Leftist Host Gives Away The Game: Let Government Replace God

MSNOW host Katy Tur, in a stunning display of historical illiteracy, questioned the foundational bedrock of the American republic, targeting House Speaker Mike Johnson, who had dared to repeat the very premise that birthed the United States: that our rights come from God, not the government.

During a segment on her show, Tur referred to Johnson’s speech at the “Rededicate 250” rally on Sunday, in which Johnson stated:

And You gave our fathers the wisdom and faith to establish this new nation, premised on the Biblical and foundational principle that all men are created equal and free before you. Through Your divine providence, our Founders acknowledged and boldly proclaimed this self-evident truth: That every single person is created in your image and that we are endowed by you, our Creator, with our unalienable rights to life and liberty. The pursuit of happiness.  

To any student of basic American history, Johnson’s words were a standard recitation of the Declaration of Independence. But to Tur, it was a scandalous theological overreach. A bewildered Tur asked, “What about this passage from Mike Johnson declaring that our rights do not derive from government, they come from You, our Creator and heavenly Father. Is this him putting God over the Declaration of Independence?”

God talk is SO foreign to MS NOW. Katy Tur: What about this passage from Mike Johnson declaring that our rights do not derive from government? They come from you, our creator and heavenly father. Is this him putting God over the Declaration of Independence?
McKay Coppins: I… pic.twitter.com/sfpykN5bYc

— Tim Graham (@TimJGraham) May 18, 2026

The irony, of course, is that by asserting our rights come from God, Johnson wasn’t putting God over the Declaration of Independence — he was literally quoting it.

The Left’s modern discomfort with this concept betrays a dangerous desire to elevate the State to the position of the Almighty. The American Founders, heavily influenced by John Locke and the concept of “Natural Law,” synthesized a radical political philosophy: there is a divine law that supersedes any earthly king, parliament, or congress.

Thomas Jefferson famously encapsulated this in 1776, writing that all men are “endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights.” By definition, “unalienable” means these rights are inherent to human nature. Because the government did not grant them, the government has no authority to revoke them. In the Founders’ view, the state is not the source of rights; it is merely a trustee — a security guard hired to protect them. If the security guard begins to violate those rights, the citizens retain the moral authority to fire the government.

Whether looking through an orthodox Christian lens or a Deist Enlightenment lens, the Founders united under a singular banner: No human politician has the authority to override divine design.

This distinction is not a matter of semantics; it is the ultimate shield against tyranny. If rights are granted by the state — via a constitution, a dictator, or a shifting democratic majority — then they can be amended, restricted, or entirely voted away by the state. But if they are a gift from God, they remain absolute and permanent.

Katy Tur’s inability to grasp this fundamental truth exposes the Left’s ultimate goal: a society where the government is the supreme arbiter of human freedom.