The number of Christians in America is declining - and no one is recognizing the obvious reason

May 13, 2015

WRITER

Want to hear a scary number? New research shows that there's been an 8% drop in people identifying as Christian over the past seven years. Meanwhile, the percentage of people who are atheist or agnostic has been rising. What is happening to people of faith in America? Glenn looked at the issue and found some disheartening answers - but there are solutions as well.

Below is a transcript of this segment:

According to a new Pew Research Center poll, the number of Christians in America has sharply declined in the last eight years from 78.4% in 2007 to 70.6% today. That’s an 8% drop in seven years—remarkable, right?

The survey is of 35,000 Americans, and it showed that the driving force behind the drop was due to millennials. During that same seven-year period, those who describe themselves as atheist, agnostic, or nothing in particular, went from 16.1% to 22.8%. This is an alarming thing for a nation that was built on the concept of God. And the easy explanation is to blame the world, you know, look at the world. I mean, you’re growing up as a millennial, how are you going to possibly say that you’re religious?

It’s no surprise people are saying, “Christian, I’m not Christian.” Why would you call yourself Christian? Those numbers continue to dwindle for good reason. You define yourself as a Christian, and you’re going to be defined by society as narrow-minded, hateful, judgmental. Believing marriage between a man and woman used to be ammunition or still is used as ammunition to say you hate gays. Saying prayer in school is akin to forcing nonbelievers to conform against their will. Teaching intelligent design is literally likened to child abuse now, mocked as anti-science.

Virginity is mocked. Being pro-life is being spun as a war on women, so growing up today as a millennial, that is damn near impossible. Who would intentionally put themselves in a crowd that society has deemed anti-gay, anti-women, anti-science? I mean, sign me up. It’s a harder sell to young people in a culture that bombards them with anti-Christian messaging, but I honestly don’t think that’s the problem. I think that’s part of the problem, but I don’t think that’s the real problem.

The bigger problem is the elephant in the room that I think most Christians don’t want to acknowledge. The biggest problem with the Christian church are all of the Christians. Like it or not, people on the outside are watching, and I know, I can guarantee you that there are people in my church that have a problem because of me. They don’t like me. I know I go to my church, and I don’t like some people in my church.

It seems to me that we’re a little hypocritical. I know I go to other churches, and they don’t like me because of my religion or whatever. We’re, I don’t know—let me put it this way, we’re all waiting for an excuse to not go to church. I mean, I don’t know about you, but on Sunday, anything, anything, please, oh, can we have a snowstorm where the roads are all blocked so we don’t have to go to church? And everything is an excuse not to go.

So, we have far too many excuses, and some of them are real. Our churches are rife with hypocrites, know-it-alls, holier-than-thous, and the judgmental. You can put me in that box far too many times. The reason for this is, as every believer knows, we’re all human beings. We’re all flawed. We’re all liars and cheats and thieves to some extent. We’re at church, at least I am, because it’s a hospital. It’s a spiritual hospital, and we don’t recognize it as that.

We right now look at church and say well church, those are all the good people. No, they’re not. They’re all the people saying help, I need help. But we all put on these Facebook airs that we’re all perfect, it and we don’t recognize that we need someone to rescue us from our condition, that we need grace. The problem is we’re all fallen, and we’ve all fallen short of extending that grace to others.

We bicker amongst denominations, which drives me out of my mind. I’m not trying to change you and your religion, whatever, whatever. Don’t you see the times? The times that we’re living in right now are requiring us for all good men to stand together. We’re so quick to condemn one another, and we are so slow to listen. There are so many good things that happen in so many good churches. All around the country, people are doing amazing things.

I talk to pastors and priests and rabbis all over the country, and I have so much admiration for some of the stuff they’re doing. And then I talk to others, and I’m like what are you doing? Well, we’re all meeting together on Sunday or we’re all coming together on Saturday. For what? What’s the purpose?

This last Sunday, I taught in my gospel doctrine class that I teach, and we were talking about John, I think it’s chapter 9. It’s where he heals the blind man. The apostles come, and they see this blind man. The apostles say to Jesus, “So, who made him blind? Is it his sin or did his parents sin?” Jesus says, you know, no, it’s not that at all. Basically, if I may take it in today’s language, he’s like what? What are you talking about? Of course it’s not that.

