Episode 331: Jesus was not a Republican. Feat Steve Coogan
Summary
Steve Coogan has strong opinions about Jesus and American politics. The actor argues that right-wing Republicans have co-opted Christianity, insisting Jesus was actually a socialist who "threw the money lenders out of the temple." He wasn't a capitalist. Coogan and Kareem riff on whether Jesus would've changed his stance on homosexuality if he'd lived longer, imagining him around age 44 saying "I've been talking to some of them and they seem okay." The conversation turns absurd and hilarious as they picture Jesus hosting a progressive podcast, becoming "the Joe Rogan of the left." Coogan reveals he had the Bible "rammed down my throat as a kid," quickly clarifying he means the book itself. The whole exchange manages to be both irreverent and genuinely thoughtful about how modern American Christianity has strayed from its roots.
Featured guests
Full Transcript
So, what's your take? What bugs me is the fact that right-wing Republicans in America think that Jesus was a Republican and they think that Jesus was a Trump supporter. Do you think that they think that or do you think that they don't care? I think they think that Jesus would support Trump and Jesus was a capitalist. 100% disagree. Jesus was not a capitalist. Jesus was a socialist. Jesus threw the money lenders out of the temple. He didn't like the moneyers. He didn't like capitalists. But I don't even know if the right-wing Republican Christians like Christianity. No, they know a guy called Jesus and they think he supports them, but he never would have. I mean, the only thing he's got in common with Trump is he hung out with the prostitutes and the sinners. But but he was trying to save the prostitutes whereas Trump was trying to sleep with them.
I think you know how they just made him white. They just made him Republican. Okay. Well, I just want to say to you, you know, Jesus was not a Republican. He would have hated Republicans. He's a working-class man. He was quite progressive and he got crucified for it. He did get crucified for us. The only thing he's going to come for the problem is is he wasn't keen on gays. But here's the thing. He didn't have a lot of time to change his mind. I would like to think that around 44, 45, you know, that's a really good point. He probably would have accepted gay.
Yeah. He would have said, you know, I've been talking to some of them and they seem okay. I was sitting next to a guy in the bath house and he came on to me. I said, look, I'm I'm not that way, but then we started talking about music or something. Yeah. And he's like a big fan of Radio Head.
Yeah. And maybe he said, "Look, I'm not gay, but I like to dress in a kind of flamboyant way." Um, so maybe there's a place where we can meet in the middle. Do you think that Jesus would have ever ran for office? No. I think he would have had something like the day a show. A TV show.
A TV show? Yeah. Yeah. Or maybe a podcast. Wait, a podcast? I think yes. No, he would have a TV a podcast. I think he'd have a really good podcast.
Yeah, he would. I I'd listen to it. I would listen to it, too. He'd be like the Joe Rogan of the left. Yeah. Yeah, he would. He'd be kind of leftwing and uh progressive, but then it'd be interesting because the Old Testament's got the old eye for an eye, do tooth for a tooth. He was all about forgiveness.
You really know a lot about the Bible. I had it rammed down my throat as a kid. The Bible, I hasten to add, right? I I hasten to add, but