Comment:
That it is a reflection of the political correctness of avoiding the word God or religion; and that the importance in the Declaration of Independence of "pursuit of Happiness" is not the word 'happiness'; but is very much the word 'pursuit'. Here is Noah Webster's definition of "pursuit": "1. A following with a view to reach, accomplish or obtain; endeavor to attain to or gain; as the pursuit of knowledge; the pursuit of happiness or pleasure; the pursuit of power, of honor, of distinction, of a phantom.
2. Proceeding; course of business or occupation; continued employment with a view to some end; as mercantile pursuits; literary pursuits.
3. Prosecution; continuance of endeavor." And of "happiness": "The agreeable sensations which spring from the enjoyment of good; that state of a being in which his desires are gratified, by the enjoyment of pleasure without pain; felicity; but happiness usually expresses less than felicity, and felicity less than bliss. Happiness is comparative. To a person distressed with pain, relief from that pain affords happiness; in other cases we give the name happiness to positive pleasure or an excitement of agreeable sensations. Happiness therefore admits of indefinite degrees of increase in enjoyment, or gratification of desires. Perfect happiness, or pleasure unalloyed with pain, is not attainable in this life.".
The Declaration is about one person with rights from our Creator. This "evidence" while scientific is about "temporal" effects, signs, and measures, among groups social, work, age, etc. Spiritual is about 1 person's relation to "Religion and Integrity" in relation to 'pursuing' temporal satisfactions. But the essence of spiritual is in the relationship to the definition of religion": Religion, in its most comprehensive sense, includes a belief in the being and perfections of God, in the revelation of his will to man, in man's obligation to obey his commands, in a state of reward and punishment, and in man's accountableness to God; and also true godliness or piety of life, with the practice of all moral duties. It therefore comprehends theology, as a system of doctrines or principles, as well as practical piety; for the practice of moral duties without a belief in a divine lawgiver, and without reference to his will or commands, is not religion." ["1828 American Dictionary of the English Language"].
The Declaration is about one person with rights from our Creator. This "evidence" while scientific is about "temporal" effects, signs, and measures, among groups social, work, age, etc. Spiritual is about 1 person's relation to "Religion and Integrity" in relation to 'pursuing' temporal satisfactions. But the essence of spiritual is in the relationship to the definition of religion": Religion, in its most comprehensive sense, includes a belief in the being and perfections of God, in the revelation of his will to man, in man's obligation to obey his commands, in a state of reward and punishment, and in man's accountableness to God; and also true godliness or piety of life, with the practice of all moral duties. It therefore comprehends theology, as a system of doctrines or principles, as well as practical piety; for the practice of moral duties without a belief in a divine lawgiver, and without reference to his will or commands, is not religion." ["1828 American Dictionary of the English Language"].
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