Wednesday, June 29, 2011

The American Religion Defined In The Declaration of Independence

The American Religion Defined In The Declaration of Independence

by Timothy F. Ley M.A.


The American Church of Religious Freedom is the name that I have given to the religion of the American people that has existed unidentified within the two "self-evident" truths proclaimed on July 4, 1776 in the Declaration of American Independence.

Two hundred and thirty-four years ago, this July 4th our nation was as Abe Lincoln said in his Gettysburg Address "conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal." Out of this famous proposition of equality authored by Thomas Jefferson, emerged the co-principle of dynamic force and direction that states unequivocally in Jefferson’s words that all men are "endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights..."

Ever since that day, the phrase “all men are created equal” has piqued the minds of great thinkers world wide as to exactly what Jefferson meant by the phrase and likewise every American citizen has at one time or another tried to understand what equality means in America. All Americans know that equality comes with the endowment of “certain unalienable rights” but some Americans are unable to see the reality of Freedom in their lives under the present U.S. government administration.

In this present day, the American people are very much different from the people of 1776. Americans in those days were all Christian and belief in God was their primary fortitude. The thirteen colonies were possessions of Great Britain and all of the people were British subjects. Ever since Henry VIII was declared the head of, the church in England in 1532, that nation had been through a series of religious conflicts between the various Protestant sects and the Church of England and with Catholicism. Many English people that came to America were members of various Protestant sects or they were Catholics that wanted to practice their religion without the overbearing pressures of living in an England wrought by religious turmoil and dominated by a State Religion. The Americans of that day all believed in Jesus Christ – they just differed as to how to practice that belief. Jefferson wrote the Declaration of American Independence under these social conditions. Everybody then knew that Jefferson was writing about the God who raised Jesus from the dead when he used the word “created” and everybody knew that Jefferson’s reference to the “Creator” who endows us with “certain unalienable rights”, refers to the Bible verse in Genesis 1; 27 which says, “And God created man to his own image; to the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”

Fifty-six men, representing us here now and all Americans through all time, at that historical congress in Philadelphia, signed their names in unanimous agreement with the Declaration of American Independence authored by Thomas Jefferson. By the agreement of these fifty-six men, we all who claim to be Americans are each and all committed to rest the strength of our nation directly upon belief in the one God who raised Jesus of Nazareth from the dead and on the belief that this one God endows each individual person with “certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”

If you look closely, you will see that the two “self-evident" truths are a direct reflection of the Two Great Commandments that Jesus gave when he was questioned about natural law in Matthew 22; 36-40. Listen to these words and at the same time think about the two self-evident truths:

36. Master, which is the greatest commandment in the law? 37. Jesus said to him: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind. 38. This is the greatest and the first commandment. 39. And the second is like to this: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” 40. On these two commandments dependeth the whole law and the prophets.

It is perfectly clear to me that Thomas Jefferson was inspired by God to translate the two Great Commandments of Jesus Christ into the Law of Freedom upon which this great nation of America rests.

Are we not loving God with our whole heart, mind, and soul when we affirm and acclaim that God creates each of us equal to Himself?
Are we not loving our neighbor as our self when we agree that God endows us all equally with certain unalienable rights?

Has not Thomas Jefferson placed us safely in God’s care? Yes, he has because this revelation has been waiting for all of us for two hundred and thirty-four years. This revelation comes to us now because it is now that it is needed and Jefferson foresaw this day when government would lose its way.

We Americans of July 4, 2010 are now confronted in our faith in America because the citizens who are in control of our present government have demonstrated their corruption by overtly and hard-handedly suppressing the freedoms of Americans; by interfering with American farmers’ freedom to grow whatever plants they decide to plant; by making unnatural laws against that which our Creator, who has endowed us, has made holy – Cannabis for example; by giving aid to enemy regimes (like Saddam Hussein) and making American citizens pay for such treasonous aid; by making alliances with enemies of Freedom; by engaging in unjust wars and causing the death of innocent people; by causing the needless death of American soldiers in wars of aggression against the peace and liberty of the American people thereby violating the very principles that are set forth in the Declaration of American Independence. The regresses for such violations by any government are clearly declared when Jefferson’s words blare forth as a command to all Patriots:

“That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”


We have reached a juncture point in the expansion of American Liberty where any “tyranny over the mind of man” needs to be swept aside as “destructive” of the end purposes of Liberty. Thomas Jefferson clarified his thinking about unalienable rights when he wrote in 1786 in his Virginia Act For Establishing Religious Freedom that “the rights hereby asserted are of the natural rights of mankind, and that if any act shall be hereafter passed to repeal the present or to narrow its operation, such act will be an infringement of natural right.”

