Joe Rogan receives a pro-life masterclass

With an average of 11 million listeners per episode, Joe Rogan is currently the most popular podcaster in the world. On average, he drops three to four episodes per week. For context, his audience outpaces his closest media competitor—Tucker Carlson—by nearly 8 million listens per episode. He’s unrivaled. Any person with something to say would love the chance to say it on his podcast and to his audience.

Now, picture yourself sitting in Rogan’s studio, where you’ve watched or listened to some of the most influential people in the world talk for hours with him, and you’re in the guest seat directly across from him. The conversation suddenly turns to the subject of abortion. Does the thought make you panic?

This is precisely what happened on a recent episode of “The Joe Rogan Experience” when Seth Dillon, the CEO of The Babylon Bee, sat across from the pro-abortion Rogan. The conversation turned to abortion, and these two men, with clearly opposing views, began to spar. Rogan’s words and tone initially contained more emotional bite than Dillon’s. As the conversation progressed, however, it was apparent that Dillon’s responses were more cogent and reasoned than Rogan’s. Go to Twitter to see a viral clip of the exchange.

“You don’t have the right to tell my 14-year-old daughter she has to carry her rapist’s baby. You understand that?” Rogan began. The statement was pointed, and the added question charged it with intensity. The tone sounded like the countless thousands of conversations that transpire on this topic, most usually spiraling downhill from there.

But Dillon, still relaxed in his chair, responds, “I don’t think two wrongs make a right. I don’t think murder fixes a rape.” He never raised his voice or sounded defensive.

Rogan then pivoted to the gestational stage of the fetus as an argument for abortion. Dillon tried to answer as Rogan kept repeating the question but succinctly and calmly gave his position, “It is wrong to intentionally to kill an innocent human life. Abortion intentionally kills an innocent human life. Therefore, abortion is wrong.” The logical syllogism provided an air-tight clarity to his position. Rogan would need to disprove one of the premises of his argument to defeat it.

Dillon continued his answer, anticipating the line of argumentation Rogan’s questions were leading, “And I don’t think any of the examples of ‘how developed is it,’ ‘can it think,’ ‘is it conscious,’ ‘can it dream,’ ‘can it feel pain’…” Rogan cut him off, “So for you it’s the moment of conception?”

“If it’s a human life, a distinct human life, I think it’s wrong to end its life,” Dillon answered.

Rogan kept inquiring, “Do you think once the conception happens, there’s some sort of miraculous event?”

Dillon responded, “Well, I mean, at some point, you’re going to have to say there was a magic moment that happens because you believe we eventually become valuable humans, right? Where’s the moment where you think the magic happens?” Dillon flips the question back on Rogan, forcing him to account for his belief in human value. This is a classic example of making one’s sparring partner confess their underlying assumptions. Dillon knows Rogan values human life, so he must think something magical happens at some point to bestow that value. Dillon pressed Rogan to state when that threshold is and why that threshold would not also apply to the unborn. This unwillingness to cower under Rogan’s initial aggressiveness or towering platform, while calmly delivering cogent arguments makes Dillon’s position appealing to listeners.

The first questions from Rogan started aggressively, but unlike most abortion conversations between two people with differing views, the conversation de-escalated as it progressed. Eventually, Dillon made the point that it is blatant misinformation to call abortion “healthcare” when it is the literal killing of human life and equivalent to calling rape “love-making.” The illustration landed with force. Rogan’s entire posture changed by the end of the exchange, and he said, “This is why it is such a human issue because I see what you’re saying.”

“I see what you’re saying.” This is a stunning statement when compared to Rogan’s opening remarks. It is unlikely that Rogan left the conversation identifying as a pro-life supporter, but Dillon’s responses landed. Rogan has something to think about the next time he considers trotting out the typical pro-abortion arguments. Dillon models a needed Christian approach.

These exchanges aren’t going away in a post-Roe world. Seth Dillon offered a helpful example for Christians to admire—giving calm, reasoned answers that show the superiority of the pro-life worldview. The next time you find yourself in the hot seat across from an ideological opponent about abortion, remember this exchange. Imitate the tactics Dillon employed to present the Christian position on abortion in a Christian way—and do so with clarity, courage, and calmness.