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The
Declaration of Independence Provisions Relevant to Religion
Introductory
Paragraph:
When
in the course of human Events, it becomes necessary for
one People to dissolve the Political Bands which have connected
them with another, and to assume among the Powers of the
Earth, the separate and equal Station to which the Laws
of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent Respect
to the Opinions of Mankind requires that they should declare
the causes which impel them to the Separation.
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 . . .
Closing
Paragraph:
We,
therefore, the Representatives of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
in GENERAL CONGRESS, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme
Judge of the World for the Rectitude of our Intentions,
do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of
these Colonies, solemnly Publish and Declare, That these
United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be, FREE AND
INDEPENDENT STATES; that they are absolved from all Allegiance
to the British Crown, and that all political Connection
between them and the State of Great-Britain, is and ought
to be totally dissolved; and that as FREE AND INDEPENDENT
STATES, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace,
contracting Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all
other Acts and Things which INDEPENDENT STATES may of right
do. And for support of this Declaration, with a firm Reliance
on the Protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge
to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.
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