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| The men who declared our independence |
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| The Declaration of Independence |
" We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness"
The Declaration of Independence of the United States July 4, 1776
Self-Evident truths means the proposition is as clear as the nose on your face. Any reasonable man would reach these conclusions based logic and reason. What truths do the declaration declare as self-evident?
1. There is a Creator
2. The Creator created us as equals
3. The Creator gave us "unalienable rights"
4. "Unalienable rights" include life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
These words form the foundation of a nation that has swelled to over 300 million people. These words have caused wars, endless debate, political stalemates, and yet, they are the core of who we are.
The Declaration of Independence declares that all are "created". The Declaration further declares The Creator gave us "unalienable rights". Who is The Creator? Christians claim The Creator is the triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit...all three in one person. Jews claim this is "God". Islam would say this is "Allah". Every religion has a definition of who The Creator is. Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams, the three main members of the committee of five appointed by Congress to write the Declaration were not Christian as we understand Christian to be today. Jefferson and Franklin were Deist and John Adams were Unitarians.
Unitarians believe in God not in the triune God. They do not accept God the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit as one being. Deists believe God to be the Creator not in the sense of Genesis creation but The Creator who gave us the ability to use logic and reason. Once the Creator finished the creation, The Creator left us alone to the evolutionary process. In the creative process, The Creator gave us "unalienable rights".
Deists and Unitarians do not accept that Jesus is God. They believe Jesus is a good example to follow. They do not accept the Bible as God's inspired, infallible word. They may quote it and read but would agree it is written by man and therefore contains errors. Yet, they believe the creation reveals there is a Creator. The creation is the proof The Creator exists. This is logical, rational, and obvious or self-evident.
It is also obvious, logical, rational, or self-evident that the Creator created us as "equals". This phrase is used to refute the "divine right" of kings and sovereigns that they are called by God to rule. The equality statement states we are all equal in the Creator's eyes. Government therefore is derived from the people for the people by the people. We have the right to form governments and choose who leads us.
It is also obvious, logical, rational, or self-evident that the Creator gave us "unalienable rights" or "natural rights" are derived from "natural law" instituted by the Creator. Kings, Queens, Despots, Dictators, Presidents, Prime Ministers, Premiers or any form of government cannot take those away. These rights are not for sale.
What does the phrase "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" mean? Many point to the first ten amendments of the Constitution written James Madison and often referred to as "The Bill of rights". This is a discussion for another day and another time.
Think about it
Roy
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