Christianity, Glenn Mocked in the Public Square

February 22, 2016

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“Since when has a fast and prayer been crazy? It was standard practice to beseech the powers of heaven for not just your country but personal guidance and revelation at one time. Have we really become a nation that mocks those who pray and fast? The sad answer is yes.”

Those words were posted to Facebook by Glenn over the weekend, after his simple request to fast was mocked by news outlets and comments on his Facebook page.

What started this "controversy?" Following the South Carolina primary, Glenn posted this message:

I would like to ask you to join me and my family Monday in a fast for Ted Cruz, our country and the Nevada caucus.

I would like to ask you to join me and my family Monday in a fast for Ted Cruz, our country and the Nevada caucus. #scprimary#tedcruz#nevadacaucus
Posted by Glenn Beck on Saturday, February 20, 2016

While many commented favorably, many also responded with vitriol, including this:

Ok I have come to the conclusion that Glenn Beck needs to be put in the loony bin because he is asking people to join he and his family on Monday in a fast for Ted Cruz before the Nevada Caucus. Is this idiot for real??? Why don't he just accept the fact that Cruz lost and stop acting like a little cry baby and certifiably insane because he is making Christians look like whack jobs!!"

Which, in turn, prompted Glenn to post about the sad state of Christianity in America:

Reading posts today proves the point that the Church is dead asleep.

Reading posts today proves the point that the Church is dead asleep.Since when has a fast and prayer been crazy?It...
Posted by Glenn Beck on Sunday, February 21, 2016

Could that be true? Is the Church asleep? Is the concept of fasting --- a common tenent of Christianity and Judaism --- so foreign the American public doesn't realize its place in history?

"Have you ever read the Old Testament?" Glenn asked Monday on The Glenn Beck Program. "Because that's why they were fasting and praying all the time. They were praying for the kings. They were praying for everybody. They were fasting and praying. I talked to a Jewish rabbi last night, and he's like, 'I can't believe the heat you're getting on this fasting. Jewish communities have been doing it for 5,000 thousand years.' I said, 'I know, I know.' So has the Christian community."

Apparently, many seem to have forgotten the purpose of fasting, which appears throughout scripture.

By its very nature, fasting seems to suggest that something is wrong. Eating is a normal part of human existence, so abstaining from eating implies a disruption in the very rhythm of life. The Old Testament uses fasting and abstinence from food to point to something even more necessary for life—communion with and dependence on God. Fasting behaviors were sometimes commanded, sometimes voluntary, and sometimes even ritualized, but the Hebrew Bible rather consistently portrays fasting in conjunction with themes of disruption and restoration. In the midst of disruption, fasting comes to symbolize hope. Through repentance and prayer, fasting can signify the centering of the self in humility, the renewal of the relationship to God’s sustaining force.

Not only is fasting a thousands-year-old tradition in our Judeo-Christian heritage, it also has a long documented history in American politics. Since the founding of the nation, American presidents have called upon citizens to pray and fast.

In 1863, Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation called Appointing a Day of National Humiliation, Fasting, and Prayer:

Now, therefore, in compliance with the request, and fully concurring in the views of the Senate, I do by this my proclamation designate and set apart Thursday, the 30th day of April, 1863, as a day of national humiliation, fasting, and prayer. And I do hereby request all the people to abstain on that day from their ordinary secular pursuits, and to unite at their several places of public worship and their respective homes in keeping the day holy to the Lord and devoted to the humble discharge of the religious duties proper to that solemn occasion.

Lincoln called for days of "national humiliation, prayer and fasting" on two other occasions in 1861 and 1864. John Adams and James Madison called for the same during their presidencies. Upon Abraham Lincoln's death, President Andrew Jackson proclaimed a Day of Fasting, Humiliation and Mourning. And in 1985, President Ronald Reagan called for a National Day of Fasting To Raise Funds To Combat Hunger.

The notion that fasting is without precedent in American politics is a fallacy and one that disregards history. Couching fasting as outside "the norm" of human behavior is to deny the basic tenents of practicing Christians and Jews (and peoples of other faiths).

What should be considered unprecedented and abnormal is the decay of American society and her people turning away from God.

