Joe Rogan’s views on faith and science have shifted sharply in recent years. Once dismissive of organized religion as “mental confinement,” he now argues that society needs the stabilizing morality that religious traditions, particularly Christianity, provide. Influenced by UFO-related discussions and growing distrust of institutions, Rogan has become more skeptical of scientific explanations he sees as incomplete. On a recent podcast, he said “Jesus makes more sense” than the Big Bang, questioning why people reject religious miracles while accepting a universe emerging from a point “smaller than the head of a pen.” Yet televangelists are still a bridge too far.
During a conversation with comedian Tom Segura, Joe Rogan shared his unfiltered thoughts on televangelists and religious scammers who exploit their followers for financial gain.
The discussion began when Rogan explained his theory about why certain scams are allowed to exist in society.
“Televangelists. We allow that scam. Because if you’re so dumb that you think Robert Tilton has a red line, direct line to Jesus.”
“You know, you write a check to me. The devil’s going to win.”
Rogan referenced one particularly infamous televangelist. Segura added:
“He bought like a G4.”
When discussing Kenneth Copeland, who defended his use of private aircraft in a viral video exchange, Rogan didn’t hold back on his assessment of these religious figures who live in luxury while soliciting donations from their congregations.
The conversation touched on several controversial figures in the world of televangelism, including Jesse Duplantis, who asked his congregation for $65 million to buy a jet, and another pastor who locked church doors and demanded $40,000 from his congregation before letting them leave.
When the topic shifted to Joel Osteen and his response during Hurricane Katrina in Houston, Rogan noted the televangelist’s reluctance to open his massive arena to homeless people who had lost their homes in the flooding.
“He wouldn’t let the homeless go anywhere.”
“Like we need places to put people. Not in here.”
Joel Osteen is actually a competitor to Rogan, having breached top 20 US podcasts from time to time. Currently Youguv lists his podcast as 92nd most influential with 23,000 reviews on apple podcasts.
Throughout the discussion, Rogan maintained that while these televangelists operate what he considers obvious scams, they remain legal because people voluntarily give them money. However, he made his position clear on what should happen to these religious con artists.
Segura added:
“They should be in prison. They’re sc*mbags.”