Father Quote by Tom C. Clark
“The Founding Fathers believed devoutly that there was a God and that the unalienable rights of man were rooted - not in the state, nor the legislature, nor in any other human power - but in God alone.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Declaration of Independence, 1776
The quote asserts that ultimate authority for human rights lies in a divine source, not in human institutions.
In simple terms: Rights come from God, not government.
Key Takeaway
Recognize higher moral foundations.
Themes
politics
religion
rights
Mood
reflective
serious
Type
political
philosophical
When to use this quote
- legal debates
- human rights advocacy
- educational curricula
- political philosophy
- public policy
Key Concepts
theocracy
natural law
Questions to Reflect On
- What role should religion play in lawmaking?
- How do we protect rights in a pluralistic society?
A Different Perspective
It may overlook secular perspectives on rights.
![“[The Founding Fathers] were not advocates for a monolithic notion of "God and Country," as promoters of a Christian America would now have us believe. They were precisely the opposite: the very prototypes, in fact, of the East Coast intellectuals we are always being warned against by today's…” quote by Brooke Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/48b/brooke-allen-104093_east-coast_the-founding-fathers-were-not-advocates_2312506.jpg)
![“[One] principle that actuated the lives of the fathers who founded our Constitution was faith in God.” quote by David O. McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/034/david-o-mckay-2062_constitution_one-principle-that-actuated-the-lives-of_65379.jpg)
![“[The founding fathers] believed that freedom of expression included religious views and beliefs, so long as the government did not force people to worship in a particular matter and remain neutral on what those views and beliefs were.” quote by John Cornyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/596/john-cornyn-11060_belief_the-founding-fathers-believed-that-freed_2935066.jpg)
