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That rights are "God-given" is just a lie people tell themselves so it sounds more concrete, permanent, and profound. Certain rights may align with human nature and thus feel very central to our being and may be somewhat universally desired. But we don't need to invoke God.
The point is that natural ("God-given") rights are higher principles than the State, and the State must respect them. Otherwise, the State can determine moral law/rights with no recourse. This is what happened in 20th-century totalitarian regimes ("nothing outside the State").
Further to that, pre-20th century, it was believed that rulers were given the divine right to rule others. The idea that God gave everyone certain rights is an expansion on the idea that God gave some people Divine Rights.
But Chris, the State can *still* do this. The UN was supposed to be the greater political body to put weight behind the ideal, to very limited success. Besides, the “god-given” idea existed before the 20th c, but did nothing to stop the totalitarian regimes.
The state can do this when its become godless. The issue is deeper than you can see.
I understand the potential utility in the framing, but the fact that it may be useful doesn't make it true. Ultimately there needs to be a secular defense of these ideas, because appeals to God aren't very convincing to many, and rightly so IMO.
Where do you think Taoists, Buddhists, Hindus, Wiccans, Norse heathens, & Hellenists fit in your God-given rights? Why does your God have to dominate religious people like myself who don't believe in such concept in order to have the same human rights as you do as a Christian?
The very concept of "God-given rights" is amorphous, abstract. It means nothing.
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