Here’s an idea, why don’t you stop looking at the man as a puzzle or a riddle and start looking at him as a man who might need your help? Because the day is only going to last so long, and while the sun is up, what do you say we do some work here? That’s the problem. We are looking at everything, and so many churches will look at—let’s just say gays, and they’ll look at gays—well, is that a sin? Is that this? Is that this? What difference does it make? That’s between them. What do you say we just look at them as people and we just try to help, we just try to love? Can we do that?

That’s where millennials are. They’re not into my church versus your church. I’m not into my church versus your church. I love my church. I love my church. Okay, you go to another church. I have good friends—I tell Pastor Hagee all the time—I shouldn’t say this. No, I definitely don’t tell Pastor Hagee all the time. I’m like Pastor Hagee, come on, come into the waters of baptism, and we joke. You’re a Mormon, come on. He’s like no, I’m not. No, I’m not. We agree on so much. There’s some big doctrine that is out there that we don’t agree on. He’s not a Mormon. I am. I’m not going to join his church. He’s not going to join mine. We’re joking with each other because we look at the fruit of his tree.

Is John Hagee doing good stuff? Yes, he is. Are we doing good stuff? Yes, we are. What do you say we both get together and just do good stuff, we help each other, we hold each other’s arms up? What do you say we do that and look at the fruit of the tree for everybody instead of the name of the church? Who cares what team they’re on? You do your thing, they’ll do their thing, and let’s do good together.

Let’s look at the fruit of the tree. Are we going to help out the Westboro Baptist Church? No, the fruit is bad. The fruit is bad. That’s how you know them. We have to focus on what’s important. No one’s testimony ever begins with, “You know what, I became a Christian because I lost an argument.” It always begins with an act of mercy and kindness. Somebody offered me undeserved forgiveness. Somebody sacrificed personal gain for me or I helped someone or they helped me, and I changed.

It comes from humility. It comes from admitting when you’re wrong. What do you say we just stop with I’m right, I’m right, I’m right, I’m right, and just be doers, not the hearers? Let’s just do.

I have somebody right now my office, she’s working on a Christmas story with me. She’s amazing. She’s amazing. We’re writing this book called The Immortal. I don’t know what is going to be called when it comes out, this book, but right now the working title is The Immortal. It’s all about Christ and Christmas and Santa and St. Nick.

We’re talking, and she’s like I am going to run out of time for this because I’ve got to go back to Africa. She’s adopted two African children, one who has to have surgery every single week. Oh my gosh, she’s got, I think, five kids. One of them has to have surgery every week, and she’s going back to volunteer at an orphanage in Africa where they’re going all the time. That’s who we want to be. That’s who millennials want to be, not somebody who just puts on a tie and sits in a church and listens to somebody lecture them.

They also are not coming to the churches just because it’s a good band. They want to do something, and don’t you? Because I do. If we want people to actually not go to church, change their lives, it begins with us. When our testimony is how we live and church is who we are, we win. We change the world. But we have to recognize our own imperfections, bury our pride, die ourselves, begin to walk in gratitude. Get your head on a swivel and constantly be on the lookout for somebody you can help, even if it’s small. Build relationships instead of walls. Build them for the kingdom, not for ourselves. Remember, it’s not about us, it’s about Him. It’s about them.

Always question your own motives because we’re all prone to forget why we’re here, and we’re here to glorify the Creator, not the creation. The way we do it is not by winning arguments. That’s all that we do now is try to win arguments. How about being hands and feet, doing the work He’s called us to do? You won’t have time to argue. Just do it.

I’m working on some things right now, and I want your help. It comes from me doing the lesson, because when a teacher prepares a lesson, I think the teacher always gets more out of it than the students do. I was preparing this lesson, and every Sunday I do it, I think to myself I should be talking about this on the air. I’m afraid. I’m afraid because I know there’s a lot of people in our audience that don’t like all of that stuff and everything else.

