Is The Culture’s Renewed Interest In God A Good Thing?
When you read this article’s title, you probably thought, “That’s the dumbest question anyone has ever asked!” Most Christians’ initial response my query is understandably a resounding, “YES!” They claim the culture’s renewed interest in God can lead others to Christ and glorify God. Plus, the Church may be encouraged and work harder due to this renewed interest. Oh, how I wish I could easily believe these things! I admit all of it is possible, but then I look around and I’m left with questions, concerns, and a bit of the ick.
Looking For The Net Positive
Generally, I’m a black and white thinker, but black and white thinking can admittedly be a little cold. This view is based on logic, facts, and crunching the numbers. There is little room for sentiment. Sure, I may feel things about the subject, but I try to ground myself in logic.
When looking at the culture’s renewed interest in God, I push aside the excitement I feel when I see God, Jesus, and the Bible being portrayed positively in podcasts, politics, movies, television, and articles. As I’ve said many times before, saying the correct words doesn’t guarantee a biblical understanding. A lot of folks are going to be genuinely surprised that they aren’t welcomed into Heaven (Matthew 7: 21-23) because looking Christian doesn’t necessarily mean you are one. This resurgence of Christian interest may not be what it seems.
We have to ask ourselves if this renewed interest in Christianity is a net positive. In other words, does the good outweigh the bad?
The Culture’s Renewed Interest In God Is Too Catholic
I’m not going to spend time here discussing the Roman Catholic Church. That’s a whole conversation of its own, and there will be plenty of opportunities to dive into the Catholic Church (again) in the future. If you want to look back at what I’ve had to say in the past about Catholicism, you can find a previous post HERE and another one over HERE.
Suffice it to say, Catholicism is an unbiblical works-based religion that operates under the guise of being true Christianity. Wow, that sentence is not going to go over well for me… Too bad. I said what I said. The Bible clearly states that we can’t do anything to help save ourselves. It is through Christ alone that we can be born again. Simple, right?
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
Ephesians 2:8-9
“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
Titus 3:5-7
If the culture’s renewed interest in God is a legitimate interest in the God of the Bible, believers want to see this interest lead to salvation by grace through faith rather a reliance on works and a religious treadmill. However, public figures are quickly turning to the Catholic Church and legitimizing Catholicism with their platform.
Some Big Names In Catholicism
Candace Owens
The Daily Wire added Candace Owens to their lineup of hosts in 2021, and she shot to stardom before being fired in March 2024. Audiences loved her because she was loud, brash, unapologetic in every sense of the word, and open about her spiritual uncertainty. In April of 2024, however, Owens announced she had become a Catholic. Her husband, George Farmer, is also Catholic and played a large role in her conversion. After having heard him speak about Catholicism on her podcast, I would say that he is obviously very intelligent. Nonetheless, he approached his faith like an intellectual exercise rather than a spiritual one. Yes, believers need to use their brains, but we need more than head knowledge to be born again.
Farmer’s studious approach seems to have rubbed off on his wife. In a speech she gave about her conversion, Owens spoke as if becoming a Christian was a homework assignment. “I am seeing the big picture. To become a student of history is to become Catholic.”
JD Vance
Vice President JD Vance was converted to Catholicism in 2019. According to the New York Times, Vance was maturing and concerned about being the best husband and father he could be. As many do, he turned to religion in hopes of finding a way to improve himself. Catholicism agreed with his political views, sense of morality, and he liked the stability of the traditional masses. And just like that, one of the most visible men in the world is a champion for the Catholic Church.
Matt Walsh And Michael Knowles
Walsh and Knowles are two of the headliners at The Daily Wire. Both men are Catholic, and they fully include their faith in their political, cultural, and moral commentaries. I’m not going to fault them for that because they don’t hide their worldview, and they have every right to worship as they please as openly as they choose.
