Mary Baker Eddy writes on page 106 of her textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," referring to the United States: "Like our nation, Christian Science has its Declaration of Independence. God has endowed man with inalienable rights, among which are self-government, reason, and conscience." And she continues, "Man is properly self-governed only when he is guided rightly and governed by his Maker, divine Truth and Love."
The phrase inalienable rights, or "unalienable" rights, as in the Declaration of Independence, appears to be understood by many to mean merely rights which are inviolable or indefeasible, that is, not subject to violation or defeasance. Actually, however, in a legal sense and as a dictionary gives it, the words mean rights which are "incapable of being alienated, surrendered, or transferred," rights which "one cannot give away or dispose of even if one wishes." Thus the full meaning of the phrase embraces more than the mere possession of rights of which one cannot be deprived without one's consent. It includes the incapacity to transfer these rights, even if one should desire to do so. It follows that surrender of one's rights to govern himself under God and to exercise individual reason and conscience is an impossibility, in reality, for these rights are inalienable.
It would seem in human experience, however, as if the exact opposite were more frequently the case. Even in childhood stronger-willed boys and girls appear to dominate their fellow playmates, while in adult life individuals seem willing to surrender their inherent right of self-government and allow some person or group to do their thinking for them. Then, too, overwhelming physical force or subtle political intrigue appears to impel nations or peoples to yield their freedom of thought and action to tyrannical materialistic sovereignties. But this, it must ever be remembered, is seemingly true only in human experience; it does not relate to God and the government of His universe, including man.