I can’t do that anymore. I can’t do that anymore. Look, everybody told me not to talk about the progressive era. That was when I was trying to figure out what the problem was. Now, I know what the problem is. You know what the problem is. Now we’re trying to find the way to fix it, and I know probably 50% of this audience says God’s not the answer. It is the answer. Fifty percent of the audience says love and courage and hope is not the answer. It is the answer. That being peaceful is not the answer; it is the answer.

To my dying day, it is the answer, and the problem is none of us, we don’t even know. We don’t know these stories. I don’t care if you look at the Bible as something that comes directly from the mouth of God and it’s all verbatim or it’s just a great storybook. Man, it is the best storybook. It used to be what was taught in our classrooms. That was our textbook. Up until about 150 years ago, maybe 100 years ago, that was the main textbook. No wonder we changed when we went to another textbook.

And you read that book, and it has everything in it. So, in the coming months, I’m going to do the absolute insane, and I don’t know if we do it for two months or two weeks or however long, I don’t know, but I’m going to start teaching, because I’ve been taking Torah lessons, and I’m going to teach a little from the Torah and then we’ll teach a little from the New Testament from Acts on.

So, what are you supposed to do? Because man, I read that, and I think every lesson we need is right there. The answers are right there. But it’s going to be tough, and I think it’s going to be fun. I want to have an audience in here. I want to teach it with an audience because I want a conversation. But I want people from all different denominations and people who are open-minded and are looking for what does this mean today? What does it mean today? What are we supposed to get out of it today? Because there are lessons to learn.

On top of that, we’re going to start looking for the people who are actually doers and highlight them, people who are changing their life. Tonight, that’s what this is about. I want to tell you about first Sister Diana, real quick update. She’s that amazing nun in Iraq who was fighting to save Christians. She was denied a visa to the US. I tell you, she was on with me, what was it, last week or the week before. I could barely concentrate on what she was saying because I felt so guilty that she was sitting in a shipping container working to save lives, and all I was doing was sitting here on the set talking about it. Listen.

VIDEO

Glenn: We know that God won’t hold us blameless, but we feel ill-equipped. Every day, I come into this show, and I do this show. I mean, honestly, I’m watching you in a monitor, and I see the camera take the angle from our jib operator where I’m sitting in this nice chair in this air-conditioned studio, and I’m talking to you. I’m thinking to myself—honestly, part of your comments, I wasn’t even listening to you because I’m thinking to myself, “What the hell are you doing? You should be out helping,” but I don’t know how to help, and I think that most of our audience feels the same way. We know what’s going on, Sister. We just don’t know what to do.

I don’t know if you feel that way, but I’m tired of feeling that way. So, what did you do about it? I’m thrilled to tell you because you saw this, you heard about this, you got on the phone, and you are a big reason why Sister Diana’s visa was just approved. She’s going to be speaking on the Hill tomorrow to share what’s happening with the war on the religious minorities in Iraq. We will give you more about that on tomorrow’s [program]. Much of this is because of you calling Congress, taking action, pressuring them to allow her in.

This summer, I’m starting a tour, and we want to go to churches. I don’t know where and I don’t know how many yet, but I want you to do a couple of things. First, if you’re coming to Dallas anytime in the next six months, we tape mainly on Thursdays with a live audience, but that may change. We may open it up for a few days a week, but if you want tickets to the show, I want you to write to tickets@TheBlaze.com.

If you have any thoughts, I mean, we were talking today about doing a kind of Root special where we get the best minds and we actually make like a documentary series of maybe ten episodes of Revelation for today—Daniel, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Revelation. What are the things we should be paying attention to today? What’s there that we should know today?

That’s what this summer is about for us, connecting with one another and trying to put some things together so we can come out of the gate roaring in September. But most importantly, we want to encourage you and inspire action, and we’re going to be announcing some things the summer that we’re going to do this summer that I’m really excited about, because we have to start exercising our faith for good and exercising it together, because faith without works is dead. Let’s work together.

How California leadership is to blame for HORRIFIC wildfires

PATRICK T. FALLON / Contributor | Getty Images

California's progressive policies emphasize ideology over lifesaving solutions. The destruction will persist until voters hold their elected officials accountable.

America is no stranger to natural disasters. But it’s not the fires, floods, or earthquakes that are the most devastating — it’s the repeated failures to learn from them, prevent them, and take responsibility for the damage.

