Declaration of Independence

Happy Independence Day!!!!

On July 4, 1776, thirty-four brave men, representing the hopes and ideals of hundreds of thousands of American colonists, declared in writing that "these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, Free and Independent States;...and that as Free and Independent States, they have full power to do all...things which Independent States may of right do."

For years the colonies had suffered at the hands of "the tyrant" King George--and so that they could not possibly be misunderstood, the writers of the Declaration even included a list of 27 individual and specifc offenses that had been repeatedly wrought against the colonies. They concluded the list by saying that "in every stage of these oppressions we have petitioned for redress in the most humble terms: our repeated petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people."

These men believed (and demonstated their belief) that ALL PEOPLE have a right to be free--that ALL PEOPLE HAVE A GOD-GIVEN RIGHT TO DETERMINE THEIR OWN DESTINY. They built this country to ensure that EVERYONE would have an EQUAL opportunity to create the life that they envision for themselves.

This holiday is a great time to reflect--Have we truly embraced what they have given us? Or have we succumbed to our own "tyrant"--some person or circumstance that is controlling us and preventing us from truly living the life that we desire? And if so, is that tyrant really fit to be the ruler of us?

The writers of the Declaration of Independence understood human nature and wrote that "all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer...than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed."

Let me say that again: Mankind are more disposed to SUFFER than to RIGHT THEMSELVES.

So which will it be? Will we continue to suffer? Or will we declare our own independence, RIGHT what is WRONG in our lives, and ABOLISH the forms (habits) to which we are accustomed?

I will leave that for you to ponder.

Again, Happy Independence Day--and I mean that in EVERY sense of the word. :o)