In the Universal Periodic Review submitted by the Department of State to the United Nations in August, the administration stated, "The story of the United States of America is one guided by universal values shared the world over – that all are created equal and endowed with inalienable rights."

State Department's edit of Declaration wording

Classic book on USA's Christian heritage: New edition of 100-year-old treasure reveals nation's true religious history

At the time the declaration was adopted, however, the concept of all being created "equal" was a rare idea.

The Declaration states: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

President Obama repeatedly has stated only that all men "are endowed" with certain rights. After WND reported on the issue and raised it at the White House, he resumed referring to the Creator.

Original wording from Declaration of Independence

WND reported on the statement to the U.N.'s "human rights" panel – a document previous administrations refused to submit to the international organization as critics warned it would be used as "cannon fodder" by opponents of the U.S.

The U.N. panel, according to a report from the Heritage Foundation, earlier saw:

• China claim that it "adheres to the principle that all ethnic groups are equal and implements a system of regional ethnic autonomy in areas with high concentrations of ethnic minorities" and that its elections are "democratic" and "competitive."
• Cuba claim its "democratic system is based on the principle of 'government of the people, by the people and for the people.'" Cuba also claimed the rights to "freedom of opinion, expression and the press" are protected.
• North Korea claim it "comprehensively provides" for fundamental rights and freedoms, including freedoms "of speech, the press, assembly, demonstration and association … work and relaxation, free medical care, education and social security."

The report said such "patently false reports" given to the U.N. were "accepted at face value and approved by the majority of members." Now, it warns, "Some of what the Obama administration wrote in the official U.S. report will be cannon fodder to the HRC during the U.S. review."

WND reported when White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs warned people not to read anything into Obama's restoration of "Creator" in his citations from the Declaration.

Les Kinsolving, WND's correspondent at the White House, had asked after several omissions suddenly were followed by Obama's inclusion of the reference.

"Was it press reports of the president's repeatedly dropping any mention of the Creator in referring to the Declaration of Independence that led him to commendably restore it in four speeches this weekend?" Kinsolving asked.

According to published reports, including by CNSNews.com, Obama included the reference to the "Creator," as the Declaration of Independence was written, four times in speeches over several days.

"No, look, I think the president has at certain times quoted from and at other times paraphrased the Declaration," said Gibbs. "I wouldn't read anything into it, much as I didn't read anything into it when on a couple of the speeches in this trip, somehow the Slurpee got dropped."

Kinsolving previously had asked Gibbs a question about the issue while Obama still was omitting the reference.

He asked, "Twice in recent weeks, the president has quoted from the Declaration of Independence and has omitted the Declaration's reference to rights 'endowed by their Creator.' Why did he omit this part of the Declaration?"

"I haven't seen the comments, Lester, but I can assure you the president believes in the Declaration of Independence," Gibbs said.

WND reported on one incident Sept. 15 when Obama told a meeting of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus that the document states, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, endowed with certain inalienable rights: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

The video, where the reference appears shortly past the 22-minute mark:

CNSNews.com reported Sept. 22 when Obama, speaking to a fundraiser for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, did it again.

"If we stay true to our values," the president said, "if we believe that all people are created equal and everybody is endowed with certain inalienable rights and we're going to make those words live, and we're going to give everybody opportunity, everybody a ladder into the middle class, every child able to go as far as their dreams will take them – if we stay true to that, then we're going to be able to maintain the energy and the focus, the fight, the gumption to get stuff done."

Other speeches, with the reference missing, followed.

Other references to America's Christian heritage have been excised at the home of the Liberty Bell, the Supreme Court and even the Washington Monument.

Chaplain Todd DuBord, who works with martial arts expert, actor and philanthropist Chuck Norris' multiple organizations, has documented the ongoing trend at his National Treasures website.

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