Thomas Jefferson's All Men are Created Equal

Thomas Jefferson's 'All Men are Created Equal' in the Declaration of Independence is full of irony. It has been subjected to numerous debates since he uttered them.

Thomas Jefferson`s statement, in the Declaration of Independence, that ”all men are created equal” had indeed been the subject of serious debate all through the years. 'Life is unfair', is a paradox all know too well and often. The chasm between the rich and poor has grown so wide in these times. While some people drive by in expensive sports car, others don't even know where to find their next meal.

Equality in Moral Sense

Jefferson's pronouncements that all is equal seems to negate what reality throws. Intellectual, physical, and spiritual inequalities among human beings are apparent. Some go through daily lives, pursuing the daily grind and ponder how the other half lives.

Adherents to Jefferson's line however believe that he was not referring to what is obvious. Jefferson plunged to the heart of the matter by declaring that all is equal in the sense that all is equal ”in the eyes of God” or that all are equal in having a ”moral sense”. This line of reasoning has added a new dimension to the interpretation of the quote. To some extent, this has resolved the paradox.

Those who practice Christianity are all aware that before the eyes of the Creator, nobody is better than the other. Each holds the same moral laws inside that help determine right from wrong. Each is unique, created in His image and likeness. Therefore, each holds a piece of Creator's divinity in his or her being. That is the very essence of equality as preached by Christianity.

Christian teachings believe that God also gives all men different talents. Each may differ in the capacity but each is gifted in one way or another. How these gifts are harnessed will spell the difference between success and failure in their lives. 'What one sows, one reaps.' If one works hard at something, it necessarily follows that one attains some measure of success. This is where the difference lies. Some are naturally more successful than others.

Same but Different

The underlying principle in Jefferson's statement is that all are basically the same. One may be different in degree of talents but that does not make someone lesser than others. The more talent a person has, the more expectations God places on him or her. And the more successes mean the more responsibilities. Everything comes with a price tag.

It is not possible for two individuals to have an equal amount of successes and an equal amount of responsibilities. Therefore, there is no cause for the common man to complain because the load that he carries on his shoulders is not as heavy as those in power. Jefferson did speak the truth when he said "all men are created equal".