The Declaration of Independence \u00a0 \u00a0(Wikimedia Commons)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe 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. \u00a0That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\nThe Declaration of Independence<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
Please note that, according to the Founders, human rights are neither\u00a0gifts\u00a0from a generous\u00a0State nor arbitrary expressions of passing popular taste, subjective opinion, court rulings, or transient legislative preferences.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
They are divine endowments.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
They predate the State. \u00a0They are the reason for the existence<\/em> of the State. \u00a0And, indeed, as the Declaration proceeds immediately to explain, \u201cwhenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it.\u201d<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
The nature of the deity behind these divinely-given rights\u00a0isn\u2019t specified. \u00a0This isn\u2019t a sectarian document. \u00a0It\u2019s not Protestant, nor Evangelical, let alone Catholic, Orthodox, Jewish, or Muslim. \u00a0If anything \u2014 given what it says and given the fact that Thomas Jefferson was its principal author \u2014 it\u2019s Deistic. \u00a0But its affirmation of God, and of the grounding of human rights in<\/em> God, is undeniable.<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
Happy Independence Day to my American readers!<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
And, to the Brits out there, keep a stiff upper lip!<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
P.S. \u00a0When was the last time that you looked at the Declaration of Independence? \u00a0High school civics class? \u00a0It might not be an altogether crazy idea to read or skim it today, or at least part of it. \u00a0It\u2019s not terribly long. \u00a0And it\u2019s truly, truly great.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u201cWe 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. \u00a0That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1019,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-43225","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n
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![\"The](\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/186\/2017\/07\/United_States_Declaration_of_Independence.jpg\")
<\/a>