly. But I would add to that: all humans should be treated equally and with some degree of equity. I don't care if you are my mom, Joe Biden or @Eddi , all people deserve some amount of value and respect, although trust has to be earned.
 

sun rise

The world is on fire
Premium Member
All humans are equal drops in a Divine ocean. In illusion, there are apparently good/evil, male/female/other, smart/dumb etc, but all are really One.

The only difference is how close various "bubbles" (souls) are to returning to the ocean from which they came.
 

The Sum of Awe

Brought to you by the moment that spacetime began.
Value, yes, but its my thought that both respect and trust must be earned
Respect must be earned? To me, that means we should treat people like dirt until they prove themselves worthy of being treated kindly. But I'm certain that's not what you meant.
 

Aštra’el

Aštara, Blade of Aštoreth
Respect must be earned? To me, that means we should treat people like dirt until they prove themselves worthy of being treated kindly. But I'm certain that's not what you meant.

There is a difference between “being respectful” and “respecting someone”. It can be very beneficial to behave respectfully towards people, even if you do not feel genuine respect for them. It increases the chances of actual respect developing… and can open doors of opportunity.

Look at me. My default setting towards people I do not know is indifference. That is what I feel inside. No love, no hate. No respect, no disrespect. It is a clean, empty slate, from which anything can take form. I find it is often a strategic yet effortless thing to behave respectfully, regardless of how I feel about them.
 

Harel13

Am Yisrael Chai
Staff member
Premium Member
Also, do you agree or disagree with God that all humans have equal worth and status?
Problematically-phrased in my opinion. As though it's a given that God created humans equal in worth and status and any other view is diametrically opposed to God.

Setting aside what God thinks, I don't think humans were created equal.
 

Quintessence

Consults with Trees
Staff member
Premium Member
I find the word "equal" problematic to use when talking about persons, humans or otherwise. It sounds too much like a mathematical equation. 1 = 1 and all that; it's a statement of two things being utterly identical and interchangeable with one another. Outside of mathematics, that isn't really a thing.
 

osgart

Nothing my eye, Something for sure
At rock bottom all non criminal people have an equality that I think is valuable. Criminals tend to forfeit their value. That value is good will towards others. Those who possess good will have intrinsic equal value that's not based on intellect, skill, or productive usefulness.

So having good will towards others makes people equal. I think most reasonable people want to be regarded for their good natured will and substance rather than merely valued for only their productive usefulness. Nobody wants to be a pawn, or a resource for someone's usage.

I think that makes all the difference. Without good will equality I think people are subject to being treated less than human. You see it in the workplace where people are treated as units of production. I respect that business and livelihoods are built on results but that's no excuse to treat people less than human.

So like the good will equality among people means everything to me. Without that good will people become barbaric. Of course I can respect people for their potential goodness who are less than equal this way. Downright malevolent people I have no respect for.

I do agree that everything is earned, but that in no way does that mean treat unearned and unknown people like garbage.
 

lewisnotmiller

Grand Hat
Staff member
Premium Member
At rock bottom all non criminal people have an equality that I think is valuable. Criminals tend to forfeit their value.

I'm guessing this is shorthand for 'prople who do bad stuff', rather than an actual belief that breaking the laws of any land is a mark of evil...?

That value is good will towards others. Those who possess good will have intrinsic equal value that's not based on intellect, skill, or productive usefulness.

So having good will towards others makes people equal. I think most reasonable people want to be regarded for their good natured will and substance rather than merely valued for only their productive usefulness. Nobody wants to be a pawn, or a resource for someone's usage.

I think that makes all the difference. Without good will equality I think people are subject to being treated less than human. You see it in the workplace where people are treated as units of production. I respect that business and livelihoods are built on results but that's no excuse to treat people less than human.

So like the good will equality among people means everything to me. Without that good will people become barbaric. Of course I can respect people for their potential goodness who are less than equal this way. Downright malevolent people I have no respect for.

I do agree that everything is earned, but that in no way does that mean treat unearned and unknown people like garbage.

At a basic level, I think I agree.
 

lewisnotmiller

Grand Hat
Staff member
Premium Member
There is a difference between “being respectful” and “respecting someone”. It can be very beneficial to behave respectfully towards people, even if you do not feel genuine respect for them. It increases the chances of actual respect developing… and can open doors of opportunity.

Look at me. My default setting towards people I do not know is indifference. That is what I feel inside. No love, no hate. No respect, no disrespect. It is a clean, empty slate, from which anything can take form. I find it is often a strategic yet effortless thing to behave respectfully, regardless of how I feel about them.

This makes sense. Acting or not, you are respecting them enough to give them space and treat them on their merits, though, rather than via prejudice. Many would happily take that.
 

1213

Well-Known Member
From a Christian perspective at least, all humans are equal to one another:

What Does the Bible Say About Equality?

But that's equal in terms of worth and status in the eyes of God

However: Are all people actually equal to one another? Even if God loves them all the same?

Also, do you agree or disagree with God that all humans have equal worth and status?
..

I think God is equal, He treats everyone the same way. If I do evil to others, He treats me the same way as anyone else who does evil things.
 

ChristineM

"Be strong", I whispered to my coffee.
Premium Member
Respect must be earned? To me, that means we should treat people like dirt until they prove themselves worthy of being treated kindly. But I'm certain that's not what you meant.


Nope absolutely not what i mean. Examples
i never respected Trump based on his attitude to women.
I never respected Boris Johnson for various reasons and i knew of him long before he bacame mayor of London and later prime minister of the UK

In my view respect is not required to treat someone like a human being.
 
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