My heart goes out to the families who have lost homes, cherished memories, and livelihoods. But if we’re going to help California rebuild and prevent future disasters, we need to confront some uncomfortable truths about leadership, responsibility, and priorities.

California — ironically, in the name of environmentalism — continues to ignore solutions that would protect both the environment and its residents.

While Californians continue to face heart-wrenching losses, those who have the power to enact change are mired in bureaucracy, regulation, and ideologies that do nothing to protect lives or preserve the land. The result? A state that keeps burning, year after year.

Where did all the water go?

We all know that water is essential to life. When NASA searches for signs of life on other planets, it looks for water. Yet, California has spent decades neglecting its water infrastructure. The state hasn’t built a new major reservoir since 1979 — over 40 years ago. Back then, California’s population was roughly half what it is today. Despite massive population growth, the state’s water storage capacity has remained frozen in time, woefully inadequate for current needs.

Moreover, billions of gallons of rainwater flow straight into the ocean every year because no infrastructure exists to capture and store it. Imagine how different things could be if California had built reservoirs, aqueducts, and desalination plants to secure water for its dry seasons.

Water is life, but the state’s failure to prioritize this essential resource has put lives and ecosystems at risk.

Misplaced priorities and critical leadership failure

This neglect of critical infrastructure is part of a larger failure of vision, and in California, the consequences of that failure are on full display.

Consider the progressive leadership in Los Angeles, where the mayor cut the fire department’s budget to fund programs for the homeless, funneling money to NGOs with little oversight. While helping the homeless is a worthy cause, it cannot come at the expense of protecting lives and property from catastrophic fires. Leadership must put safety and well-being over political agendas, and that’s not happening in Los Angeles.

The same misplaced priorities extend to environmental policies. Progressive leaders have blocked sensible forest management practices, prioritizing dead trees over living creatures. They reject controlled burns, forest thinning, and other commonsense measures, bowing to the demands of activists rather than considering real solutions that would protect those they govern.

California’s wildfire crisis is, in many ways, a man-made disaster. Yes, factors like Southern California’s dry climate, strong Santa Ana winds, and little rain play a role, but the biggest contributing factor is poor land management.

The forests are choked with dry brush, dead trees, and vegetation that turn every spark into a potential inferno. The crisis could have been mitigated — if only the state had made forest management and fire prevention a higher priority.

Finland and Sweden, for example, understand the importance of maintaining healthy forests. These countries have perfected the art of clearing underbrush and thinning trees sustainably, turning potential fire fuel into biomass energy. This approach not only reduces the risk of wildfires, but it also creates jobs, boosts the economy, and improves the ecosystem. And yet, California — ironically, in the name of environmentalism — continues to ignore these solutions that would protect both the environment and its residents.

We need to stop pretending that something as devastating as the Palisades and Eaton fires are just “part of life” and hold leaders accountable.

Insurance rules put California residents at risk

California faces another major and often overlooked liability when it comes to natural disasters: insurance.

California’s ongoing disasters make the state an uninsurable risk. Insurance companies are pulling out because the odds of widespread devastation are just too high. This creates a vicious cycle: With private insurers gone, the government steps in to subsidize high-risk areas. This enables people to rebuild in fire-prone zones, perpetuating the destruction. The solution isn’t more government intervention; it’s better decision-making.

This doesn’t mean abandoning people to their fate, but we must address the root of the problem: California’s inadequate disaster preparedness and poor land management. If the state continues to resist commonsense solutions like forest thinning, controlled burns, and better zoning laws, no amount of insurance or government assistance will ever be enough to mitigate the losses. The cycle will repeat until the costs — financial and human — become unbearable. It’s time to stop pretending the risk isn’t real and start making decisions that reflect the reality of California’s landscape.

What’s the solution? California’s government needs to put its people over harmful political agendas that put its residents at risk. Start by managing your forests. Implement controlled burns, remove dead trees, and clear underbrush.

But how you vote matters. California’s progressive policies have focused on political correctness and ideology instead of practical, lifesaving solutions. Until voters hold leaders accountable, the cycle of destruction will persist.