Below is a rush transcript of this segment, it might contain errors:

GLENN: So glad you're with us. Thanks so much for listening. By the way, I don't know why this was news. But on Saturday, I posted on my Facebook page that I'm fasting and praying.

PAT: Oh, my gosh. That wasn't just news, Glenn. That was the number one story of the weekend for Drudge. That was incredible. It was --

GLENN: Yeah.

PAT: Isn't it interesting, I just found it a little fascinating that ever since you spoke in South Carolina about a story that involved a news outlet, ever since then, every story on these websites has been focusing on anything spiritual that you say.

GLENN: Yeah.

PAT: Maybe it's just me, but it just seems --

GLENN: Maybe it is you. Thank you.

STU: To be fair quickly, for example, it is sort of newsworthy that you would go a day without food.

GLENN: Yes. Yes, it is. Yes, it is. You're right.

PAT: If that was the headline, I would understand it. Glenn Beck does not eat for a full day.

GLENN: Right. So, anyway, I'm only bringing this up because if you didn't hear about it, I've asked the nation to fast and pray and gauge what Abraham Lincoln said, in a day of humiliation, which means to humble ourselves, and to ask that our will be put in line with his. I'm not asking anybody to say -- God doesn't make winners because we don't eat. It allows to us hear his voice clearer and align our will with his. But I just asked for that on Saturday. And I'm also fasting that Ted Cruz and his will aligns with the Maker's, and that we understand where he's wanting us to go.

These are tough times for America. And if we don't look at this as a spiritual quest, you know, we're no different than those people who voted in the Democratic Party to deny God three times. I mean, I was amazed at, again, my Facebook page, with the people saying, "God doesn't get involved in politics." Have you ever read the Old Testament?

Have you ever read the Old Testament? Because that's why they were fasting and praying all the time. They were praying for the kings. They were praying for everybody. They were fasting and praying. I talked to a Jewish rabbi last night, and he's like, "I can't believe the heat you're getting on this fasting. Jewish communities have been doing it for 5,000 thousand years." I said, "I know. I know." So has the Christian community.

But if we've turned into Christians that deny the power of about to do and the power of fast and prayer in this nation, then we have become Europe. And the fundamental transformation is over. So I'm not asking you to do that. You can do that for your candidate. It doesn't matter. I'm asking that we align our wills with the Maker's will, and that his will be done. And, you know, you don't have to not eat lunch all day. Skip lunch today. Skip dinner today. Join me in a day of fasting and prayer for our nation today. Back in a minute.

Featured Image: The Glenn Beck Program

'Rage against the dying of the light': Charlie Kirk lived that mandate

PHILL MAGAKOE / Contributor | Getty Images

Kirk’s tragic death challenges us to rise above fear and anger, to rebuild bridges where others build walls, and to fight for the America he believed in.

I’ve only felt this weight once before. It was 2001, just as my radio show was about to begin. The World Trade Center fell, and I was called to speak immediately. I spent the day and night by my bedside, praying for words that could meet the moment.

Yesterday, I found myself in the same position. September 11, 2025. The assassination of Charlie Kirk. A friend. A warrior for truth.

Out of this tragedy, the tyrant dies, but the martyr’s influence begins.

Moments like this make words feel inadequate. Yet sometimes, words from another time speak directly to our own. In 1947, Dylan Thomas, watching his father slip toward death, penned lines that now resonate far beyond his own grief:

Do not go gentle into that good night. / Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Thomas was pleading for his father to resist the impending darkness of death. But those words have become a mandate for all of us: Do not surrender. Do not bow to shadows. Even when the battle feels unwinnable.

Charlie Kirk lived that mandate. He knew the cost of speaking unpopular truths. He knew the fury of those who sought to silence him. And yet he pressed on. In his life, he embodied a defiance rooted not in anger, but in principle.

Picking up his torch

Washington, Jefferson, Adams — our history was started by men who raged against an empire, knowing the gallows might await. Lincoln raged against slavery. Martin Luther King Jr. raged against segregation. Every generation faces a call to resist surrender.

It is our turn. Charlie’s violent death feels like a knockout punch. Yet if his life meant anything, it means this: Silence in the face of darkness is not an option.

He did not go gently. He spoke. He challenged. He stood. And now, the mantle falls to us. To me. To you. To every American.

