They believe that the universe operates on natural laws that can be discovered through science and reason.

Sacred texts, religious rituals, and even prayer are viewed as unnecessary to know God.

Instead, they believe morality, knowing the difference between right and wrong, and choosing to do what is right, comes from human reason, not divine command.

One of the most well-known deists was Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States, who famously took several copies of the New Testament in English, Greek, Latin, and Spanish, just kidding, and French, and physically cut and pasted together a version of the Gospels.

His work is known today as the Jefferson Bible, officially titled The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth.

In this unique version, Jefferson removed all miracles, references to Jesus’ divinity, the resurrection, and anything supernatural.

What he left behind was a moral biography of Jesus focused on teachings of love, forgiveness, humility, and justice.

The original book still exists and is preserved at the Smithsonian Institution.

Other famous deists include Benjamin Franklin, who believed in God as the creator and upheld the importance of moral living and virtue.

However, Franklin openly doubted the divinity of Jesus Christ and rejected the doctrines of organized Christianity, preferring instead to emphasize reason and ethical conduct over religious dogma.

Despite this, Franklin maintained deep respect for Jesus’ moral teachings and even acknowledged Christ as the greatest moral teacher of all time.