On the other hand, these are two intelligent men who have large audiences that equate conservative with Christian. Anything these men say to conservatives comes across as legitimate Christianity rather than the biblically incongruent Catholicism.
Damage Control
Big names and personalities on social media and on the world stage have a great deal of influence on those who admire them. How many people look at the few individuals I mentioned as role models? How many people trust what they say without doing research on their own? If we want others to understand the difference between Christianity and Catholicism, we need to add voices to the conversation that can and will speak against the false Christianity popular media personalities and politicians are claiming is true. We need to pull people away from this false religion. We need to do damage control.
The Culture’s Renewed Interest In God Is Muddled By Trump
I’m not here to discuss Trump’s politics, orange complexion, perplexing hair, or perfect comedic timing. I don’t care who you voted for, and we don’t need to dissect the state of a nation that would vote for a reality television star to be president. Instead, we need to think about the ramifications of President Trump cozying up with Christianity.
Ever since President Trump hit the Republican scene, he has rubbed elbows with Christianity. At the very least, it was good for his image and increased his chances at election. The best-case scenario is that he had a genuine interest in Christ. I can’t speak to that with any authority, of course, but I feel confident that, when it comes to Christianity, he has no clue.
Trump has made several missteps over the years regarding his alleged Christianity. For instance, when speaking at Liberty University, he quoted from the Bible but mispronounced the book of the Bible from which he read. He referenced 2 Corinthians as “Two Corinthians.” Anyone who has been a Christian or even just a church attender for a short time can tell you it’s pronounced “Second Corinthians.”
Another startlingly cringey moment with Trump occurred during an interview with Bloomberg Politics. Interviewers asked him if he could share a couple of his favorite Bible verses, but President Trump refused because the Bible is “personal” to him. He claimed it was his favorite book yet could say nothing specific about it. I think I’ve had similar conversations in school when I didn’t read the assignment, but my teacher asked me to talk about it.
Donald Trump’s Spiritual Advisor: Paula White
The biggest red flag about Trump’s alleged Christianity is who he appointed to be his lead spiritual advisor at the White House. He chose Paula White. Paula White!
She considers herself a pastor (which is a role reserved only for some men) and is a well-known televangelist. White is also a bestselling author and motivational speaker. Her eighteen-year marriage to Randy White ended in divorce in 2007. White went on to marry Jonathan Cain, a member of the rock band, Journey, in 2015.
Her disqualification to be a pastor (i.e., being a woman and divorced) should make any believer uncomfortable because she is influencing the most powerful man in the world. This is especially concerning because President Trump is a Christian leader in many people’s eyes. But wait. There’s more…
Paula White preaches the prosperity gospel. If you’re not sure what that means, then imagine a slick television pastor promising God’s blessing and good things for you if you send some money to him. But instead of a him, the “pastor” is a blonde woman who makes up for her lack of sincerity with foundation, mascara, and hollow smile.
For those who might not be familiar with the prosperity gospel, it teaches that Christians who have true faith will receive spiritual, physical, and financial blessings. Those who teach the prosperity gospel say God wants His children to be wealthy and healthy. So, how can a believer prove her faith? She can help further the preacher’s ministry. Give, give, give!
The Holy Huckster In Action
Here is a video Paula White released around Easter 2025. She promised blessings from Exodus 23 to anyone who gave $1,000 or more to her ministry by Easter. I’ve quoted her below, as well.
“I believe that when you honor God on Passover, starting on April 12th at sundown through Good Friday on the 18th and concluding on Easter Sunday, you can receive these seven supernatural blessings for you and your house. According to Exodus 23, God will assign an angel to you, he’ll be an enemy to your enemies, he’ll give you Prosperity, he’ll take sickness away from you, he will give you long life, he’ll bring increase in inheritance, and he’ll give a special year of blessing.”
Paula White, 2025
Paula White’s name is mixed in the cultural conversation swirling around God and faith, and that shouldn’t be an encouragement to us. A false teacher doesn’t point to Jesus. Paula White only points to herself. Her wallet to be precise. And this, folks, is President Trump’s spiritual advisor. Personally, I don’t want Trump or White saying anything about God because they’ll lead people astray.
