The Glenn Beck Program: Best of the Program | Guest: Jonathon Seidl | 10/24/25

Overview

This episode of The Glenn Beck Program is a wide-ranging exploration of America's political and cultural landscape, interwoven with a deeply personal discussion of addiction, recovery, and faith. Glenn, along with co-host Stu and guest Jonathon Seidl, tackles the growing anxieties around America's political divisions, the specter of civil unrest, and the moral and spiritual challenges facing the nation. The heart of the episode features Jonathon Seidl's journey through alcoholism and faith, as inspired by his new book, Confessions of a Christian Alcoholic. The tone is candid, at times humorous, and consistently passionate—typical of Glenn Beck's style.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. America at a Crossroads: Political Peril and Civil War Anxiety

• Civil War Fears and Political Weaponization

  • Glenn and Stu joke about the paranoia surrounding government overreach, alternative citizenship, and political enemies being prosecuted.
  • Discussion centers on how the traditions of not targeting political opponents have eroded, particularly referencing attempts to prosecute Donald Trump.
  • Glenn equates the current political climate to being on a dangerous path:

    "If you're asking, is this gonna develop into a civil war? I've never asked that before. Up until recently." (09:19)

  • Stu provides a humorous analogy to illustrate the low—but rising—odds of civil war:

    "It’s like Michael Moore walking into a restaurant and Jennifer Aniston is there. The odds of anything happening are still incredibly low, but higher than zero." (12:22)

  • Glenn pegs the chance of civil war at "15%, maybe 20%" (13:14), while emphasizing that everyone should do all they can to avoid it.

• The Role of State vs. Federal Governments

  • The conversation identifies state governments (like those in California and Illinois) flouting federal authority as a potential flashpoint.
  • Glenn explains the constitutional mechanisms for dealing with such insurrections.

• Social Media and the Perception of Violence

  • They explore how online discussion (about food stamps/SNAP, for instance) is stoking real-world tensions and normalizing talk of political violence.
  • Glenn warns about growing apathy toward political violence:

    "The apathy toward violence, political violence, is growing probably faster than the actual people that would commit the violence." (15:13)

2. Caller Segments: Grassroots Fear and Political Disillusionment

• Tammy in Virginia:
  Expresses shock at the idea of a civil war being instigated by officials, not just citizens. Glenn likens the situation to his experience with addiction—when you start seriously asking about a problem, you're likely far along already. (08:36–11:49)

• Alan in Maine:
  Alan laments a Senate race in Maine where a candidate with Nazi affiliations is polling ahead of Susan Collins, reflecting on the cultural loss and dangerous trends among the youth.

  • Glenn urges listeners not to despair but to "do the next right thing," emphasizing faith, community, and civic engagement:

    "Exercise your faith in God, that God has control and he is not neutral in the affairs of men. That requires us if we want the blessings. It requires us to do all of the hard work." (23:42)

3. Awakening Versus Revival—A Call for Practical Faith

• Glenn distinguishes between religious "revival" (which fills church pews) and "awakening" (which reforms both individuals and civil institutions), urging listeners to live their faith daily:

  "We don't need a revival because that puts people in the pews. What we need is an awakening... The church is the last one. That when there's an awakening, there is a reformation, not just of the churches, but also of government and our own private families and institutions." (approx. 33:30–35:00)

4. Feature Conversation: Jonathon Seidl—Confessions of a Christian Alcoholic

Jonathon's Story (35:07–47:44)

• Personal Background

  • Jonathon worked with Glenn from 2010 to 2015 but didn't fully realize his struggle with alcoholism until later.
  • After the stress of publishing a book, losing a key client, and his son's health scare, Jonathon spiraled into addiction.
  • His "rock bottom" came during an anniversary trip in Miami, prompting his wife's intervention.

• The Nature of Addiction

  • Jonathon and Glenn discuss the misconception that "real alcoholics" fit a certain stereotype.
  • Both describe the experience of making daily promises to stop but failing, leading to deep shame.

    Glenn: "You promise yourself every day and it gets worse and worse and worse because you can't stop." (38:38)

• The Role of Faith and Surrender

  • Jonathon underscores the importance of surrendering to something greater—his faith in Jesus—as essential for recovery.

    "I shot for Jesus and I got sobriety thrown in... If you are a person of faith who's like, I am so messed up, jacked up... there’s still hope for you because there's hope for me." (41:02, 43:29)

  • Glenn emphasizes the need to accept that some burdens—addiction, trauma—are too heavy to bear alone:

    "Until I got into the waters of baptism... I could not hold it. You can't carry that burden." (41:19)

  • Both speak of lingering wounds and the lifelong process of rooting out "rot" from one's inner life.

    Jonathon: "You have to get to the root to get to the rot." (45:46)

• Hope for the Addicted and Accountability for Christians

  • Jonathon encourages not just the lost but also "deep in faith" Christians who feel irredeemable. Glenn refutes the idea that anyone is "beyond redemption."

    "That's not the way God works. That's your sick head telling you that." (43:59)

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• Jonathon on relapse:

  "I just slowly started drinking more and more and more. And it wasn't this overnight thing... and I realize, oh my gosh, I am a full blown alcoholic." (35:35)

• Glenn on the AA experience:

  "I remember the first AA meeting... this woman who was 80, had a sweater set and a pearl necklace on. And I said, I didn't think alcoholics looked like you. She... just said, oh, honey, we're all drunks in here." (47:44)

• Jonathon on storytelling:

  "When you talk about it, it's like, I remember those things... if there's 20 steps to finding sobriety for someone, you never know whether your story is step one, five or 19." (47:05)

Important Segment Timestamps

• Civil War, political weaponization – 03:01–16:44
• Callers (Tammy & Alan) – 08:36–23:39
• Faith and Call for Awakening – 23:40–35:06
• Jonathan Seidl Feature: Confessions of a Christian Alcoholic – 35:07–47:44

Conclusion

This episode blends Glenn Beck's characteristic urgency and humor with moments of genuine vulnerability—especially in the extended dialogue with Jonathan Seidl. Political unease and spiritual struggle are presented not as isolated issues but as intertwined phenomena in contemporary America. Through candid storytelling and listener interactions, the show ultimately encourages resistance to cynicism and despair, calling for both civic courage and a deeper, more practical faith.

Recommended for listeners seeking:

• Honest reflections on addiction, recovery, and faith
• Analysis of America's political polarization and its risk factors
• Inspiration for activism rooted in spiritual conviction