Jefferson wrote in the Declaration of Independence about "the Laws of Nature and of?

Question

Nature's God. Why did he appeal to science, and not simply appeal outright to the "God-given" rights of man?

Answer 1

The Founders were Deists and as such disdained organized religion, though most went to an established church and participated, because that was "politically correct" for a politician, as it still is today. Can you imagine Bush having been elected if he didn't have a church; or Obama; or the Clintons?

They did believe in one God, but Deists believe God created the world and then left it up to the laws of nature, of which Reason is a law of nature in the nature of the species of humans. In Deism, Reason, not the practice of a religion, is next to Godliness.

They were no more able to define the supernatural nature of God than anyone else; so they simply allowed Jefferson's phrase "Nature's God" to stand--or perhaps one of them influenced the phrasing. Franklin was almost literally standing over Jefferson's shoulder; he was Jefferson's editor and mentor on the Declaration.

Answer 2

He was an enlightened man who didn't see religion and science as mutually exclusive.