The Culture’s Renewed Interest In God Is Misinformed By Popular Personalities
Part of our culture’s interest in Christianity has to do with popular media personalities. It’s a lot like high school. Whatever the popular kids are into, everyone else is, too. Right now, some well-known conservatives are open to the Bible and learning more about God. Their interest has given the Church, God, the Bible, etc. a platform that reaches millions of people who may have never given the Christian faith a second look. That sounds great…until you look closer.
Joe Rogan
Currently, The Joe Rogan Experience is the most listened to podcast on Spotify. In a world of diminishing attention spans, Rogan’s multi-hour episodes reign supreme. One of the reasons he captivates audiences is his willingness to have a conversation. Rogan will talk to nearly anyone and about any subject. He appears to genuinely be interested in learning, challenging people’s thinking, and getting information out in the world. That approach to his podcast has opened the door for real believers to share Christ with Him. Amen to that!
Recently, news outlets began reporting that Rogan has begun regularly attending church. I know I come across as a cynic, but I do honestly hope the Holy Spirit is working in Rogan’s life right now. The concern, though, is that wherever Rogan lands on God, he’s going to influence people. The best-case scenario is that Rogan becomes a born-again Christian and adjusts his podcast to reflect that new identity. Another scenario could include him becoming a believer but continuing to be a foul-mouthed man who gives anyone a platform and legitimization to share godless and unbiblical beliefs. Of course, he could end up never getting saved but thinking he’s a Christian because he’s conservative and attends church. In the end, however, he may drop church altogether and not give God another moment of his time. The possibilities are endless.
Who do we want influencing the culture for Christ? We need to consider that question. A man fumbling for answers is not the best option. This is along the same lines as when new believers are given big platforms. That almost always crashes and burns because they are baby Christians, if even believers at all, and yet they are under the spotlight and expected to speak for all of Christendom. That makes absolutely no sense! They’re more likely to get it wrong and need to be taught rather than do the teaching.
Jordan Peterson
I wrote a whole post on Jordan Peterson and his audacity to teach the Bible as a deist, at best, and a confused intellectual and agnostic at worst. He has enough letters after his name that Peterson commands our respect. People assume he knows what he’s talking about no matter the topic. News flash: He. Has. No. Clue.
Case in point: A video recently made the rounds on YouTube in which Peterson debated twenty atheists on the existence of God. Many of his supporters say he is a Christian, but he’s not. The following video shows an interaction in which he won’t say he is or is not a believer. I’ve included the transcript of the exchange, as well. (Language Warning)
(the referenced clip: 48:49 – 51:20)
Peterson’s Denial
Atheist: You go to a Catholic church, don’t you? You’ve attended recently. You’re interested in Catholicism, aren’t you?
Peterson: Sure.
Atheist: Alright, are you familiar with their doctrines?
Peterson: Somewhat.
Atheist: Okay … how do they regard Mary?
Peterson: Why are you asking me that?
Atheist: Because you’re a Christian.
Peterson: You say that; I haven’t claimed that.
Atheist: What is this? Christians versus atheists?
Peterson: I don’t know.
Atheist: You don’t know where you are right now.
Peterson: Don’t be a smart a**, and I mean it, because I won’t talk to you if you’re a smart a**.
Atheist: Well, either you’re a Christian, or you’re not. Which one is it?
Peterson: I could be either of them, but I don’t have to tell YOU.
Atheist: You don’t have to tell me. I was under the impression – I was invited to talk to a Christian. Am I not talking to a Christian?
Peterson: No, you were invited to —
Atheist: I think everyone should look at the title of the YouTube channel. You’re probably in the wrong YouTube video.
Jordan: You’re really quite something, you are.
Atheist: Aren’t I? But you’re really quite nothing.
