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During a recent episode of the world’s most popular podcast, host Joe Rogan admitted, “We need Jesus. I think for real.”

The Joe Rogan Experience is easily the world’s most popular podcast, with an average of 11 million listeners tuning in every episode — dwarfing numbers set by even the most popular cable television shows.

It is also one of history’s longest running podcasts, with a catalogue of over 2,000 episodes, and show highlights on YouTube that have clocked 3.4 billion views to date.

What seems to keep listeners coming back is the show’s long-form style (episodes generally last between two and four hours), along with Joe Rogan’s willingness to engage with guests and topics often shunned by the corporate media.

Jesus is one such topic — and several recent guests have openly discussed their Christian faith with Rogan, including journalist Michael Shellenberger, philosopher Stephen Meyer, and singer Oliver Anthony.

Rogan on the Emptiness of Atheism and Wokeness

Rogan’s guest on his February 7th episode was injury-sidelined NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Both Rogan and Rodgers were raised in Christian families before lapsing into agnosticism as adults. However, what both also share in common is a growing sense — in recent years especially — of the need for some kind of moral and spiritual anchor in life.

It was this topic that prompted a fascinating interchange between the two.

Commenting on the corruption in politics, Rodgers mused that “there has to be some sort of field of value that can orient people” towards “right and wrong” and “morality”.

In reply, Rogan mourned that “the problem with living in a secular society and living in a society that has a lot of people that are atheists, that have no belief system at all, is you find a belief system. A lot of these people that call themselves atheists — they’ve subscribed to the religion of woke. Their God is equity and inclusiveness.”

“I think as time rolls on, people are going to understand the need to have some sort of divine structure to things, some sort of belief in the sanctity of love and of truth. And a lot of that comes from a religion,” he added.

“Unfortunately, a lot of very intelligent people, they dismiss all the positive aspects of religion because they think that the stories are mere superstitious fairy tales, that they have no place in this modern world.”

‘We Need Jesus — I Think For Real’

Rogan also panned the idea of a self-referential morality, warning that people are misguided when they think “we’re inherently good, and your ethics are based on your own moral compass, and we all have one.”

“That’s not necessarily true,” he countered.

“It’s a f——d up world we live in,” Rogan colourfully summarised, before offering a solution.

“We need Jesus,” he said. “I think for real.”

Both men laughed as the host spoke these words, but it wasn’t the laughter of mockery. Rather, it seemed to be in recognition that an idea the two had dismissed in their younger years had ultimately proven to have a ring of truth.

Continuing the conversation, Rogan added, “If he [Jesus] came back now, it’d be great.”

“Like Jesus, if you’re thinking about coming back, now’s a good time.”

“Right now. Pretty soon,” Rodgers said in agreement.

🔥The best thing Rogan’s ever said.@joerogan @AaronRodgers12 pic.twitter.com/vPOo5hUKIw

— News Nomad 🗞 (@The_Nomad_News) February 27, 2024

The ‘Something’ Joe Rogan is Still Waiting For

Joe Rogan’s “come to Jesus” moment did, however, reveal a crucial gap in the podcaster’s understanding of who Jesus is.

Referencing Moses, aliens and a collection of other apocalyptic ideas, he mused, “It might be, we reach a certain point where we’re so unmanageable and so chaotic that something comes down and gives us a guideline.”

Christianity’s central claim, of course, is that Jesus is the “something” Rogan is apparently still waiting for. While the Scriptures teach that Christ will come again, the gospel message is that Jesus has already answered the world’s deepest spiritual needs through his incarnation, perfect life, death and resurrection.

Even so, both Rogan and Rodgers acknowledged an openness to the person of Christ and a broad agreement with the values of Christianity.

“There is a greater power that’s above everything that controls this whole thing and keeps it all together, and there are laws to adhere to that will make for a much better life for all humans and all life on Earth,” Rogan observed.

“Everything we do matters,” Rodgers later affirmed.

“I believe there’s a seen world and an unseen world. And there [are] forces of good and forces of evil,” the NFL star added.

“There’s a purpose for all this… I’d like to get it right this time around.”