Did I mention Jefferson? You are all over the place! But since you mentioned him, wasn't it Jefferson who re-made the Bible by removing the supernatural aspects of it? Does it matter if he was a deist? He sure wasn't a Christian, was he? But based on some of his other writings, I wonder if he was even a deist.
or [my emphasis]
You mentioned the DoI and characterized it a Deist document. Jefferson is the principle author of the document. He and the others of the Congress are responsible for the values expressed by the document. The document didn't write itself.
Those who could read the Declaration of Independence would have known from their youth Who the Creator IS. From the New England Primer 1777 edition:
CHILDREN your great Creator fear,
To him your homage pay,
While vain employments fire your blood,
And lead your thoughts astray.
The due remembrance of his name
Your first regard requires:
Till your breast glows with sacred love,
Indulge no meaner fires.
Secure his favour, and be wise
Before these cheerless days,
When age comes on, when mirth's no more,
And health and strength decays.
A Wise son maketh a glad father, but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.
BEtter is a little with the fear of the Lord, than great treasure & trouble therewith.
COme unto Christ all ye that labor and are heavy laden and he will give you rest.
DO not the abominable thing which I hate saith the Lord.
EXcept a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
FOolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.
GODLINESS is profitable unto all things, having the promise of the life that now is, and that which is to come.
HOLINESS becomes GOD's house for ever.
IT is good for me to draw near unto GOD.
KEEP thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.
LIARS shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone.
MANY are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivereth them out of them all.
NOW is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation.
OUT of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
PRAY to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which sees in secret shall reward thee openly.
QUIT you like men, be strong, stand fast in the faith.
REMEMBER thy Creator in the days of thy youth.
SEest thou a man wise in his own conceit, there is more hope of a fool than of him.
TRUST in God at all times, ye people, pour out your hearts before him.
UPON the wicked, God shall rain an horrible tempest.
WO to the wicked, it shall be ill with him, for the reward of his hands shall be given him.
EXHORT one another daily while it is called to day, lest any of you be hardened thro' the deceitfulness of sin.
YOUNG men ye have overcome the wicked one.
ZEal hath consumed me, because thy enemies have forgotten the word of God.