OPINION:
Joe Rogan is undoubtedly the most powerful podcaster in the world, which is why his recent comments about Jesus, Christianity and the Bible have captured viral attention.
Mr. Rogan has repeatedly discussed his faith dabblings in recent months, with a recent episode of his “The Joe Rogan Experience” offering intriguing insight into his ever-growing perspective.
Among other proclamations, the professional talker told guest Konstantin Kisin that most people attend church because they are on a path to self-betterment.
“It’s a bunch of people that are going to try to make their lives better, trying to be a better person,” Mr. Rogan said. “I mean, for me — at least the place that I go to — they read and analyze passages in the Bible. I’m really interested in what these people were trying to say, because I don’t think it’s nothing.”
From there, the conversation took a fascinating turn, as Mr. Rogan began to discuss the Bible and its impact, noting that “atheists” and other secularists will dismiss Scripture and pretend it’s a fictitious book filled with whims and fake stories.
This argument didn’t seem to sit well with Mr. Rogan, who said “self-professed intelligent people” want to dismiss it “like it’s a fairy tale.”
“I don’t know that’s true,” he said of this latter claim. “I think there’s more to it. I think it’s history, but I think it’s a confusing history. It’s a confusing history because it was a long time ago, and it’s people telling things in an oral tradition and writing things down in a language that you don’t understand, in the context of a culture that you don’t understand.”
Mr. Rogan said Christianity is different from other religions because of its focus on Jesus Christ — a man “everybody agrees existed” and who “somehow or another had the best plan for how human beings should interact with each other and behave.”
But it wasn’t just about Jesus’ standards. Mr. Rogan also said Christ’s death differentiated him and created a deeper intrigue that must be further explored.
“[Jesus] didn’t even protest,” he continued. “Died on the cross, supposedly for our sins. It’s a fascinating story. What does it represent, though? That’s the real thing. What was that? What happened? Who was Jesus Christ, if it was a human being. What was that? That’s wild.”
This isn’t the first time Mr. Rogan has gone into the theological deep. In May, he seemed to defend the biblical notion of Jesus’ resurrection and openly cast doubt on the Big Bang theory.
“It’s funny, because people will be incredulous about the resurrection of Jesus Christ, but yet, they’re convinced that the entire universe was smaller than a head of a pin and that for no reason that anyone has adequately explained to me, instantaneously became everything?” Mr. Rogan told comedy podcaster Cody Tucker.
He said the Big Bang theory’s take on the creation and expansion of the universe is tough to adopt, essentially arguing that it requires a deep faith of its own to embrace such a concept.
At one point, he quoted late ethnobotanist Terence McKenna, who reportedly made this very argument — that the Big Bang requires belief in at least one miracle. Ultimately, if miracles come into play, Mr. Rogan said Christ simply makes more sense.
“That’s McKenna’s great line … the difference between science and religion is that science only asks you for one miracle — the Big Bang,” he said. “I’m sticking with Jesus on that one. Jesus makes more sense. People have come back to life.”
These claims are particularly powerful coming from a man who has such immense and seemingly immeasurable influence. Mr. Rogan has millions of listeners who hang on his every word, or, at the least, are willing to entertain the ideals he discusses and espouses.
When a person such as Mr. Rogan — one of Time’s “100 Most Influential People of 2025” — is willing to stand up and defend Jesus in a culture of confusion, it matters and can have a deep and profound impact.
TV host Mike Rowe knocked it out of the park earlier this year when he highlighted Mr. Rogan’s deep impact.
“Never mind podcasting — Joe Rogan has changed broadcasting,” Mr. Rowe said. “His conversations have moved markets, influenced elections and introduced millions of people to countless subjects they didn’t know they were interested in. He has defied our short attention spans and given his guests — for better and worse — enough time to reveal their true selves. In other words, by letting people talk, he’s changing the way we listen.”
And this is why his foray into faith, church and Jesus is so profound. Mr. Rogan isn’t just dabbling in Christianity. He’s taking millions of listeners along for the ride. Let’s pray Mr. Rogan continues on the journey and helps further fuel the revival erupting across this great land.
• Billy Hallowell is a digital TV host and interviewer for Faithwire and CBN News and the co-host of CBN’s “Quick Start Podcast.” Mr. Hallowell is the author of four books.
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