Editor's Note: This article was originally published on TheBlaze.com.

Crazy enough to be true? The connection between the Cybertruck bomber and cryptic drones

WADE VANDERVORT / Contributor | Getty Images

Not knowing — and not being told — fuels distrust and speculation.

A chilling story has emerged: A whistleblower, claiming to possess knowledge of advanced military technologies and covert operations, took his own life in a shocking explosion outside the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas. He left behind a manifesto filled with claims so extraordinary they sound like science fiction. Yet if even a fraction of them prove true, the implications are staggering and demand immediate attention.

This whistleblower alleges that the United States and China developed “gravitic propulsion systems,” technologies that manipulate gravity itself to enable silent, undetectable flight at unimaginable speeds. According to his claims, these systems are not theoretical — they are operational, deployed both in the United States and China. If true, this would render conventional defense systems obsolete, fundamentally altering the global balance of power.

America’s founders warned us about unchecked government power. Today, their warnings feel more relevant than ever.

Imagine aircraft that defy radar, heat signatures, and missile defense systems. They carry massive payloads, conduct surveillance, and operate without a sound. If such technologies exist, they pose a national security threat unlike any we’ve faced.

But why haven’t we been told? If these claims are false, they must be debunked transparently. If true, the public has a right to know how such technologies are being used and safeguarded.

The whistleblower’s manifesto goes farther, claiming that with this technology, the United States and China developed and deployed the infamous drones that were seen across the United States starting late last year. He alleged that China launched them from submarines along the U.S. East Coast, calling them “the most dangerous threat to national security” because of their stealth, ability to evade detection, and unlimited payload capacity. He ties this advanced technology to other surveillance systems, creating a network so advanced it makes our current intelligence capabilities look primitive.

These claims may sound far-fetched, but they highlight a deeper issue: the cost of government secrecy. Not knowing — and not being told — fuels distrust and speculation. Without transparency, these incidents dangerously erode public confidence in our leaders and institutions.

The cost of secrecy

Beyond technology, the manifesto also alleges moral failures, including war crimes and deliberate cover-ups during U.S. airstrikes in Afghanistan. In one particularly harrowing claim, the whistleblower describes attacks in Afghanistan’s Nimroz Province in 2019. He alleges that 125 buildings were targeted, with 65 struck, resulting in hundreds of civilian deaths in a single day. Even after civilians were spotted, he claims, the strikes continued knowingly and deliberately.

The United Nations investigated similar incidents and confirmed civilian casualties during these operations. However, the whistleblower’s accusations go farther, implicating high-ranking officials, the Department of Defense, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Central Intelligence Agency, and even top military generals in a broader pattern of deceit, eroding the moral integrity of our military and government.

Whether these specific claims hold up, they underscore a larger issue: Secrecy breeds corruption. When people in power hide their actions and evade accountability, they break trust — and everyone pays the price, not just those at the top but also the citizens and soldiers they serve.

Transparency is an imperative

America’s founders warned us about unchecked government power. Today, their warnings feel more relevant than ever. From the COVID-19 pandemic to the Capitol riot on January 6 to the potential misuse of advanced technologies, the American people have been kept in the dark for too long.

Sunlight is the best disinfectant, and sunlight is coming. Transparency must become our rallying cry. As we look to the future, we must demand accountability — not just from those we oppose politically but from all leaders entrusted with power. This isn’t about partisanship; it’s about preserving our nation from self-destruction.

As we enter a new chapter in our nation’s history, the stakes couldn’t be higher. Whether it’s uncovering the truth about advanced technology, holding perpetrators of corruption accountable, or seeking justice for war crimes, we must act. This isn’t just a call to action — it’s a moral imperative.

Our strength lies in our unity and our resolve. The powerful fear an informed and vocal citizenry. Let’s prove them right. By demanding transparency and accountability, we can restore trust and ensure that the government serves the people — not the other way around.

Editor's Note: This article was originally published on TheBlaze.com.

Has Zuckerberg REALLY changed?

Mark Zuckerberg's recent announcement to lift content moderation policies across all of Meta's platforms and end the company's reliance on third-party fact-checkers, at first glance, is an incredible left turn given the platform's long-term participation in online censorship. However, does their shift signal a genuine change of heart, or are there more selfish motivations at play?

