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Glenn's Show Prep

Former Progressive Caller Josh Reveals His Incredible Transformation After Reading 'Liars'

November 29, 2016
Lori Hanes

Writer

The truth will set you free. Tuesday on The Glenn Beck Program, listener Josh called from North Carolina to tell Glenn about the transformation he experienced after reading Liars: How Progressives Exploit Our Fears for Power and Control.

"I was a very, very progressive liberal, almost to the point of communism," Josh explained.

WATCH: Alternate Trailer for Glenn’s New Book Shows Wild Side of ‘Liars’

Glenn's latest book opened Josh's eyes and set him on a course of exploration that led to reading the U.S. Constitution, the Bible and Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged.

It also prompted him to learn more about this Glenn Beck guy.

On YouTube, Josh found a video from TheBlaze in which Glenn quoted one of his favorite phrases, found in a letter Thomas Jefferson wrote to Peter Carr:

Fix reason firmly in her seat, and question with boldness the very existence of God. For if there is a God, he must rather honest questioning over blindfolded fear.

"I will never forget that statement. Because that statement brought me to Christ. I was an atheist before that," Josh said.

Josh's remarkable transformation, his willingness to open-mindly explore new ideas and his discipline to do the actual research inspired Glenn.

"That gives me a lot of hope," he said.

Read below or watch the clip for answers to these powerful questions:

• Which story in Liars made Josh's jaw hit the floor?

• How vigorously would Josh have voted for Hillary Clinton this year?

• What about Josh's transformation made Glenn say Holy Cow?

• How many books has Josh read since August 15th?

• What book did Glenn advise Josh to read next?

Below is a rush transcript of this segment, it might contain errors:

GLENN: Let me go to Josh in North Carolina.

Hi, Josh, you're on the Glenn Beck Program.

CALLER: Good morning, Glenn.

GLENN: How are you, sir?

CALLER: I'm doing great.

I wanted to tell you a little -- I'll make it quick, but a little story.

GLENN: Okay.

CALLER: I -- a buddy of mine -- I -- let me start it this way: I was a very, very progressive liberal, almost to the point of communism.

GLENN: Wow.

CALLER: I believed everybody should be -- in the wage gap and all that kind of stuff. So a buddy of mine that I've known since I got out of the Army, he came to me one day and gave me your book -- one of your books.

GLENN: Which one?

CALLER: And he says -- he said, "You got to read this."

Liars.

GLENN: Okay.

CALLER: And he said, "You've got to read this book." And I said, "Oh, come on. Really?"

"No, you've got to read this book. You'll never believe some of the stuff that's in it."

So he told me the first chapter to go to. And it was in August. I can't remember to be honest, what chapter it was. But it was the part of the book where it talked about how they -- with Prohibition, and how they put --

GLENN: Oh, yeah.

CALLER: -- poison in the alcohol to find out the tracking routes of where it was going.

JEFFY: That's an amazing story.

GLENN: Yes.

CALLER: So I read that, and my jaw hit the floor. And I --

GLENN: You looked it up too, didn't you? You didn't believe me.

CALLER: I did. And I finished that book in three days. It was the most -- it was the most amazing book I've ever read. And I said, "I've got to do more research on this, and I've got to find out who this Glenn Beck guy is." So I went to YouTube.

GLENN: Oh, boy.

CALLER: And I searched your name and I found a video that you did on TheBlaze. I don't know how long it was. But you spoke to a guy that was an alcoholic, and you talked to him about some -- I forget who said it. It was to Peter Carr.

GLENN: Oh, yeah.

CALLER: And the statement was, "Set reason firmly in her seat, and question with boldness the very existence of God. For if there is a God, he must rather honest questioning over blind-folded fear." I will never forget that statement. Because that statement brought me to Christ. I was an atheist before that.

GLENN: Holy cow.

CALLER: And I will never, ever, ever --

GLENN: So you were a communist, an atheist?

CALLER: Yeah.

PAT: And how long ago was this, Josh?

GLENN: He said August.

CALLER: I got that book on August 15th of this year.

