The Joe Rogan Experience is one of the most influential podcasts in the English-speaking world. Last week featured two podcasts with gospel presentations. The first was Wesley Huff who after debating Billy Carson who appeared on JRE, lost a debate to Huff, garnering Rogan’s attention. The second was legendary filmmaker, Mel Gibson.
The two interviews are vastly different in the topics covered with the most overlap being Gibson’s insistence on the authenticity of the Shroud of Turin. Huff spent most of the time nerding out with Joe Rogan on ancient languages, providing a comprehensive defense of the Bible and the canon of Scripture. For much of the interview, Joe Rogan talks about his films, most notably Apocalypto and the in-progress Passion 2. Gibson relates the human sacrifice depicted in the former with the abortion of today. Given the broader appeal, the Mel Gibson interview surpassed 5.6 million views on YouTube alone.
Mel Gibson, while jittering the entire time, gives a passionate defense of the Resurrection. Mel Gibson explains that he views the gospels as verifiable history and then further explains that the Apostles all died rather than deny Christ. Joe Rogan asked about the Resurrection being the most “difficult to swallow” to which Mel Gibson agreed.
GIBSON
Who gets back up three days later after he gets murdered in public? Who gets back up under his own power? Buddha didn’t do that shit. Right, you know?
ROGAN
So you believe that was a real event?
GIBSON
Yeah I do.
Perhaps crass, Mel Gibson’s disrespect towards Buddha was perhaps the most iconic and meme-able moment in the interview.
Despite trashing Pope Francis for covering up pedophilia, bringing in the Pachamama, and various corruption, Mel Gibson largely relied on a Romanist apologetic and counsel. During the interview, he is asked by Rogan about the supposed person who died without hearing the gospel. Gibson articulated a belief that people who have never heard the gospel may still have the possibility of salvation if they sincerely seek God and try to do his will as they understand it, which is a Papist teaching. Despite being critical of Vatican II earlier in the interview, Gibson’s answer relied heavily on it and was his most glaring blemish in the interview.
Immediately after, Gibson dismisses the idea of Darwinian Evolution, believing humans to have a creator and a soul, separating us from animals. This was a simple rebuke of evolution as distinguished from an intellectual one. And this was an embodiment of Mel Gibson’s authenticity as a professed believer. Gibson is not theologically knowledgeable, but he is authentic.
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5 Responses
Mel Gibson was “glittering?” What does that even mean!?
But Mel is a practicing Catholic and not a Born Again Christian. We need to pray for his Salvation.
Mel Gibson is one of the great directors and actors of our day. His films are rough, but they have good moments and are very well done, and often have a hero who is a faithful Christian, and sometimes point people to Christ.
Should say “jittering”. Updated.
The “glittering” obviously refers to the studio lights, which were especially hot that day.