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'''Unalienable rights''' are those which God gave to man at the Creation, once and for all. They belong to each person by virtue of the fact that man is made in God’s image, and is therefore endowed with certain attributes, powers, freedoms, and legal protections as part of his essence.  These rights are thus inseparable -- or ''unalienable'' -- from each person individually and from the human race as a whole.  They are a gift from the Creator and it is impossible for government to alter or nullify mankind’s divine inheritance.  Except in extremely rare and limited circumstances, the unalienable rights of a particular individual, or the population at large, cannot be suspended, abrogated, or diminished by government -- and then only to the extent necessary to address the instant emergency.  (See "Legitimate Exceptions" below.) Unalienable rights automatically belong to each individual at the moment his or her life begins and continue throughout that person’s time on earth.  Unalienable rights are often referred to as ''God-given''.

'''Unalienable rights''' are those which [[God]] gave to man at the [[Creation]], once and for all. They belong to each person by virtue of the fact that man is made in God’s image, and is therefore endowed with certain attributes, powers, freedoms, and legal protections as part of his essence.  These rights are thus inseparable -- or ''unalienable'' -- from each person individually and from the human race as a whole.  They are a gift from the [[Creator]] and it is impossible for [[government]] to alter or nullify mankind’s divine inheritance.  Except in extremely rare and limited circumstances, the unalienable rights of a particular individual, or the population at large, cannot be suspended, abrogated, or diminished by government -- and then only to the extent necessary to address the instant emergency.  (See "Legitimate Exceptions" below.) Unalienable rights automatically belong to each individual at the moment his or her life begins and continue throughout that person’s time on earth.  Unalienable rights are often referred to as ''God-given''.

An exhaustive list of the unalienable rights possessed by man would probably fill several volumes.  However, at a minimum they include the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  The following items, derived from the American Bill of Rights, expand on these themes:

An exhaustive list of the unalienable rights possessed by man would probably fill several volumes.  However, at a minimum they include the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  The following items, derived from the American [[Bill of Rights]], expand on these themes:

4.  To earn a living and keep the fruit of one’s labor.

4.  To earn a living and keep the fruit of one’s labor.

5.  To worship -- or not worship -- God in the manner one chooses.

5.  To [[worship]] -- or not worship -- [[God]] in the manner one chooses.

6.  To associate with -- or disassociate from -- any person or group.

6.  To associate with -- or disassociate from -- any person or group.

7.  To express any idea through print, voice, banner, or other media.

7.  To express any idea through print, voice, banner, or other media.

8.  To be secure in one’s home, papers, and person against warrantless searches and seizures (privacy).

8.  To be secure in one’s [[home]], papers, and person against warrantless searches and seizures (privacy).

9.  To be advised of the charges, in the event of arrest.

9.  To be advised of the charges, in the event of arrest.

10. To have a judge determine if the accused should be held for trial or for punishment.

10. To have a judge determine if the accused should be held for trial or for punishment.

11. To be tried by a jury of one’s peers and face one’s accuser, in the event of being charged with a crime.

11. To be tried by a [[jury]] of one’s peers and face one’s accuser, in the event of being charged with a [[crime]].

12. To be tried by a jury of one’s peers, in the event of a suit in which the disputed amount is substantive.

12. To be tried by a [[jury]] of one’s peers, in the event of a suit in which the disputed amount is substantive.

13. To suffer no cruel or unusual punishment, if found guilty of a crime.

13. To suffer no cruel or unusual punishment, if found guilty of a crime.

14. To establish, monitor, control, and petition a “servant government” to help secure the above rights.

14. To establish, monitor, control, and petition a “servant government” to help secure the above rights.

15. To abolish said government, when it becomes destructive of these rights.

15. To abolish said [[government]], when it becomes destructive of these rights.

The concept of unalienable rights in America extends as far back as 1620, when the first Pilgrims arrived on the shores of what is now Massachusetts, in search of religious freedom. According to Governor William Bradford, it was the unending attack on the rights of religious minorities in Britain which convinced the Pilgrims that leaving England was the only way to secure their liberties:  

The concept of unalienable rights in America extends as far back as 1620, when the first Pilgrims arrived on the shores of what is now [[Massachusetts]], in search of religious freedom. According to Governor William Bradford, it was the unending attack on the rights of religious minorities in [[Britain]] which convinced the [[Pilgrims]] that leaving [[England]] was the only way to secure their liberties:  

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Other pilgrims soon followed those carried by the ''Mayflower''.     

