Joe Rogan has never shied away from questioning intriguing topics on the JRE (Joe Rogan Experience) podcast, including exploring spirituality and religion. In the past, the podcast host has confessed that growing up in a household devoid of religious influence, the counter-culture movement of the 1970s largely shaped his perspective. “My stepdad had long hair. We lived around all these just like counterculture people… So there was no religion”, Rogan had admitted on the JRE MMA Show episode no. 147.

For years, the JRE host’s worldview reflected this upbringing—grounded in logic, science, and a dash of irreverence. But life has a way of nudging even the most steadfast doubters. For Rogan, the demise of his grandfather became that nudge. In a conversation with Sebastian Junger on the JRE episode no.2172, the UFC color commentator shared a deeply personal account of how, “…at that moment of seeing my grandfather in his casket, I started considering a soul. I started thinking like oh, this isn’t bulls**t…””

These questions began to creep into his famously skeptical mind, pushing him toward deeper explorations of spirituality. This shift seemingly set the stage for a fascinating conversation from the JRE episode no. 2008 with Stephen C. Meyer, which was recently shared on X. The topic? The age-old question of why bad things happen in a world created by an all-powerful God. And Joe Rogan, in his signature style, didn’t hold back.

He fired off a flurry of questions by stating, “Why did God create war? Why does God create murder? Why does God create all the horrific things we see in the news? School shootings? Why would God create a mind that acts in that way?”

Meyer’s response was measured and thought-provoking. The philosopher of science and director of the Center for Science and Culture at the Discovery Institute answered, “Well, I think the traditional theistic answer to that is the free will defense. It’s not that God created those things.”

God, Meyer argued, didn’t create those atrocities. Instead, “He created free agents, knowing that it was better to create free agents who had the ability to choose and therefore to choose, to love him or not or love each other or not, than it was to create puppets.”

But that freedom, he added, comes with risk. How?

He further shared, “But with that decision to create free moral agents, there was also the risk that people would use that freedom to exploit others.” Meyer’s explanation painted a vivid picture of the balance between divine intent and human responsibility. It wasn’t a clean-cut answer—how could it be? The question of ‘free will’ and what we choose to do with it has been a cornerstone of religious and philosophical debates for a very long time.

The JRE host, no stranger to skepticism, has grilled theologians about the mysteries of free will and divine justice. Yet, his fascination with faith doesn’t end in philosophy. It finds tangible form in fighters like Belal Muhammad, whose actions inside and outside the Octagon embody the principles they hold dear!

Joe Rogan reveals his admiration for Belal Muhammad’s faith and discipline 

For Joe Rogan, Belal Muhammad isn’t just a champion of MMA—he’s a champion of his beliefs. Faith is often a philosophical puzzle for the JRE host, a topic he’s debated endlessly in his podcast. But when it comes to Muhammad, faith becomes something more. Why? During a conversation with singer/rapper Jelly Roll on the JRE episode no. 2212, Rogan highlighted how Muhammad’s faith and the discipline he has gained from it have led him to the pinnacle of the UFC.

Rogan pointed out, “He’s done camp in Ramadan. You know, you can’t eat or drink anything during the daylight hours of Ramadan. So, he would have to get up in the morning while it’s dark out, have a morning breakfast, go to training, and not eat anything, and no water.”

Even off the mat, Muhammad exemplifies his faith as the UFC color commentator further highlighted, “He’s a great guy, he really is, and the fact that he’s that devout a Muslim that, you know, prays five times a day. Like, he doesn’t f*** around. He’s really by the books. He doesn’t even swear.”

It’s rare to see such congruence between a person’s words and actions, and Muhammad’s example isn’t lost on Rogan. His exploration of spirituality, from questioning divine justice to debating free will, reveals a man perpetually seeking answers. While he challenged traditional theistic views with pointed questions, his admiration for individuals like Belal Muhammad offered a counterbalance. Muhammad’s life, steeped in faith and discipline, serves as a living testament to the power of belief and ‘free will’.

So, what do you think? Does free will justify the darkness in the world? Or does it merely complicate the picture? Let us know in the comments below!