On the Glenn Beck Program, Glenn and Stu looked at both perspectives. On the one hand, Zuckerberg's announcement, adding UFC President and avid Trump supporter Dana White to Meta's board of directors indicates major progress in America's pushback against online censorship. However, Glenn also posited that Zuckerberg's intentions are chiefly to win the good graces of the incoming Trump administration in order to maintain Meta's controversial work in virtual and augmented reality technologies (VR/AR).

There is evidence for both perspectives, and we lay it all out for you below:

Did Zuck have a genuine change of heart?

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Zuckerberg’s bombshell announcement, at face value, suggests that Meta recognizes the greater demand for free speech on online platforms and growing discontent against content moderation that has censored non-mainstream political opinions, including Glenn and Blaze Media. Zuckerberg described this shift as an authentic attempt to return to the company’s roots of promoting free expression, acknowledging past mistakes in suppressing voices and content deemed politically controversial. Moreover, Meta's new adoption of community-driven content flags similar to X positions itself as a platform that values user input rather than the biased perspective of any single third-party "fact-checker."

Additionally, Zuckerberg’s evolving views on Donald Trump strengthen the argument that his "change of heart" is genuine. Before the 2024 election, Zuckerberg expressed admiration for Trump, even calling him a "badass" after the first assassination attempt, noting how the event changed his perspective on the then-presidential candidate. Moreover, his embrace of new board members, such as UFC President Dana White, a staunch Trump supporter, further suggests that Meta may be diversifying its leadership and welcoming a more inclusive approach to varied political opinions. In this context, Meta’s move away from fact-checking can be interpreted as a commitment to fostering an environment where free speech and diverse political perspectives are genuinely valued.

Or is it about self-preservation?

DREW ANGERER / Contributor | Getty Images

While it is tempting to view Meta’s policy change as a sincere commitment to free speech, there is also a compelling argument that the company’s motivations are rooted in self-preservation. Glenn suggested Meta’s financial interests, particularly in virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) technologies, indicate its pivot may be less about principle and more about ensuring continued government contracts and capital flow. Zuckerberg’s significant investments in VR/AR technology, which has already cost the company billions, may be driving his need to align Meta’s policies with the political climate to safeguard future funding from both the government and private sectors.

Moreover, the company’s financial projections for the coming years show a sharp increase in advertising revenue, driven primarily by Facebook’s dominance in social media. This revenue helps sustain Meta’s ambitions in the VR/AR space, where it faces significant losses. The government’s involvement in funding military and tech projects tied to VR/AR underscores the importance of maintaining favorable political relationships. For these reasons, many view Zuckerberg's policy change as an attempt to position Meta for maximum political and financial benefit.

POLL: Is GLOBAL WARMING responsible for the fires in L.A.?

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As wildfires sweep across California and threaten to swallow up entire neighborhoods in Los Angeles, one question is on everyone's mind: What went wrong?

So far over 45 square miles of the city have been scorched, while the intense smoke is choking out the rest of L.A. Thousands of structures, including many family homes, have been destroyed, and many more are at risk as firefighters battle the flames. Many on the left, including Senator Bernie Sanders, have been quick to point to climate change as the cause of the devastating fires, citing the chronic lack of rain in L.A.

Others, including Glenn, have pointed out another potential cause: the severe mismanagement of the forests and water supply of Los Angeles and California in general. Unlike many other states and most other forested countries, California does not clear out the dead trees and dry vegetation that builds up on the forest floor and acts as kindling, fueling the fire as it whips through the trees.

On top of this, California has neglected its water supply for decades despite its crucial role in combating fires. The state of California has not built a new major water reservoir to store and capture water since the 1970s, leading to repeat water shortages in Southern California. To top it off, Gavin Newsom personally derailed a 2020 Trump order to divert water from areas of the state with excess water to parched Southern California. Why? To save an already functionally extinct fish. Now firefighters in L.A. are running out of water as the city is engulfed in flames. At least the fish are okay...

But what do you think? Are the wildfires a product of years of mismanagement? Or a symptom of a changing climate? Let us know in the poll below:

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