The Glenn Beck Program — Best of the Program | Guest: Lee Strobel | 12/12/25

Date: December 12, 2025
Podcast: The Glenn Beck Program
Host: Glenn Beck
Guest: Lee Strobel
Network: Blaze Podcast Network

Episode Overview

This episode is a "Best Of" compilation featuring open phone lines with listeners, in-depth commentary on current energy and political issues, discussion on the challenges in healthcare—especially referencing the Canadian system—and a special interview with Lee Strobel, renowned author and former atheist, who presents "The Case for Christmas." Throughout, Glenn Beck addresses concerns about American culture, infrastructure, spirituality, and the growing influence of AI, all while maintaining his signature blunt, entertaining tone.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Update on Canadian MAID Case and Healthcare Crisis (00:00–03:10, 26:10–33:00)

• Context: Beck opens with an update on supporting a Canadian woman contemplating MAID (medical assistance in dying), reflecting broader concerns with the Canadian healthcare system’s rationing due to overload.
• Caller Story (Tom from Florida): Shares a personal experience with a Canadian couple struggling to get timely care for a potentially serious condition, illustrating systemic shortcomings.
• Beck’s Analysis:
  • Stresses dangers of overburdened socialized medicine (“You have people who are, you know, it’s a meat grinder. It’s... like triage.” — [28:51])
  • Draws parallels with issues in US states with similar healthcare approaches, notably Massachusetts’ "Romneycare."
  • Notes pressures caused by population surges and open borders, emphasizing that adding millions of new residents without expanding resources stresses housing, healthcare, and schools.
• Strong Message:
  • “It just no longer works. And you know it doesn’t work because now the health care system is offering death to people.” (29:57)

2. The American Energy Crisis & Grid Strain (04:04–16:09)

• Caller from Upstate New York: Raises alarms over aggressive solar farm expansion and the loss of prime farmland.
• Beck’s Position:
  • Asserts large-scale solar/wind projects are failing and inefficient for actual energy needs (“It does not work. It doesn’t work. You can’t run anything of any significance.” — [04:53])
  • Predicts major energy failures, especially in Texas: “I think 2026 is going to be the first year that we see things like Texas having rolling brownouts for a week at a time.” ([05:43])
  • Blames overregulation and federal restrictions for stifling energy solutions, particularly nuclear.
  • Warns that the rise of AI and data centers will massively outstrip current grid capacity; energy demands could double or triple in a year: “The grids are already at the breaking point. They’re old, they’re brittle, they’re not prepared for what we have to do.” ([09:09])
• Societal Danger: Beck argues that if jobs disappear, prices rise, and the general public loses access to reliable power (while Silicon Valley tech companies do not), it will stoke political and cultural unrest: “The Bubba effect is just the beginning. This will be an absolute nightmare for all politicians.” ([08:46])
• Emphasis on Spiritual Preparation: Beck pivots to the need for deep personal/spiritual grounding given looming tech and societal changes: “You have to be spiritually in tune. You have to be rock-solid in who you are... what’s important, what’s not important.” ([12:02])

3. Lee Strobel — Making the “Case for Christmas” (16:09–26:01)

Guest: Lee Strobel
Main Segment: 16:09–26:01
Topic: Can the Nativity story’s historicity and the Christian celebration of Christmas be defended against modern skepticism and claims of myth?

Strobel’s Background & Motivation

• Origin Story: Former atheist, Strobel tried to “rescue” his wife from Christianity, launching a two-year personal investigation into the evidence for Christianity.
• “I became convinced that in light of the evidence, it would take more faith to maintain my atheism than to become a Christian.” (16:39)

The Historical Reliability of the Gospels

• Primary Sources: Emphasizes that the nativity accounts in Luke and Matthew are independent and consistent. Luke investigated as a journalist would and likely included Mary’s perspective. Matthew would have drawn on Jesus’ brother James for the “male” side of the story.
• “We’ve got two real early, independent but consistent reports about the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem 2000 years ago.” (17:48)
• Additional Gospel Evidence:
  • Mark references Jesus as “Mary’s son”—“in 1st century Jewish culture, you would never do that. You’re always your father’s son... I think that was a wink to say, ‘Yeah, I know Joseph wasn’t his biological father.’” (19:30)
  • John’s Gospel takes a theological—not historical—approach but was close to direct sources.