PAT: Of this year? Wow. That's --

CALLER: Yes. I voted for Barack Obama twice. I'm sorry, but I did.

PAT: Wow.

GLENN: Holy cow.

CALLER: And I would have voted for Hillary Clinton with vigor. However, I -- I pulled the lever for Evan McMullin this year.

PAT: Wow.

GLENN: You didn't even go --

CALLER: And I have never ever, ever --

GLENN: Oh, my gosh.

CALLER: I'm telling you -- I want to be as serious as I can with you, Glenn, because this is a dream of mine, to speak to you, since August. I have never, ever realized the difference -- I thought all conservatives hated me. I thought conservatism was complete hate, until I listened to you. Because I read that book, and I did research and I found out what the Blaze was. I don't go anywhere else for my news. I listen to TheBlaze every morning. I found out who Doc Thompson is. I listen to Doc Thompson.

PAT: That's great.

CALLER: I listen to you every single day. I got a subscription on TheBlaze now. I turned my life around because of your book.

GLENN: Wow. Josh. Josh, I want you to hang on for just a second.

JEFFY: That's fantastic.

PAT: Yeah, that's awesome.

GLENN: Wow. Thank you so much.

May I say one thing: Do not use TheBlaze as your only news source. Read everything you can. Question with boldness, even what we tell you.

[break]

GLENN: I've asked Josh in North Carolina to hold on because I think this is a fascinating story. A friend gave him a copy of my book that came out this year called Liars, which I think is a very, very powerful book to share with progressives. Because it's -- it's all history, and it takes you through and shows you the progressive movement, really at least some of the supplemental stuff that you can find online. It goes all the way back to Martin Luther. I mean --

PAT: And josh said he was progressive. He was an atheist. And this helped turn him around --

GLENN: Yeah, voted.

PAT: First of all, the open-mindedness to go from that to where he is now is just amazing. That's astounding.

GLENN: Amazing. Amazing. A lot of people won't do that --

PAT: No.

GLENN: -- because they guard what they believe.

PAT: Well, think about it, is there anything that could turn you to a progressive? I mean, I can't think of...

GLENN: If I lost my faith.

PAT: Yeah. Yes.

GLENN: So I would have to lose my faith -- because my faith teaches me that all men are created and are endowed by a creator with certain inalienable rights to live their life. I'd have to lose my faith.

PAT: Yes. They have agency. Yes.

GLENN: That everyone has a right to their agency and a right to screw their life up.

PAT: You'd really have to believe in force, right?

GLENN: Yes. You'd have to believe -- you'd, A, have to believe that rights don't come from God.

PAT: Uh-huh.

GLENN: And then you'd have to believe that global warming or, you know, people are so stupid that they're going to destroy everything.

PAT: So we have to fix this.

GLENN: So we have to fix this. We have a right to take away somebody else's right to fix that. That would change me.

PAT: Yeah.

GLENN: That's a tall hurdle.

PAT: That's a tall order.

GLENN: Yeah.

Josh.

CALLER: Yes, sir.

GLENN: So I'm curious. You read that one chapter. Then you went back and then you read the whole book, right?

CALLER: Yes, sir.

GLENN: And what was it that was challenging you? What was it that opened your eyes or made you say, "Wait a minute, if this is wrong, then maybe everything else I believe is wrong?" How did this happen?

CALLER: Well, first, it was the fact that -- I had always heard the statement of, I believe it was Stalin, that said, "In order to make an omelet, you got to crack a couple eggs."

GLENN: Yes.

CALLER: And I never really took that to heart, until I read your book.

And I realized that it was true that by hook or by crook, a progressive will get whatever they have to get done, done. And no matter what weight stands behind them or who stands in front of me, it doesn't matter.

And what you were talking about just a second ago, if I may -- I don't want to veer too far off.

But what you were talking about a second ago, about, you know, what would make you a progressive in your faith, the first question that came to my mind -- because I -- you know, when I read that book, I was awe-struck. And I said -- like, none of this fits without something making it so.

What I mean by that is, you can't have these rights if they didn't come from anywhere.

