They were theists

I believe the word you're looking for there is ``deist''.

The religious basis for their beliefs is tangential because it makes no difference why people believe that homosexuals should be second class citizens. As long their bigotry is pointed out and accepted, it makes no difference to the government why they are that way. If most of the populous is bigoted in the same way, then that's the way the cookie crumbles.

It might be important to note that Jefferson was also a meritocratist.