Bryant 1 Nathan Bryant REL 204-5 Mr.

Don Carlson 2 November 2011 Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness and the Bible For the past two hundred thirty years, Western Civilization has flourished in the United States. The United States has been the hub of free political thought, scientific discovery, and medical advancements. These achievements are a product of the founding ideas, 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 (Declaration of Independence). The Declaration of Independence paved the way for a nation that valued human life and provided the liberty to better it. However, these ideas were not original to the Founders, but derived from biblical concepts. The Bible is the catalyst for the basic human rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Of these rights, the right to the life is the most fundamental. Without a guaranteed right to life all other rights are irrelevant. For example, liberty is meaningless if there is not a guaranteed right to a life to experience it. The writers of the Declaration of Independence make it clear where the right to life originates. The language of created and Creator expresses the Founders belief in an intelligent, creative entity. While the mentioned entity is not identified as the God of the Bible, the notion of a Creator God is expressed in the Bible. Specifically, Genesis 1 gives account to the Judeo-Christian creation story, in which YHWH God speaks into existence natural world and the surrounding universe. However, in verses 26 and 27, there is a distinction made

Bryant 2 between mankind and the rest of creation. Then God said, Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth. So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them (New Oxford Annotated Bible, Genesis 1:26-27). The concept that all humans are created in the likeness of God leads only to the conclusions that every human is an image-bearer of God, has intrinsic value, and is worth protecting. To deny human life would be denying the world another piece of Gods character. The recognition of human life as valuable has made the United States great. If every human life is valuable, then the preservation of human life is of utmost concern. This can be specifically seen in the United States advancements in medical technology compared to the rest of the world. In many Eastern countries, medical care and technology is limited due to the belief that the cost of medical care outweighs the value of human life. For example, Indian philosopher Vishal Mangalwadi recounts first-hand the withholding of medical treatment to an infant in his home country. He relates the infants death to the Hindu belief in reincarnation. Reincarnation trivializes death, and thus creates fatalism that further trivializes human life itself. The infants life was just a product of karma, and reincarnation into another life was the only way for any human improvement (Mangalwadi p.64-65). Since human life is valuable, it is worth every effort to preserve it and enhance it. This conclusion has helped propel the United States as a world leader in medical technology.

Bryant 3 After life, liberty is the second most fundamental right as human beings. Without guaranteed liberty, life itself becomes lack-luster. Part of human beings being made in Gods image, is that humans are able to reason and choose. Genesis 2:15-17 indicates that God gave created man one instruction and a choice to obey it or not. The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die (New Oxford Annotated Bible, Genesis 2:15-17). The God given freedom to make choices separates mankind from the rest of His creation. However, it is not to say that governance is unnecessary. The Apostle Paul makes it clear in Romans 13 that governments are instituted by God to maintain a peaceful society. Let every person be subject to the governing authorities; for there is no authority except from God, and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God (New Oxford Annotated Bible, Romans 13:1). The Founding Fathers recognized that God instituted both liberty and governments, and the best governing system would embrace both. The embrace of human liberty distinguishes the United States government from the rest of the world. In fact, the United States greatest advancement in the Western world is the constitutional republic. The constitutional republic recognizes humans need to be both free and governed. Pure democracy does not work for the fact that ignores the need to limit the peoples ability to vote themselves into anarchy. Republicanism, on the other hand, can lead to tyranny by the whim of power-hungry rulers. The constitutional republic, however, strikes the necessary balance to govern both the people and the rulers

Bryant 4 (Mangalwadi p.336). This system of government insures both a peaceful society and a society where freedom is cherished. The right to pursue happiness is dependent on both the right to life and the right to liberty. Without the guarantees of both, it is impossible to have a right to pursue happiness. Happiness is also a broad, overarching idea that is different to each individual. However, for this purpose, happiness will be defined as prosperity in all aspects of life. The Bible introduces the concept of prosperity in Genesis 1:28-29, as God gives a directive to the first man and woman. God blessed them, and God said to them, Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth. God said, See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food (New Oxford Annotated Bible, Genesis 1:28-29). The purpose of Gods creation is for the use and enjoyment of mankind. The Founding Fathers saw that it was Gods intent for humans to pursue prosperity, and desired to insure that right. The ability for people to pursue prosperity has contributed greatly the United States greatness. The right to pursue happiness has made the United States stand out from the rest of the world in scientific discovery. Innovation is driven by a pursuit for a higher quality of life. When people know that they are allowed to profit from their innovation, it can only lead to further innovation. It is not completely out of greed, but out of achievement. An example of this being McCormicks reaping machine. It increased agricultural productivity, which made farmers more able to meet the demand

Bryant 5 for food (Mangalwadi p.322). The right to pursue happiness has increased the overall prosperity of the United States, and has allowed it to stand out from the rest of the world. The United States has been able to prosper for the past two hundred thirty years due to an embrace of biblical ideas. 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 (Declaration of Independence). The Founding Fathers recognized that the Declaration of Independence did not appoint these rights, but that they are given by God and revealed in the Bible. They recognized the Bible as the catalyst for these freedoms, and sought that these basic rights were both protected and promoted for the benefit of all mankind. The acknowledgement of God given rights differentiates the United States from the rest of the world.

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Works Cited Mangalwadi, Vishal. The Book That Made Your World: How the Bible Created the Soul of Western Civilization. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2011. Print. The New Oxford Annotated Bible. Ed. Michael D. Coogan. New York: Oxford University Press, 2010. Print