When I first realized individual happiness was not a recognized objective in the 17th century, I assumed happiness as a civic goal was a more recent but laudable social invention. Then I learned Jefferson cut out a great deal of the Bible before concluding pursuit of happiness was one of the top 3 objectives. “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness” documents where I began to question his work. Today is International Happiness Day as set by the United Nations,…..
Roger Williams was the first to architect the concept down to a practical level, and to test it with successful implementation in Rhode Island. Here are five points of comparison between Jefferson and Williams to ponder as we consider how or if religious liberty is important to us today. Rekindled tells a Roger Williams story. 1. 132 years earlier than the 1776 Declaration of Independence, Roger Williams laid the foundation for religious freedom in Rhode Island, as an experiment in…..