Equality of Life

[InformedIgnorance]

This thread is intended to examine whether or not people believe in the idea that all people are 'equal' - in particular with relation to their rights and before their 'God' if you believe in such.

Do you believe that to be the case? If so why? If not why? What if anything would cause it to change?

Personally I do not believe that people are 'created' equal but rather that we are born equal in so far as the culture that we are born into dictates in terms of our class, caste and so forth. We may have certain inherent rights (such as the right to life) however most of our rights are the result of our relationship with others in society, they are rights not given but rather recognised by that society - and as such they are rights that depend upon our behaviour, in particular how we either support or abridge the rights of others.

For me therefore, I believe that all lives begin equal - though the recognition they are granted by society may differ; however over an individual's lifetime, their rights diminish in relation to their behaviour, behavioural impacts not based upon some religious text or even codified by law but rather by the impacts (and to an extent our potential impacts) of our actions on the rights of others.

 

[Hevenly Heathen]

People are people. But I don't think they are created.

I am unsure whether you mean to ask whether people are equal in their capacities (to which I say they have the potential to be), or if they are equal in some right to believe/practice what they will (to which I say yes).

Hath not a person eyes? Hath not a person organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? Fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer, as another is? If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die?

We are the same in many capacities, but when one brings rights into play: who has the right to grant or revoke another person's rights? Why does it depend on societal location or global location?

 

[Madhuri]

When I see the term 'life' I don't think of the physical body. I think of the soul, which I believe to be the life force. On this spiritual platform, all is equal- animals (inc humans), plants etc.

In terms of the physical bodies, I do not see equality. At least not on all levels. Some things are just as equal in importance to humans, such as nature; ecosystems. Without preservation of nature, there would be no humans after all.

Based on this co-dependence, there is an equality. But in terms of intelligence and perception, for example, I think that equality breaks down. Especially in terms of morality, some things are more moral or immoral to affect than others (ie/ killing a human vs killing a tree).