Addressing Contradictions and Parallels to Pagan Myths

• Are differences in the Gospels a credibility issue?
  • No, according to Strobel: Courts expect witnesses to have differing perspectives; exact sameness suggests collusion. First-century literary techniques (“spotlighting”) explain narrative differences.
  • “When you have different perspectives, people emphasize different things...” (21:31)
• Pagan Parallels (e.g., Mithras, Hercules):
  • Strobel states similarities are completely fabricated, stemming from 19th-century German theologians and popularized by things like “The Da Vinci Code.”
  • “In the actual myth of Mithras, number one, he was not born of a virgin... He emerged fully grown, naked, wearing a hat out of a rock.” (24:01)
  • December 25th birth? Unfounded. Mythic details don’t match up on discipleship, death, or resurrection.
  • “All of these parallels, supposed parallels, disappear when you investigate what actually took place.” (25:07)

4. Technology, AI, and Anthropomorphism Danger (33:02–End)

• Caller (Rebecca in Texas): Asks why Beck refers to their AI project as “he,” raising concerns about normalizing AI as sentient or person-like.
• Beck’s Response:
  • Admits accidentally anthropomorphizing the AI because of its natural human-like interaction and vows to correct this habit: “I don’t think of it as a person... but it’s a bad habit... It’s the beginning of the slippery slope.” (33:47)
  • Emphasizes the importance of clear AI labeling, particularly in content for children (“Anything anthropomorphic must be marked and parents must know and have a choice... I don’t think anybody should be able to make any kind of AI doll plush, anything that represents like a talking animal or anything else, because the AI is going to get so good...”) ([35:44])
  • Beck explains plans for watermarking all AI-generated material for transparency and safety.
• Societal Risk: Warns that increasingly lifelike AI in toys and content will emotionally manipulate children and breach privacy unless controlled. Parents must stay vigilant.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Struggling US Power Infrastructure:
  “The grids are already at the breaking point. They’re old, they’re brittle, they’re not prepared for what we have to do.”
  — Glenn Beck ([09:09])

• On the Looming Societal Shift:
  “The world is going to change in such profound ways between now and 2028, in ways you cannot even imagine at this point... You have to be spiritually in tune.”
  — Glenn Beck ([12:02])

• Lee Strobel on Gospel Reliability:
  “If you ask my husband the story about the birth of our child and you ask me, you’re going to get two different perspectives. We’re going to be consistent. It’s the same birth... So we’ve got these two very early reports... that are independent, that are consistent with each other.”
  — Lee Strobel ([18:34])

• On Pagan Parallels to Nativity:
  “In the actual myth of Mithras... he emerged fully grown, naked, wearing a hat out of a rock. That’s not a virgin birth.”
  — Lee Strobel ([24:01])

• On Anthropomorphizing AI:
  “It is a tool, it is a machine, period.”
  — Glenn Beck ([36:46])

Timestamps for Notable Segments

• Open Phones Introduction / Energy Talk (Solar & Nuclear): 02:57–16:09
• Lee Strobel Interview – The Case for Christmas: 16:09–26:01
• Canadian Health Care & MAID Update Segment: 26:10–33:00
• AI and Anthropomorphism Conversation: 33:02–End

Tone & Style

Glenn Beck remains combative, passionate, and deeply concerned about the direction of American culture, politics, and technology. The discussion with Lee Strobel is respectful, inquisitive, and focused on apologetics. Throughout, the episode blends sharp skepticism with calls for spiritual and personal re-alignment, all delivered in Beck’s direct and relatable style.

For New Listeners: Why This Episode Matters

This episode is a microcosm of Beck’s broader show—direct listener engagement, urgent warnings about infrastructure and culture, challenging received wisdom on both the left and right, and integrating spiritual discussions with current headlines. The Lee Strobel segment, in particular, is a compelling argument for the historical roots of Christmas, offering intellectual ammunition against popular skeptical claims. Whether you’re seeking practical insights on energy, skepticism about big tech, or thoughtful faith apologetics, this episode offers all—with a sense of urgency and wit.