The Founding Myth: Why Christian Nationalism Is Un-American

by Andrew L. Seidel

…human events…one people…another…mankind…powers of the earth…the opinions of mankind…all men…Governments are instituted among Men…consent of the governed…it is the Right of the People…to them…their Safety and Happiness…. all experience hath shewn, that mankind…to which they are accustomed…. their right…their duty…their future security…these Colonies…tyranny over these States…a candid world. The Declaration was written not to justify the separation to a god; it was written because the founders held “a decent respect to the opinions of mankind” and wished to change those opinions. Becker taught us that the founders and their forebears focused on human endeavor and accomplishment, elevating both: This is precisely what the eighteenth century did: with the lantern of enlightenment it went up and down the field of human history looking for man in general, the universal man, man stripped of the accidents of time and place; it wished immensely to meet Humanity and to become intimate with the Human Race. If it could find Humanity it would have found man in general, the natural man; and so it would have some chance of knowing what were the rights and laws which, being suited to man in general, were most likely to be suited to particular men, everywhere and always.63