The Culture War Warnings with Pastor Rob McCoy - The Charlie Kirk Show

Summary

Podcast Summary:
The Charlie Kirk Show — "The Culture War Warnings with Pastor Rob McCoy"
Date: March 14, 2021

Overview

In this episode, Charlie Kirk welcomes Pastor Rob McCoy for an in-depth discussion about the current culture war facing America. With McCoy acting mostly as interviewer, the two tackle recent legislative threats to religious freedom and traditional values—specifically HR1 and HR5—while exploring the church’s role in confronting progressive policies, defending free speech, and promoting biblical truth. The episode combines political analysis, cultural critique, and an urgent call to action for Christian leaders and communities to engage in the public square.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Explaining the Threats: HR1 and HR5

HR1 (“Election Reform” Bill) [02:18-03:01]
- Charlie describes HR1 as a federal takeover of elections that mandates universal mail-in voting, reduces safeguards, and could even allow non-citizens to receive ballots.
- “They want to basically turn the entire country into California, basically.” — Charlie Kirk [03:01]
HR5 (“Equality Act”) [03:25-07:26]
- Kirk calls HR5 “the greatest assault on the church that basically no one wants to talk about.”
- The bill expands the Civil Rights Act to include “gender identity,” leading to the forced redefinition of sex, potential legal quagmires for ministries, undermining of women’s sports, and direct attacks on religious conscience.
- “If you hold a biblical view of marriage... then you are violating the Civil Rights act, an extension of it. That’s what the Equality act does.” — Charlie Kirk [04:44]
- Possible requirements for health care providers and adoption agencies to conflict with their beliefs and facilitate abortion or transgender policies.

2. The Attack on Women’s Rights and Science

Kirk and McCoy decry the impending erasure of women’s sports and spaces.
“Women’s sports don’t matter. Every woman’s record... might as well be taken down. There’s only men’s sports.” — Charlie Kirk [08:08]
They discuss repercussions for religious organizations and schools, and the redefinition of gender as unscientific and fluid, undermining long-held protections for women and children. [07:26-10:10]

3. Religion, Abortion, and Moral Absolutes

Kirk sharply critiques the potential for HR5 to force Christian institutions into facilitating abortions.
- “Abortion is not health care. Abortion is the opposite of health care. It is the termination of a life.” — Charlie Kirk [13:11]
Robust exchange about when life begins, employing the SLED acronym (Size, Level of development, Environment, Degree of dependency) to systematically debunk pro-choice arguments. [14:17-14:53]

4. The Filibuster and Legislative Prospects

Explains how the Senate filibuster currently prevents the passage of HR1 and HR5.
- “Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema, God bless them both... have said we will not vote to eliminate the filibuster.” — Charlie Kirk [20:50]
Suggests that positive public praise for Manchin and Sinema is more effective than criticism for their stance in protecting the filibuster. [22:10-22:38]

5. The Church’s Response: Where Are the Leaders?

Kirk laments the silence or complicity of major pastors, naming Rick Warren and Andy Stanley as examples of those failing their public duty by downplaying or ignoring these cultural issues.
- “Rick Warren says it doesn’t matter how you vote... he is carrying water for some very, very dark forces.” — Charlie Kirk [25:03]
Challenges pastors and congregations to educate themselves and actively engage spiritually and civically against policies like HR5.
“[People say] ‘Our pastor doesn’t get involved in politics.’... When the Equality act is passed, how are you even going to function?” — Charlie Kirk [26:48]

6. Transgender Policy and Government Overreach

Warns about potential government force in requiring pastors to perform same-sex marriages, and health providers to perform abortions, regardless of their beliefs. [12:29]
Discusses cases in Canada where pastors were jailed for holding church services, warning that similar situations could occur in America if the church remains passive. [23:10-24:00]

7. Critical Race Theory & Cultural Marxism

Extensive discussion about critical race theory, its Marxist roots, and the ways it is infiltrating churches and Christian schools.
- “Critical race theory is sound bites packaged in evil, immoral philosophy... Marxism, postmodernism, secular nihilism, the list goes on.” — Charlie Kirk [31:49]
Encourages churches and parents to resist ideologies that create division and undermine biblical and rational worldviews. [32:48-35:01]