PAT: Uh-huh.

CALLER: So I read -- I said, "There's got to be somewhere to start." So I went and I got a pocket copy of the Constitution. And I said, "Let's start from the beginning."

GLENN: Jeez, Josh, do you realize how remarkable you are?

PAT: And rare.

GLENN: I mean, you are just so rare to, A, have the open mind, to, B, be willing to challenge the things that you hold dear. To see -- and then go do the actual work is remarkable.

CALLER: But see, the thing is, Glenn, communists don't hold those things dear. That that's the problem. That they don't know what to believe in. So they believe in nothing but the state. That's what I was. That's where I was. I had nothing to believe in, Glenn.

And then I said, "Okay. These rights come from a creator." And when I watched your video, I said, "I have to find that creator. I have to find where this all began."

And I went, and I grabbed my -- my uncle's Bible, went over to his house, and I said, "I want to read this." So I started in the beginning. And I challenged myself every day to read a chapter. And I couldn't stop.

PAT: Wow.

CALLER: And I've read all the way through the Old Testament. And I'm almost all the way through the Gospels. And I can't stop.

GLENN: Wow.

CALLER: And I can't stop. I now know that the state is not the Almighty. And I have something now that I can believe in, that's not going to -- that's not going to tax me into oblivion.

GLENN: Josh, I want to meet you some day. I want you to hold on. I want to get your name and address and everything else.

A, I'm going to send you an autographed copy of the book. I might send you some other books too, that are not necessarily mine, but that you should read. But I'm really impressed with you. Really impressed with you, Josh.

Congratulations.

CALLER: Thank you. Can I say one more thing, Glenn?

GLENN: Yes, sir.

CALLER: I appreciate all the time, thank you so much.

But there's one book that I read after all these books that has done the most for me, and it's kind of obscure. Not probably -- most people -- a lot of people have read it. Most probably haven't. It's Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand.

STU: A lot of reading, man.

JEFFY: No kidding.

GLENN: You went to Ayn Rand and Atlas Shrugged.

PAT: You've done some serious homework, wow.

GLENN: Do you have a life? Do you have a job?

CALLER: Yes. I have --

GLENN: How did you get through Atlas Shrugged --

PAT: The Bible.

GLENN: -- and the Bible?

PAT: Liars. Since August?

JEFFY: To be fair --

CALLER: I'm not all the way through the Bible.

JEFFY: Yeah, to be fair, he's not finished with the Bible yet.

PAT: That's true.

GLENN: Oh, yeah, I'm sorry. Just the Old Testament and most of the Gospel. Oh.

CALLER: Well, because -- and the reason is, is because I don't sleep.

GLENN: Right.

CALLER: But when I start something, there's a drive, a challenge to finish it.

GLENN: Holy cow, Josh, you and I are so much alike.

You remember, Pat, this is the way I was?

PAT: Uh-huh.

GLENN: Once I got onto it, I couldn't stop. I just couldn't stop.

You're right on Atlas Shrugged too. However, do yourself a favor, Josh, read Anthem. You are going to love Anthem, I will bet, until the very end. And when you read the last couple of pages, then try to put together what you're telling me about the rights coming from God and then Anthem. Because she's an atheist, and she has a very, very different point of view.

And I -- Anthem is one of my favorite stories. It's easy. It's not Atlas Shrugged. It's easy. It's a quick read. You could read it in a day. But it throws me every single time on the last -- the last page. And it's good mental gymnastics to do.

Josh, thank you very much. Hold on. I want to get your name and address and a way to contact you. I appreciate it.

PAT: Wow. That's a lot of work.

JEFFY: You aren't kidding.

PAT: In a few months. That's amazing.

GLENN: That gives me a lot of hope.

PAT: Yeah. That's great.

GLENN: That gives me a lot of hope.

Featured Image: The Glenn Beck Program

Critical theory destroys truth and justice

Editor's note: This article was originally published on TheBlaze.com.

Critical theory once stood out as the absurd progressive notion that it is. Now, its maxims are becoming an integral part of ordinary political discourse. The more you repeat a lie, the more you will believe it, and this is the very dangerous place in which we find ourselves today.

Take this critical theory maxim as an example: If we desire justice, we must sometimes champion what may appear superficially as injustice. It's a necessary evil, if you will, the necessity of “controlled injustice.”

By using truth through fabrication and controlled injustice for justice, we’ll save the republic. We’ll be acting in a noble way.

This definition of justice is defined by the “oppressed,” not the “oppressor.” It is the greatest happiness for the greatest number. To achieve this justice, however, we need to endorse acts on occasion that, while seemingly unjust, serve a higher purpose. It will ensure the stability and the unity of our republic, and this may manifest in ways that seem contradictory to our values. But these are the necessary shadows to cast light on “true justice.”

And isn’t that what we are all after, anyway?

Here’s another critical theory maxim: Sometimes we find the truth through fabrication. Our pursuit of truth sometimes requires a strategic use of falsehoods. The truth is a construct that has been shaped and tailored to promote the well-being of the collective.

We sometimes need to accept and propagate lies designed by "the system” — not the old system, but the system that we’re now using to replace the old to get more justice through injustice and more truth through fabrication.

We’re engaging in a higher form of honesty. When we fabricate, it’s for the right reason. We are reaching up to the heavens fighting for a higher sort of honesty. To fortify the truth, we occasionally must weave a tapestry of lies. Each thread, essential for the greater picture, will ultimately define our understanding and ensure our unity under this infallible wisdom.

The election is coming up. Does this maxim sound familiar? Many think it is imperative that we secure our republic through election control to maintain our republic. Sometimes, we might need to take actions that by traditional standards might be questionable.

The act of securing elections requires cheating. It's not mere deception. It is a noble act of safeguarding our way of life. We're on the verge of losing this democracy, and without deception, we will lose it.

To ensure it doesn't fall into the hands of those we know will destroy it, we may have to make a few fabrications. We're fabricating stories to be able to control or secure the republic through our elections. By using truth through fabrication and controlled injustice for justice, we'll save the republic. Therefore, we'll be acting in a noble way. Stealing an election from those who wish to harm our society is truly an act of valor and an essential measure to protect our values and ensure the continuation of our just society.

If we desire justice, we must sometimes champion what may appear superficially as injustice.

I know it's a paradox of honor through dishonor. But in this context, by embracing the dishonor, we achieve the highest form of honor, ensuring the stability and the continuation of our great republic.

Let this be heard, far and wide, as a great call to patriotic action. As we advance, let each of us, citizens of this great and honorable republic, consider these principles. Not as abstract or paradoxical but as practical guides to daily life. Embrace the necessity of controlled injustice, the utility of lies, the duty to secure our electoral process, and the honor and apparent dishonor. These are not merely strategies for survival. They are prerequisites for our prosperity.

We all have to remember that justice is what our leaders define, that truth is what our party tells us. Our republic stands strong on the values of injustice for justice, honor through dishonor, and the fabrication of truths. To deviate from this path is to jeopardize the very fabric of our society. Strength through unity; unity through strength.

We've heard this nonsense for so long. But now, this nonsense is becoming an instituted reality, and we are entering perilous times. Don't be fooled by the narratives you will hear during the march to November. Never let someone convince you that the ends justify the means, that a little bit of injustice is needed to achieve a broader, collective vision of justice, that truth sometimes requires fabricated lies and narratives. If we do, justice will cease to be justice, truth will cease to be truth, and our republic will be lost.

Top 5 MOST EVIL taxes the government extorts from you

David McNew / Staff | Getty Images
"In this world nothing is certain but death and taxes." -Ben Franklin

The injustice of taxation has been a core issue for Americans since the very beginning of our country, and it's a problem we have yet to resolve. This belief was recently reignited in many Americans earlier this month on tax day when the numbers were crunched and it was discovered that the government was somehow owed even more hard-earned money. As Glenn recently discussed on his show, it's getting to be impossible for most Americans to afford to live comfortably, inflation is rising, and our politicians keep getting richer.

The taxpayer's burden is heavier than ever.

The government is not above some real low blows either. While taxes are a necessary evil, some taxes stretch the definition of "necessary" and emphasize the "evil." Here are the top five most despicable taxes that are designed to line the IRS coffers at your expense:

Income Tax

Joe Raedle / Staff | Getty Images

"It would be a hard government that should tax its people one-tenth part of their income." -Ben Franklin

On February 24th, 2024 we hit a very unfortunate milestone, the 101st anniversary of the 16th Amendment, which authorized federal income tax. Where does the government get the right to steal directly out of your paycheck?

Death Taxes

Dan Mullan / Staff | Getty Images

"Now my advice for those who die, Declare the pennies on your eyes" -George Harrison

Not even in death can you escape the cold pursuit of the tax collector. It's not good enough that you have to pay taxes on everything you buy and every penny you make your entire life. Now the feds want a nice slice, based on the entire value of your estate, that can be as much as 40 percent. Then the state government gets to stick their slimy fingers all over whatever remains before your family is left with the crumbs. It's practically grave-robbery.

Payroll

Bloomberg / Contributor | Getty Images

"The power to tax is the power to destroy." -John Marshall

What's that? The nice chunk of your paycheck the government nabs before you can even get it to the bank wasn't enough? What if the government taxed your employer just for paying you? In essence, you make less than what your agreed pay rate is and it costs your employer more! Absolutely abominable.

Social Security

VALERIE MACON / Contributor | Getty Images

"We don't have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven't taxed enough; we have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much." -Ronald Reagan

Everyone knows the collapse of Social Security is imminent. It has limped along for years, only sustained by a torrent of tax dollars and the desperate actions of politicians. For decades, people have unwillingly forked over money into the system they will never see again.

FICA

Kevin Dietsch / Staff | Getty Images

"What at first was plunder assumed the softer name of revenue." -Thomas Paine

FICA is the payroll equivalent of Social Security. Your employer has to match however much you pay. It means it costs your employer even more to pay you—again, you'll NEVER see that money. At this point, are you even working for yourself, or are you just here to generate money for the government to frivolously throw away?

5 DISTURBING ways World War III will be different from previous wars

Oleg Nikishin / Stringer | Getty Images

Has World War III begun?

Over the weekend, Iran launched an unprecedented attack against Israel involving over 300 missiles and drones. This marked the first direct attack on Israel originating from Iranian territory. Fortunately, according to an Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, 99 percent of missiles and drones were successfully neutralized by Israeli defense systems. Iran claimed that the operation against Israel had concluded and that no further offensive was planned, although the possibility of another attack is still present.

This has left many people, including Glenn, wondering the same thing: did we just witness the start of World War III?

Glenn recently had a World War II Air Force Veteran as a guest on his TV special, who told stories of the horrors he and his brothers-in-arms faced in the skies over war-torn Europe. This was a timely reminder of the terrors of war and a warning that our future, if it leads to another world war, is a dark one.

But, if Glenn's coverage of the Iranian attack revealed one thing, it's that World War III will look nothing like the world wars of the twentieth century. Long gone are the days of John "Lucky" Luckadoo and his "Bloody Hundredth" bravely flying their B-17s into battle. Over the weekend, we saw hundreds of autonomous drones and missiles clashing with extreme speed and precision over several different fronts (including space) simultaneously. This ain't your grandfather's war.

From EMP strikes to cyber attacks, here are FIVE ways the face of war has changed:

EMP attacks

New York Daily News Archive / Contributor | Getty Images

The entire modern world, on every level, is completely dependent on electricity. From your home refrigerator to international trade, the world would come to a grinding halt without power. And as Glenn has pointed out, it wouldn't even be that hard to pull off. All it would take is 3 strategically placed, high-altitude nuclear detonations and the entire continental U.S. would be without power for months if not years. This would cause mass panic across the country, which would be devastating enough on its own, but the chaos could be a perfect opportunity for a U.S. land invasion.

Nuclear strikes

Galerie Bilderwelt / Contributor | Getty Images

Nuclear war is nothing new. Many of us grew up during the Cold War, built fallout shelters, and learned to duck and cover. But times have changed. The Berlin Wall fell and so did the preparedness of the average American to weather a nuclear attack. As technology has advanced, more of our adversaries than ever have U.S. cities within their crosshairs, and as Glenn has pointed out, these adversaries are not exactly shy about that fact. Unfortunately, the possibility of an atomic apocalypse is as real as ever.

Immigration warfare

Nick Ut / Contributor | Getty Images

The strategy of strangling an opposing nation's economy to gain the upper hand is a wartime tactic as old as time. That's why the Border Crisis is so alarming. What better way to damage an opponent's economy than by overburdening it with millions of undocumented immigrants? As Glenn has covered, these immigrants are not making the trek unaided. There is a wide selection of organizations that facilitate this growing disaster. These organizations are receiving backing from around the globe, such as the WEF, the UN, and U.S. Democrats! Americans are already feeling the effects of the border crisis. Imagine how this tactic could be exploited in war.

Cyber shutdowns

Bill Hinton / Contributor | Getty Images

Cyber attacks will be a major tactic in future wars. We've already experienced relatively minor cyber strikes from Russia, China, and North Korea, and it is a very real possibility that one of our adversaries inflicts a larger attack with devastating consequences on the United States. In fact, the WEF has already predicted a "catastrophic" cyber attack is imminent, and Glenn suggests that it is time to start preparing ourselves. A cyber attack could be every bit as devastating as an EMP, and in a world run by computers, nothing is safe.

Biological assault

WPA Pool / Pool | Getty Images

Don't trust the "experts." That was the takeaway many of us had from the pandemic, but something less talked about is the revelation that China has manufactured viruses that are capable of spreading across the globe. We now know that the lab leak hypothesis is true and that the Wuhan lab manufactured the virus that infected the entire world. That was only ONE virus from ONE lab. Imagine what else the enemies of America might be cooking up.

The government is WAGING WAR against these 3 basic needs

NICHOLAS KAMM / Contributor | Getty Images

The government has launched a full-on assault against our basic needs, and people are starting to take notice.

As long-time followers of Glenn are probably aware, our right to food, water, and power is under siege. The government no longer cares about our general welfare. Instead, our money lines the pockets of our politicians, funds overseas wars, or goes towards some woke-ESG-climate-Great Reset bullcrap. And when they do care, it's not in a way that benefits the American people.

From cracking down on meat production to blocking affordable power, this is how the government is attacking your basic needs:

Food

Fiona Goodall / Stringer | Getty Images

Glenn had Rep. Thomas Massie on his show where he sounded the alarm about the attack on our food. The government has been waging war against our food since the thirties when Congress passed the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938. They started by setting strict limits on how many crops a farmer could grow in a season and punishing anyone who grew more—even if it was intended for personal use, not for sale on the market. This sort of autocratic behavior has continued into the modern day and has only gotten more draconian. Today, not only are you forced to buy meat that a USDA-approved facility has processed, but the elites want meat in general off the menu. Cow farts are too dangerous to the environment, so the WEF wants you to eat climate-friendly alternatives—like bugs.

Water

ALESSANDRO RAMPAZZO / Contributor | Getty Images

As Glenn discussed during a recent Glenn TV special, the government has been encroaching on our water for years. It all started when Congress passed the Clean Water Act in 1972, which gave the government the ability to regulate large bodies of water. As the name suggests, the act was primarily intended to keep large waterways clear of pollution, but over time it has allowed the feds to assume more and more control over the country's water supply. Most recently, the Biden administration attempted to expand the reach of the Clean Water Act to include even more water and was only stopped by the Supreme Court.

Electricity

David McNew / Staff | Getty Images

Dependable, affordable electricity has been a staple of American life for decades, but that might all be coming to an end. Glenn has discussed recent actions taken by Biden, like orders to halt new oil and gas production and efforts to switch to less efficient sources of power, like wind or solar, the price of electricity is only going to go up. This, alongside his efforts to limit air conditioning and ban gas stoves, it almost seems Biden is attempting to send us back to the Stone Age.