Opus 2011-73, Immortal Quotes: “...all men are created equal”

Most educated people are familiar with this phrase from the Declaration of Independence.  The context is also important:

“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...”

First of all notice that this is considered obvious.  It is something that is universal and applied to all men.  If you are into 21st Century political correctness you might need someone to point out the the term “men” is generic, referring to all human beings.

Notice that the source of this statement is religious.  We were created.  The Creator is the one who did the endowing.  This is not an idea granted by government nor the product of a process of philosophical discussion.  Equality and rights come from God.

It does not say that all men are equal.  It says we are created equal.  This is a significant difference.  Egalitarianism is a humanist concept.  Equal before God is a Christian idea.  And the equality goes both ways, good and bad.  At one end we have,

(Romans 3:23 KJV)  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

At the other extreme we have,

(Galatians 3:28 KJV)  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

We are all different.  We have different gifts, strengths and interests.  This will make us live life at different levels.  In spite of that, we all have the same basic rights.  It is up to us to do with them what we will.

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