8. The Call to Action for Churches

Kirk and McCoy agree that churches must unite, vet their political engagement, and communicate with clarity, love, and truth—even in the face of social pressure and fear of backlash.
- “There is no other community... The only thing that is left is churches... Will the ecclesia, the public square, unify around freedom and equality and say, you know what? No. We are going to contest for every square inch.” — Charlie Kirk [39:20-39:57]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

“This is not just a college lecture... This is potentially becoming written federal law.” — Charlie Kirk [04:44]
“Where are the second wave feminists? Where’s Gloria Steinem?... It is not a mass movement.” — Charlie Kirk [10:30]
“My answer is a woman is someone who has XX chromosomes. That simple.” — Charlie Kirk [10:58]
“If you don’t start defending liberty, we’re going to argue those theological terms from prison pastors.” — Rob McCoy [29:22]
“Critical race theory is an immoral, evil viewpoint philosophy that must be stopped at all costs.” — Charlie Kirk [33:25]
“Ideas are the enemy... that want to enslave human beings and pit us against one another.” — Rob McCoy [34:09]
“That which built will save the church, built the country. It’ll save it. Or it’ll be its demise.” — Charlie Kirk [39:20]

Important Timestamps

HR1 & HR5 Explained: [01:03-07:26]
Transgender Policies, Women’s Rights: [07:26-10:10]
Church, Abortion, SLED Acronym: [13:10-14:53]
Senate Filibuster Mechanics: [17:40-22:38]
Canadian Pastor Imprisoned: [23:10-24:00]
Discussion of Rick Warren: [24:57-26:48]
Critical Race Theory: [31:49-35:01]
Final Calls to Action for the Church: [37:52-40:51]

Tone and Language

The conversation is candid, urgent, and unapologetically conservative. Both Kirk and McCoy use a mix of humor, rhetorical questions, and direct challenges, employing examples from scripture and American history. There is a constant emphasis on rationalism, biblical authority, and the perils facing Western freedom and Christianity.

Takeaways for Listeners

The bills HR1 and HR5 pose, in the hosts’ view, existential threats to traditional, biblical, and civic American values.
Christians and leaders must understand, educate about, and resist these legislative and ideological shifts.
Churches must move from silence or retreat to action—rooted in truth, reason, and the biblical mandate for liberty.
Public praise and rational engagement, rather than purely combative tactics, may yield the most effective resistance to these culture war issues.

Transcript

A (0:00)

Hey, everybody. Today on the Charlie Kirk show, super important episode. Stop what you're doing and listen to every word of this. You are gonna love it. As always. You can email us your questions freedomarliekirk.com Action packed episode, everybody. Thank you for supporting us. Thank you for emailing us. And also get involved with turningpoint USA@tpusa.com. can't forget that. Buckle up, everybody. Here we go. Charlie, what you've done is incredible here.

B (0:23)

Maybe Charlie Kirk is on the college campus. I want you to know we are

A (0:26)

lucky to have Charlie Kirk. Charlie Kirk's running the White House fol.

B (0:32)

I want to thank Charlie. He's an incredible guy. His spirit, his love of this country. He's done an amazing job building one of the most powerful youth organizations ever created, Turning Point usa.

A (0:42)

We will not embrace the ideas that have destroyed countries, destroyed lives. And we are going to fight for freedom on campuses across the country. That's why we are here. Hey, everybody, welcome here with my pastor, Rob McCoy. We're going to switch it up a little bit. He's going to be asking me questions, but who knows where it will go. Rob, let's do it.

B (1:03)

Thanks, Charlie. I actually, I'm glad that we get to do this format because not many people have the privilege to live in your brain and stuff that just seems like it's normal to you. The rest of the world doesn't get. And I'll give you a perfect example. HR1, HR5. I get questions on this all day long. Is it going to pass the Senate? What is the ramifications? What are we up against? HR1, dealing with, you know, voting. Yeah, if our vote's gonna count, this thing on the surface looks like an absolute mess. HR 5. Are both of these gonna pass the Senate? We know that the Congress has voted. Talk to, folks, because for you, as I was talking to you earlier, it just seems like it just rolls off the, you know, the top of your head. But I was just mesmerized. And you have the ability to make the complex simple. Would you do that for our listeners?

A (1:53)

Yeah. First of all, great to be on Rob and I love your new show.

B (1:57)

Oh, thanks.

A (1:57)

I learned a lot from Bill Federer last week. He was great. That was so if you're watching this, go back a couple episodes, watch it. He said some stuff quickly. That was just so wise.

B (2:08)