Other pilgrims soon followed those carried by the ''[[Mayflower]]''.     

As these early Christian communities continued to grow and flourish in the new world, the notion that each individual possesses inherent dignity, value, and freedoms which the government ought to protect, became a recurring theme in political discussions and in religious writings and sermons.  Preachers, pastors, civic leaders, and lawyers drew extensively from the Bible’s teachings on morality, Creation, and the nature of God to support this position, and the American public was very receptive.  By 1775 the concept of unalienable rights was firmly entrenched in the collective consciousness of the thirteen colonies, having been sharpened by decades of abuse and taxation under British colonial rule. The time was right for change. In the hope of achieving a new political construct dedicated to preserving each person’s God-given rights and liberties, American patriots severed all ties with the British Crown and initiated a daring war against the most powerful nation at that time:

As these early [[Christian]] communities continued to grow and flourish in the new world, the notion that each individual possesses inherent dignity, value, and freedoms which the government ought to protect, became a recurring theme in political discussions and in religious writings and sermons.  Preachers, pastors, civic leaders, and lawyers drew extensively from the [[Bible|Bible’s]] teachings on morality, Creation, and the nature of God to support this position, and the American public was very receptive.  By 1775 the concept of unalienable rights was firmly entrenched in the collective consciousness of the thirteen colonies, having been sharpened by decades of abuse and taxation under British colonial rule. The time was right for change. In the hope of achieving a new political construct dedicated to preserving each person’s God-given rights and liberties, American patriots severed all ties with the British Crown and initiated a [[Revolutionary War|daring war]] against the most powerful nation at that time:

The successful conclusion of the War for Independence in 1783 left the Americans free of their British oppressors, but faced with the daunting task of creating a new type of government that would transform the dream of ''universally protected God-given rights'' into a practical reality. Nothing like this before had ever been attempted. Consequently, the representatives of the thirteen states who assembled for the constitutional convention in Philadelphia (1787) had no illusions that the destiny of the new nation lay in their hands. To their great credit, they soon produced a legal manuscript which is arguably the greatest charter of liberty the world has ever known: the Constitution of the United States of America. This document, along with its first ten amendments -- commonly called the Bill of Rights -- set forth the framework and mechanisms by which the unalienable rights of the People would be recognized and protected from overreaching officials.  Simply put, the Constitution establishes a limited government that is empowered to protect the unalienable rights of the People, and is prohibited from doing virtually anything else. After two hundred years, the principle of unalienable rights, though buffeted by statism, atheism, communism, and individual ambition, remains at the core of American political, legal, economic, and social theory:  

The successful conclusion of the [[Revolutionary War|War for Independence]] in 1783 left the Americans free of their British oppressors, but faced with the daunting task of creating a new type of government that would transform the dream of ''universally protected God-given rights'' into a practical reality. Nothing like this before had ever been attempted. Consequently, the representatives of the thirteen states who assembled for the constitutional convention in Philadelphia (1787) had no illusions that the destiny of the new nation lay in their hands. To their great credit, they soon produced a legal manuscript which is arguably the greatest charter of liberty the world has ever known: the Constitution of the United States of America. This document, along with its first ten amendments -- commonly called the Bill of Rights -- set forth the framework and mechanisms by which the unalienable rights of the People would be recognized and protected from overreaching officials.  Simply put, the Constitution establishes a limited government that is empowered to protect the unalienable rights of the People, and is prohibited from doing virtually anything else. After two hundred years, the principle of unalienable rights, though buffeted by statism, atheism, communism, and individual ambition, remains at the core of American political, legal, economic, and social theory: