“Atheist” Joe Rogan admits “The soul is real” as his late grandfather’s depressing incident changes the JRE host – “We experience this with love”

Joe Rogan has always been open about his issues with organized religion during his time as a stand-up comedian and podcaster. The JRE (Joe Rogan Experience) host once revealed that his parents split up when he was younger and growing up with his stepfather, who was part of the counterculture movement at the time, led to there being no religion in their household. In episode #147 of the JRE MMA Show, he had revealed: “My stepfather had long hair. We lived surrounded by all of that, just like the counterculture people… So there was no religion.”

However, in a recent episode of JRE, the UFC co-commentator revealed that he was forced to rethink his views following the tragic death of his grandfather. Speaking to Sebastian Junger, Rogan, a veteran journalist, author and filmmaker, confessed that the loss of his grandfather was a catalyst for changing his views on spirituality and what it means to have a “soul.”

Joe Rogan tells how his grandfather’s death made him rethink his belief system

In a very personal account in JRE episode #2172, Joe Rogan recounted a profound experience that changed his views. The podcast host began his story with the words: “I believe the brain has the ability to open a door, and I believe that door opens when you die, and I don’t know where… a door is a bad word, it’s not the right word, but it’s all I have. It’s an opening, it’s a gateway, there’s something going on inside of us, we’re connected in ways that are way beyond our understanding of human social interactions. There’s something going on inside of us, and we experience it with love.”

Rogan went on to say that this connection is felt through the relationships in our personal lives with the people we love and care about. He continued: “I believe that the soul is real, and I really didn’t have that thought. I was pretty atheistic. I grew up and went to a Catholic school as a very young child, uh, first grade, and had really bad experiences there, and that’s just the nonsense of religion.”

However, his perspective began to change after the heartbreaking loss of his grandfather, with whom he had a close relationship. Rogan said that when he moved to New York to pursue stand-up comedy at age 23, he moved in with his grandparents. This time was a mix of ambition and harsh realities, as Rogan witnessed his grandparents’ health deteriorate.

But his grandmother suffered an aneurysm at that time and lived for another twelve years bedridden and in constant pain. The podcast host became emotional as he described the sounds of her suffering and the emotional burden on his grandfather, who cared for her during those difficult years.

The turning point for Rogan’s faith came at his grandfather’s funeral and when he saw the body of the man he loved very much in the coffin, everything suddenly became clear to him. He confessed: “He was gone and I remember having this feeling of understanding, like that thing inside you, whatever it is, it’s real. It’s not that easy for you to be alive, right, and that moment when I saw my grandfather in his coffin, I started thinking about a soul. I started thinking, like, oh, this isn’t bullshit…”

This story from Joe Rogan shows how personal loss and love can lead to a deeper understanding of life and consideration of possibilities that someone may have previously been opposed to. Although Rogan does not personally adhere to any religion, he has nevertheless shared his belief that it may be beneficial for certain people.

JRE moderator believes religion is the key to success for Dagestani fighters

While speaking to Mike Baker on the 1923 episode of JRE, Joe Rogan claimed that religion is the reason why Dagestani fighters like Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev are so dominant in the UFC.

Rogan explained: “LThe guys from Khabib Nurmagomedov’s camp are some of the most dominant fighters. They all have exactly the same hairstyle. They train. All they care about is family, religion, training. They don’t chase girls, they don’t drink. They just train constantly and are devoted to their craft with unbridled devotion. And they are the most dominant.”

Despite his own reservations about religion, Rogan acknowledged that it provides a powerful framework for discipline and success for some, and later in the conversation he also explained that the benefits of structures and rituals that bind people together “…cannot be denied.” What do you think about Joe Rogan’s revelation about Souls? Let us know in the comments below!