We cannot drift into the shadows. We cannot sit quietly while freedom fades. This is our moment to rage — not with hatred, not with vengeance, but with courage. Rage against lies, against apathy, against the despair that tells us to do nothing. Because there is always something you can do.

Even small acts — defiance, faith, kindness — are light in the darkness. Reaching out to those who mourn. Speaking truth in a world drowning in deceit. These are the flames that hold back the night. Charlie carried that torch. He laid it down yesterday. It is ours to pick up.

The light may dim, but it always does before dawn. Commit today: I will not sleep as freedom fades. I will not retreat as darkness encroaches. I will not be silent as evil forces claim dominion. I have no king but Christ. And I know whom I serve, as did Charlie.

Two turning points, decades apart

On Wednesday, the world changed again. Two tragedies, separated by decades, bound by the same question: Who are we? Is this worth saving? What kind of people will we choose to be?

Imagine a world where more of us choose to be peacemakers. Not passive, not silent, but builders of bridges where others erect walls. Respect and listening transform even the bitterest of foes. Charlie Kirk embodied this principle.

He did not strike the weak; he challenged the powerful. He reached across divides of politics, culture, and faith. He changed hearts. He sparked healing. And healing is what our nation needs.

At the center of all this is one truth: Every person is a child of God, deserving of dignity. Change will not happen in Washington or on social media. It begins at home, where loneliness and isolation threaten our souls. Family is the antidote. Imperfect, yes — but still the strongest source of stability and meaning.

Mark Wilson / Staff | Getty Images

Forgiveness, fidelity, faithfulness, and honor are not dusty words. They are the foundation of civilization. Strong families produce strong citizens. And today, Charlie’s family mourns. They must become our family too. We must stand as guardians of his legacy, shining examples of the courage he lived by.

A time for courage

I knew Charlie. I know how he would want us to respond: Multiply his courage. Out of this tragedy, the tyrant dies, but the martyr’s influence begins. Out of darkness, great and glorious things will sprout — but we must be worthy of them.

Charlie Kirk lived defiantly. He stood in truth. He changed the world. And now, his torch is in our hands. Rage, not in violence, but in unwavering pursuit of truth and goodness. Rage against the dying of the light.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

Glenn Beck resurrects the 9-12 Project to support Charlie Kirk's family

Glenn Beck is once again calling on his loyal listeners and viewers to come together and channel the same unity and purpose that defined the historic 9-12 Project. That movement, born in the wake of national challenges, brought millions together to revive core values of faith, hope, and charity.

Glenn created the original 9-12 Project in early 2009 to bring Americans back to where they were in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. In those moments, we weren't Democrats and Republicans, conservative or liberal, Red States or Blue States, we were united as one, as America. The original 9-12 Project aimed to root America back in the founding principles of this country that united us during those darkest of days.

This new initiative draws directly from that legacy, focusing on supporting the family of Charlie Kirk in these dark days following his tragic murder.

The revival of the 9-12 Project aims to secure the long-term well-being of Charlie Kirk's wife and children. All donations will go straight to meeting their immediate and future needs. If the family deems the funds surplus to their requirements, Charlie's wife has the option to redirect them toward the vital work of Turning Point USA.

This campaign is more than just financial support—it's a profound gesture of appreciation for Kirk's tireless dedication to the cause of liberty. It embodies the unbreakable bond of our community, proving that when we stand united, we can make a real difference.
Glenn Beck invites you to join this effort. Show your solidarity by donating today and honoring Charlie Kirk and his family in this meaningful way.

You can learn more about the 9-12 Project and donate HERE

The dangerous lie: Rights as government privileges, not God-given

Bloomberg / Contributor | Getty Images

When politicians claim that rights flow from the state, they pave the way for tyranny.

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) recently delivered a lecture that should alarm every American. During a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, he argued that believing rights come from a Creator rather than government is the same belief held by Iran’s theocratic regime.

Kaine claimed that the principles underpinning Iran’s dictatorship — the same regime that persecutes Sunnis, Jews, Christians, and other minorities — are also the principles enshrined in our Declaration of Independence.

In America, rights belong to the individual. In Iran, rights serve the state.

