The U.S. Constitution and The Declaration of Independence

[dpr112yme]

IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America

hen in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

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: Full text


U.S. Constitution - Table of Contents - The U.S. Constitution Online - USConstitution.net

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

U.S. Constitution - Article 5 , Amendment 1: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.


Were we created or did The Founding Fathers intend that we should be an irreligious people?

 

[Grandma]

We were created by sperms & eggs, not magic sky fairies and delivered by storks.

 

[Tennyson]

The quoted part of the Declaration of Indendendence was directed towards King George, the preamble was changed at the last minute and is not that reflective of the Constitution, and the establishment clause started with the Gentlemen's Agreement during the convention as protection for Protestant religions.

 

[BettyYeti]

Their list of "created equal" sure excluded a lot of people.

 

[regent]

The Declaration was an appeal for help and a form of propaganda. It was also a reflection of the period it was written: The Age of Enlightenment. The usual question about the Declaration is why did Jefferson change "estates" to pursuit of happiness?

 

[Ozone]

The Declaration was an appeal for help and a form of propaganda. It was also a reflection of the period it was written: The Age of Enlightenment. The usual question about the Declaration is why did Jefferson change "estates" to pursuit of happiness?

because the founding fathers smoked a lot of weed, dude.

 

[Tennyson]

The Declaration was an appeal for help and a form of propaganda. It was also a reflection of the period it was written: The Age of Enlightenment. The usual question about the Declaration is why did Jefferson change "estates" to pursuit of happiness?

This is Jefferson's original draft:

We hold these truths to be sacred & undeniable; that all men are created equal & independant, that from that equal creation they derive rights inherent & inalienable, among which are the preservation of life, & liberty, & the pursuit of happiness;

 

[rightwinger]

Why doesn't the constitution mention Jesus?

 

[regent]

The Declaration was an appeal for help and a form of propaganda. It was also a reflection of the period it was written: The Age of Enlightenment. The usual question about the Declaration is why did Jefferson change "estates" to pursuit of happiness?

This is Jefferson's original draft:

We hold these truths to be sacred & undeniable; that all men are created equal & independant, that from that equal creation they derive rights inherent & inalienable, among which are the preservation of life, & liberty, & the pursuit of happiness;

I was referring to Locke. The Congress changed Jefferson's Declaration over eighty times.

 

[IsaacNewton]

Thankfully they didn't say 'hatched' or the bird people would have been lording it over everyone for the last 200 years.

Many of the founders were Deists, they didn't believe in a Christian god they believed in a 'power'. 'by their creator' is ubiquitous. It doesn't say 'by their god', or 'by god', or 'by Jesus' or 'by the lord'. Creator is a neutral word that Christian like to give present day weight to.

 

[RetiredGySgt]

Freedom of religion is protected simply the fact of the law and the Constitution. No amount of you atheist assholes to change that will matter.

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America

hen in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

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: Full text


U.S. Constitution - Table of Contents - The U.S. Constitution Online - USConstitution.net

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

U.S. Constitution - Article 5 , Amendment 1: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.


Were we created or did The Founding Fathers intend that we should be an irreligious people?

Neither.

It was the intent of the Framers that government be religiously neutral, where the people are at liberty to practice whatever faith they so desire – or to be free from faith altogether – absent unwarranted interference from the state.

“The First Amendment has erected a wall between church and state. That wall must be kept high and impregnable. We could not approve the slightest breach.”

Everson v. Board of Education (1947)

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

Freedom of religion is protected simply the fact of the law and the Constitution. No amount of you atheist assholes to change that will matter.

It is not ‘atheists’ who have contempt for settled, accepted Establishment Clause jurisprudence, and seek to codify religious dogma in secular law in violation of the First Amendment, that would be for the most part Christians.

Indeed, those free from faith are the most ardent defenders of Establishment Clause jurisprudence, and advocates of religious liberty and freedom.

 

[dpr112yme]

We were created by sperms & eggs, not magic sky fairies and delivered by storks.

So who would the 'Their Creator' be in reference to?

 

[Tennyson]

"Their Creator" references the Christian God of the Bible. The term was used in the same context in all of the state constitutions and other documents. The changes by the Commitee of Five and Congress were references to the same God.

 

[KokomoJojo]

The Declaration was an appeal for help and a form of propaganda. It was also a reflection of the period it was written: The Age of Enlightenment. The usual question about the Declaration is why did Jefferson change "estates" to pursuit of happiness?

'They' went one better and dropped the 'e' from estates to form non other than the word 'state', you can find that they mean the same in any dictionary of the time.

 

[KokomoJojo]

Freedom of religion is protected simply the fact of the law and the Constitution. No amount of you atheist assholes to change that will matter.

that bullshit spread by the courts, freedom to 'exercise' your religion is a 'reserved' right that dates back to the magna charta, it means the gubmint has no jurisdiction what so ever to regulate speech, religion, arms amongst its citizens. The paper only provides a means of remembering what the agreement was, it protects nothing what so ever.

 

[KokomoJojo]

"Their Creator" references the Christian God of the Bible. The term was used in the same context in all of the state constitutions and other documents. The changes by the Commitee of Five and Congress were references to the same God.

state constitutions et al do NOT recognise the right to 'exercise' your religion, only a right to pray and whine, despite the fact they agreed to recognise your right in the federal constitution, and they and the feds established their own religion why they trumped the morman religion with their own religion by enforcing a ban against polyamory.

 

[Tennyson]

"Their Creator" references the Christian God of the Bible. The term was used in the same context in all of the state constitutions and other documents. The changes by the Commitee of Five and Congress were references to the same God.

state constitutions et al do NOT recognise the right to 'exercise' your religion, only a right to pray and whine, despite the fact they agreed to recognise your right in the federal constitution, and they and the feds established their own religion why they trumped the morman religion with their own religion by enforcing a ban against polyamory.

I do not understand what you are saying or the basis.

The Constitution of Virginia - June 29, 177:

SEC. 16. That religion, or the duty which we owe to our Creator, and the manner of discharging it, can be directed only by reason and conviction, not by force or violence; and therefore all men are equally entitled to the free exercise of religion, according to the dictates of conscience; and that it is the mutual duty of all to practice Christian forbearance, love, and charity towards each other.​

Constitution of Pennsylvania - September 28, 1776:

SECT. 45. Laws for the encouragement of virtue, and prevention of vice and immorality, shall be made and constantly kept in force, and provision shall be made for their due execution: And all religious societies or bodies of men heretofore united or incorporated for the advancement of religion or learning, or for other pious and charitable purposes, shall be encouraged and protected in the enjoyment of the privileges, immunities and estates which they were accustomed to enjoy, or could of right have enjoyed, under the laws and former constitution of this state.​

Constitution of Maryland - November 11, 1776:

XXXIII. That, as it is the duty of every man to worship God in such manner as he thinks most acceptable to him; all persons, professing the Christian religion, are equally entitled to protection in their religious liberty;​

 

[HenryBHough]

The operative word in so much of this is: "was".

This is post-constitutional America.

Get over it.