Can we settle this here and now? If someone has questions about spiritual things, Jordan Peterson is not a reputable source of information. Pray for the guy. Root for him to be saved. But don’t turn to him for a deeper understanding of the Word or who God is. In fact, don’t listen to Joe Rogan for insights into God, either. They may be interested in God, but they have nothing to offer but confusion and spiritual things interpreted by the flesh.
The Culture’s Renewed Interest In God Is About Being Entertained
Christian media has a long history of being terrible. The movies have been plagued by low quality cinematography, poorly written scripts, and embarrassingly bad acting. But then big budgets came along, and we’ve had some movies and shows come out that can stand among Hollywood films. Too bad they’re bastardizations of what we know to be true from the Bible.
Recent examples of well-made faith-based movies and shows include House of David (Prime Video), The King of Kings (Angel Studios), Mary (Netflix with Joel Osteen as executive producer), and The Chosen (Angel Studios). I won’t try to make the argument that these are poorly made or not entertaining. As a Christian, though, I find it difficult to find any entertainment value in movies that take significant liberties with God’s Word or get the story and message completely wrong.
“At least it makes people interested in reading the Bible.” Does it? Are the masses running to bookstores or downloading Bible apps to learn more after watching Mary? Or is it more likely that most people will watch that movie and think they’re seeing what Christians believe being played out on screen? (Hint: It’s the latter.)
This isn’t to say that Christian media is an inherently bad thing, but it makes me wonder how much damage incorrect information and messaging is causing. How can we share the hard truths of the Word when a whole generation of content streamers believe they know better because of a Netflix movie? You might be thinking no one could be that naïve… Have you met people? We’re easily duped, my friend, especially if we don’t have truth to combat the lies.
Angel Studios
*The Chosen left Angel Studios in May 2024 due to an alleged breach of contract.*
We should take a moment to address Angel Studios. The folks there have been churning out content like crazy, and the quality is top-notch. There’s a major issue with this studio, though. Yes, it’s an even bigger issue than The Chosen’s inaccurate portrayal of Jesus and Dallas Jenkins’s inability to discern Christianity from works-based religions. Mormonism.
Angel Studios was founded by the Harmon brothers and Benton Crane, all of whom belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Now, that’s fine. They can own a successful business. Their success is not my issue. A church that incorrectly identifies as Christian and teaches a false gospel while creating highly consumed faith-based media products is my problem. Do we really want a false religion teaching the world and believers about Jesus and the Christian life? Can we trust them to do an accurate job? No. And no.
I have one other thought about Angel Studios being owned by Mormons. I don’t want to help fund Mormonism or a business that will inevitably slip Mormon beliefs into its faith-based content. Christians shouldn’t financially assist false religions that propagate lies about God. (This is why I also don’t use any homeschool curriculum from The Good and the Beautiful.) I’ll take the low-budget biblically accurate content over the professionally superior Mormon competitor any day.
Final Thought
The culture’s renewed interest in God isn’t all bad. I imagine some people have come to know the Lord, in part, due to Catholic podcasters, the political Right, popular personalities, or faith-based media. But perhaps people were saved despite these bad witnesses and poor doctrinal teachings rather than because of them.
I wish I could jump on the bandwagon and rejoice every time “Christian” is splashed in front of a name or title, but I know better than that. We need to practice discernment when we listen to someone, read something, or sit back for a family movie night. Moreover, we need to recognize that most of this renewed interest in God is really an interest in a god of one’s own design.
Most importantly, we can’t let unsaved people with a platform navigate the culture’s new interest in God. Engage! Correct teachings when they’re wrong, don’t recommend resources to others just because they seem Christian, and live your life in a way that it screams, “Jesus saves.” May our Christian lives be the loudest voice in the marketplace of ideas.
What do you think? Does the good outweigh the bad, or does the culture’s renewed interest in God do too much damage?
Image courtesy of Hanna Morris via Unsplash.
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