“My studies of the Declaration of Independence have allowed me to distill 25 of the principles that undergird our nation. Thus, the Declaration of Independence declares:
There is a higher law to appeal to—The Laws of Nature and Nature’s God
There is a higher Power to appeal to—Nature’s God
There is a universal truth
These truths are self-evident
Truth 1: Man is valuable because God created him
Truth 2: All men are equal in their standing before God
Truth 3: God endows man with rights
Truth 4: Rights do not come from government
Truth 5: Because the rights come from God, the government cannot revoke them
Truth 6: The primary rights are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness [a happiness understood to flow from virtue, not transient pleasures of the flesh]
The purpose of government is to secure these rights
The government’s authority comes from God—“just” powers—and from the people [the people give consent to be governed]
The government is accountable to God and the people
A government is illegitimate when it becomes destructive to these ends [truths]
The people have the right to alter or abolish the government
Change should not be made for trivial reasons
When the government usurps the people’s rights over a long period of time, that fact demands change.
Tyranny is the steady quest to have greater and greater power over people
It is the people’s duty to act for future generations
God is the Supreme Judge
God is the one who knows men’s hearts and can judge their motives and actions.
God holds people and rulers accountable
God will be relied on for protection
The Founders would commit their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor to these principles [words]
And, by signing the Declaration, they did, in fact, commit their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor [deeds]
No other form of government has ever been founded on these principles. And that is why America remains the most free and dynamic country in the world today.
From the article:
“My studies of the Declaration of Independence have allowed me to distill 25 of the principles that undergird our nation. Thus, the Declaration of Independence declares:
No other form of government has ever been founded on these principles. And that is why America remains the most free and dynamic country in the world today.