That claim exposes either a profound misunderstanding or a reckless indifference to America’s founding. Rights do not come from government. They never did. They come from the Creator, as the Declaration of Independence proclaims without qualification. Jefferson didn’t hedge. Rights are unalienable — built into every human being.

This foundation stands worlds apart from Iran. Its leaders invoke God but grant rights only through clerical interpretation. Freedom of speech, property, religion, and even life itself depend on obedience to the ruling clerics. Step outside their dictates, and those so-called rights vanish.

This is not a trivial difference. It is the essence of liberty versus tyranny. In America, rights belong to the individual. The government’s role is to secure them, not define them. In Iran, rights serve the state. They empower rulers, not the people.

From Muhammad to Marx

The same confusion applies to Marxist regimes. The Soviet Union’s constitutions promised citizens rights — work, health care, education, freedom of speech — but always with fine print. If you spoke out against the party, those rights evaporated. If you practiced religion openly, you were charged with treason. Property and voting were allowed as long as they were filtered and controlled by the state — and could be revoked at any moment. Rights were conditional, granted through obedience.

Kaine seems to be advocating a similar approach — whether consciously or not. By claiming that natural rights are somehow comparable to sharia law, he ignores the critical distinction between inherent rights and conditional privileges. He dismisses the very principle that made America a beacon of freedom.

Jefferson and the founders understood this clearly. “We are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights,” they wrote. No government, no cleric, no king can revoke them. They exist by virtue of humanity itself. The government exists to protect them, not ration them.

This is not a theological quibble. It is the entire basis of our government. Confuse the source of rights, and tyranny hides behind piety or ideology. The people are disempowered. Clerics, bureaucrats, or politicians become arbiters of what rights citizens may enjoy.

John Greim / Contributor | Getty Images

Gifts from God, not the state

Kaine’s statement reflects either a profound ignorance of this principle or an ideological bias that favors state power over individual liberty. Either way, Americans must recognize the danger. Understanding the origin of rights is not academic — it is the difference between freedom and submission, between the American experiment and theocratic or totalitarian rule.

Rights are not gifts from the state. They are gifts from God, secured by reason, protected by law, and defended by the people. Every American must understand this. Because when rights come from government instead of the Creator, freedom disappears.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

POLL: Is Gen Z’s anger over housing driving them toward socialism?

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A recent poll conducted by Justin Haskins, a long-time friend of the show, has uncovered alarming trends among young Americans aged 18-39, revealing a generation grappling with deep frustrations over economic hardships, housing affordability, and a perceived rigged system that favors the wealthy, corporations, and older generations. While nearly half of these likely voters approve of President Trump, seeing him as an anti-establishment figure, over 70% support nationalizing major industries, such as healthcare, energy, and big tech, to promote "equity." Shockingly, 53% want a democratic socialist to win the 2028 presidential election, including a third of Trump voters and conservatives in this age group. Many cite skyrocketing housing costs, unfair taxation on the middle class, and a sense of being "stuck" or in crisis as driving forces, with 62% believing the economy is tilted against them and 55% backing laws to confiscate "excess wealth" like second homes or luxury items to help first-time buyers.

This blend of Trump support and socialist leanings suggests a volatile mix: admiration for disruptors who challenge the status quo, coupled with a desire for radical redistribution to address personal struggles. Yet, it raises profound questions about the roots of this discontent—Is it a failure of education on history's lessons about socialism's failures? Media indoctrination? Or genuine systemic barriers? And what does it portend for the nation’s trajectory—greater division, a shift toward authoritarian policies, or an opportunity for renewal through timeless values like hard work and individual responsibility?

Glenn wants to know what YOU think: Where do Gen Z's socialist sympathies come from? What does it mean for the future of America? Make your voice heard in the poll below:

Do you believe the Gen Z support for socialism comes from perceived economic frustrations like unaffordable housing and a rigged system favoring the wealthy and corporations?

Do you believe the Gen Z support for socialism, including many Trump supporters, is due to a lack of education about the historical failures of socialist systems?

Do you think that these poll results indicate a growing generational divide that could lead to more political instability and authoritarian tendencies in America's future?

Do you think that this poll implies that America's long-term stability relies on older generations teaching Gen Z and younger to prioritize self-reliance, free-market ideals, and personal accountability?

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