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Can you really have a just society which is not in some way positioned within the transcendental framework that guarantees human dignity and human rights? do we really need to rely so heavily on pragmatic or utilitarian thinking, or does there need to be some other kind of basis to human rights?
In other words, is there such a thing as human dignity if there isn't a God? Earlier in his article Cox points out that in our American experience we say that the equality and the rights of human beings are "self-evident" truths. Our documents also say that the source of these rights is our "Creator." Therefore, in the American understanding of human rights, there is a transcendent source of our responsibility for one another. Both the Old Testament and the New Testament affirm this transcendent character of Love. The basic statement is, "God is love."
If there is no God, there is no such thing as 'human rights.' But in a secular society our terminology may differ about this transcendent source. As Christians we name this source "the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." Or more correctly, we believe the Source has named himself. In the Public Square, Christians may offer their terminology or accept someone else's for the benefit of discussion. But we cannot deny the Holy Mystery that undergirds any discussion of human dignity, equality and worth.
Now, this raises another question for me. I remember reading John Locke's treatise On Tolerance from the 18th century. His treatise highly influenced our Founding Fathers. Locke said that there shouldn't be a 'religious test' for public officials. A person's religion shouldn't keep them from being elected to office. But, he also said that an atheist should NOT be eligible for public office—for this very reason; namely, that society depends on a belief in Divinity.
So I raise the question to myself: Should professed atheists be eligible for public office in the United States? There seems to be a reason to say No. How can one stand up for human rights if he/she doesn't have any belief that gives human rights a true foundation?
This sounds logical. But it also sounds wrong to me. What do you think?