The agreement signed by those fifty-six Americans is the embryonic foundation of the political system upon which our nation is to be constructed. These defining conditions of our Democracy are spiritual in nature and constitute the “Spirit of America”. Taking the “self-evident” truths in a strictly literal sense brings forth a religion of freedom. The Cambridge Dictionary says, “Religion is the belief in and worship of a god or gods, or any such system of belief and worship.” The words that define the religion of the American Church of Religious Freedom are clearly stated when it is written in the Declaration of American Independence that, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal and that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”

The fifty-six signers of the Declaration of American Independence clearly and unanimously established “belief in and worship of a god…” in declaring the two “self-evident” truths.

Is it not belief and worship to recognize and acclaim God as the author of our existence and of our life in His creation and to recognize and acclaim that this one God endows each one of us with “certain unalienable rights” which in fact means a primary right of unrestricted Religious Freedom? Does not Religious Freedom encompass all freedoms? A citizen's life is freedom of religion because the citizen may define all personal actions as the expression of his or her own religion. As long as my actions do not violate another citizen's freedom I am free to live as I see fit and do the things that I deem necessary for my happiness.

The establishment of this unique American religion as the basis for our Democracy is a divine act of God which touches each American individually and offers every American haven and protection against “every form of tyranny over the mind of man” (Tom Jefferson). “Tyranny over the mind of man” is recognized in our present day American political leaders. They enact and support laws that are contrary to the natural law of Freedom because they are godless in their thinking. Their thinking does not joyfully reflect the goodness and mercy of the One All-Loving God who created us equal to Himself and endowed us with equal "unalienable rights" but rather their thinking reflects the twisted and unnatural impulses of self-destruction that are unceasingly projected by Satan upon all men. I am confident that Tom Jefferson was thinking of 1Peter 5; 6-9 when he made his oath. The Apostle Peter says this:

6. “So humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. 7. Cast all your worries upon him because he cares for you. 8. Be sober and vigilant. Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for (someone) to devour. 9. Resist him, steadfast in faith, knowing that your fellow believers throughout the world undergo the same sufferings”.

I believe that this statement by the Apostle Peter matches The U.S. motto, “In God We Trust”. The only way freedom can rein supreme over our land is for each American to trust in the Creator, be confident in the two "self-evident" truths, at the same time be wise enough to recognize the evil influence that Satan has over the mind of man, and not allow that influence to tyrannize their own mind.

We free ourselves from this Satanic “tyranny over the mind of man” by joining Thomas Jefferson in his sacred oath the words of which are etched into the stone around the rotunda of his memorial in Washington, DC. - “I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.” - It is obvious to me that Tom Jefferson recognized that the enemy of freedom was the age-old enemy of humanity – Satan - and that the battleground was in every man’s mind. Jefferson knew that freedom was a mental state of peace and good will towards all men. Is not the ultimate aim of American Democracy that is declared in the Declaration of American Independence, to live in peace and harmony without fear by placing our complete trust in the God revealed in the two "self-evident" truths? The God of the “self-evident” truths judges all men equal to Him and sentences them all to eternal freedom in Joy. There is no condemnation in the God of America – there is only equality and freedom of eternal Life in Joy.

The religion unknowingly established by the founders of our great nation, is the mental tool for Americans to use to free their minds from Satan’s fearful grasp. By prayerfully contemplating, the "self-evident" truths of Holy Creation and Sacred Endowment, Americans can commit to trust in God and make themselves feel the Joy of Liberty under God. It is the feeling of Joy that is undefeatable in a man. Is it not always true that Joy is Fearless? How can a man feel anything else if he is feeling Joy? The man joyous in the Creator cannot be enslaved by evil. The courage and strength of America comes through the Joy of the American people.

I would like to note here that the “Joy of Liberty under God” must first exist as a desire visualized in the heart of each American citizen. What I mean is that you must force yourself to feel Joyful immediately, knowing that it is not only logical to feel continuously Joyful because of your trust in God but also it is the wise thing to do in order to prevent “any form of tyranny over” your mind. Your agreement to accept God’s endowment requires you to feel Joy as a demonstration of your trust in God. Your joy will attract others to you so you may tell them about the American religion found in The Declaration of American Independence.

You have nothing to worry about if you hope and trust in God. That which stops you from being worry-free and feeling Joyful is what Thomas Jefferson refers to as the “tyranny over the mind of man” which means satanic influence of fear and doubt. Your holding the truths of personal creation and endowment by God as "self-evident", is the Joy that overwhelms all tyranny over your mind. There is no doubt in Joy – There is only Faith and confidence in Joy. Command your mind to be joyful at all times and let yourself be a Patriot in thought, considering the two "self-evident" truths as your reason for action, dedicated to honoring the Creator and dedicated to respecting the "unalienable rights" of all citizens.

