Pope: Human Rights Have Their Basis in God

VATICAN CITY, 11 DEC 2008, (VIS) - Yesterday in the Paul VI Hall of the Vatican a concert organized by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace commemorating the sixtieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was given with the Pope in attendance. The Holy Father affirmed that "the dignity of all persons is only truly guaranteed when all the fundamental rights are recognized, defended, and promoted".

Continuing he said that "the Church has always emphasized that the fundamental rights, beyond their various formulations and the distinct weight that they might have in the cultural sphere, are a universal given, since they form part of the very nature of humanity. Natural law, inscribed by the Creator in human consciousness, is the common denominator of all persons and all people; it is a universal guide that all can understand and in virtue of which all can understand themselves".

Benedict XVI stressed that "human rights are ultimately based on God the Creator who has given intelligence and freedom to all. Disconnected from this solid ethical basis, human rights weaken and lose their concrete foundation". MORE


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