My conclusion about this truth of the religion existing in the Declaration of American Independence is that for an American to ethically claim for himself or herself the “certain unalienable rights” stated as “self-evident” truth, he or she must consciously recognize and acclaim the Divine nature of the Declaration of American Independence and consciously recognize and acclaim the spiritual relationship that is established between every citizen with God. The spiritual relationship between the individual citizen and all other citizens is expressed, as “E Pluribus Unum” which applied here to Americans would translate as “one person out of many persons”. I know that many people interpret the ‘Unum” as meaning one nation out of many people but that is not a well thought out conclusion. Clearly, the application of the phrase by Thomas Jefferson would refer to one person as the ideal standard of unity out of all persons, namely Jesus Christ. The concept of the “mystical body of Christ”, in which Christ is the head of the body and all humanity are the members of the body is a basic tenet of all Christian Faith. Applying the concept here in the two “self-evident” truths reveals that God creates all humans equal to Jesus Christ, with the same rights and authority as Jesus. This reminds me of what Jesus said to the Jews when they got mad about him saying that he was the son of God. Jesus answered them: “Is it not written in your law: I said you are gods?” (Matt 10; 34).

The practical application of “E pluribus Unum” to myself as a citizen is that I think of myself as Jesus and in that state of mind I then think of each other citizen as Jesus. From such a viewpoint, I then act accordingly, exercising my freedom without interfering with the freedom of another citizen. From such a viewpoint, I mind my own business and do not question another citizen’s personal beliefs nor try to impose my beliefs on another citizen. I am free to speak my mind and that is the only tool of influence that I value and use in my relationship with other citizens. Under such social conditions of an enlightened free people, the only responsibility of a government is to protect all citizens from theft or harm or any impedance to their liberty. This condition of Freedom does not exist in America today because the government seeks to invade the personal freedom of Americans under the pretext of protecting them from supposed evils that the government has in fact, created out of their treasonous actions.
“Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their country.” How, you may ask, may I aid my country? I believe the first thing needed is to take off the fearful blinders of National security imposed upon all Americans by the government and corporate controllers of our society who use all means available whether by guile or force, to manipulate the American people’s lives to comply with the needs of production. These controllers use the media to manipulate the mood and perceptions of the American people. They train us to believe that conformity with the system of commerce and profit is the right thing to do and they condition us to believe that individualism of mind is not normal. Any human activity that interferes with production is pronounced evil and punishable; Morality is dictated by bureaucrats whose minds are tyrannized by satanic urgings of self-destruction. The hearts of these controlling citizens are corrupted into hate of all that is true and good and their minds construct ideas of death and destruction seeing that as the way for America to survive. They place no trust in God because they do not know God. They live among us, pretending politely to be our friends but when they are alone their minds are steeped in schemes and manipulations tyrannized by Satan. Ask these citizens if they think that God approves the execution of a citizen and they will say it is so, which proves they have twisted in their minds the unequivocal truth of every citizen's unalienable right to life. If you accept the religion of freedom, which God has endowed us with, then you act as Jesus and you respect the right to life of all Americans with no exceptions. My God is the Giver of Life and does never take life away. My God creates me eternally equal to Him in all things and He endows me with His own Self, which I am. I know that all other humans are the same as I am

I submit to all Americans, that you must accept this Religion of Freedom, approved by the Founding Fathers of America and you must be wise by willing your entire being to accept and acclaim this Religion with open arms and a joyful spirit. By doing this you become a soldier of freedom, ready to defend this nation against “every form of tyranny over the mind of man.” The weapon you have as a soldier of freedom in America is your free speech and your Joy. Speak to your fellow citizens about the reality of the Religion of Freedom proclaimed in the Declaration of American Independence. Join the American Church of Religious Freedom in the solitude of your own mind and heart by accepting and acclaiming what the Creator has done.

For those of you who would say “I don’t believe in God” - by your own words you deny your unalienable rights. Better that you say nothing, or else real Americans will reject you as un-American because you deny the source and power of American Democracy – God.

Americans! – Rethink your lives in accordance with the two “self-evident” truths. Rescind all laws against individual freedom including all laws against Cannabis. The Creator who has endowed us with his person makes all things holy including Cannabis. "And the Angel said to Peter, 'Do not call profane what God has made holy!'" (Acts 10; 15.)

1 comment:

Friend of Jesus said...

http://tinyurl.com/American-Church-of-FreeLiberty