Duck Dynasty’s Phil Robertson on Finding Peace in a Culture of Condemnation

Phil Robertson is the unlikeliest of bestselling authors. Known far and wide as the Duck Commander, Robertson is a professional hunter who invented his own duck call that earned him millions. And we must not forget … he also starred in the popular television series Duck Dynasty. 

But what people sometimes fail to realize is that Robertson has become a noted conservative commentator in recent years, sharing his voice on many critical issues of the day that are affecting the lives of millions.

Robertson has authored a new book, Uncanceled: Finding Meaning and Peace in a Culture of Accusations, Shame, and Condemnation. In its 224 pages, he challenges readers to stand up for the truth of Jesus Christ in a culture that has forgotten how to be respectful of one another.

I recently sat down with the Duck Dynasty patriarch to discuss whether we can trace the root of cancel culture to the 1960s, why people of faith have become seemingly complacent with the current climate, and if there is a right or wrong way to stand against it.

Where did Cancel Culture come from in the first place? Can we trace the root of it to the 1960s?

Yeah, I can trace the root of it. Look here, check this one out. I’ll give you the answers right here from the Word. The Lord servant must not quarrel. So, a guy like me, you say, you’re the Lord servant. I said, I am? You’re not gonna quarrel with anybody? Nope. I just pointed to Jesus. He became flesh. We’re counting time from Christ’s death. It’s 2022 A.D., the year of our Lord. All the years before He got here are called B.C., ‘Before Christ’. We’re counting time. What are the odds against that? But listen, instead, the Lord’s servant must not quit. He must be kind to everyone and able to teach. 

He must be able to teach, and not be resentful. Those who oppose Him, he must gently instruct. I do it all the time. And the hope is that God will grant them repentance, leading them to a knowledge of the truth and that they will come to their senses.

It is scary. Escape from the trap of the devil, who’s taken them captive to do his will. Some of our Founding Fathers who made a mistake 200 years ago, they get on it and won’t get off of it. That’s the great thing about loving God and loving your neighbor. First Corinthians 13 says, “Love keeps no record of wrongs. If we could as a people be like that wouldn’t it be a better place to live? It’d be way better than it is now. Love keeps no record of wrong. See what I’m saying?

Why do you believe people of faith have seemingly become complacent and comfortable with the current climate of cancel culture and seem resigned to putting the “cart before the horse”? Why is that happening?

What people need to understand is a lot of folks think if they drive to the church structure that a big wind will come by and  blow it away. They drive to a structure one day a week and they worship God for a couple of hours. And then they’re on about their business. What they need to remember is we live inside a culture where reaching out to your neighbor happens every day of the week, not just on Sunday. I’m still pointing people to Jesus, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and so forth. It needs to be a lifestyle so that people can see Jesus through us. Jesus said, “We’re the light of the world.” You’re like, hmm? The salt of the earth? That’s way more than just going to a church building one day a week and then driving home. It’s not enough.

What are some of the motivations and faulty thinking behind our human desire to cancel other people, including our sinful desire to “play God”? 

Playing God, that is exactly what people are doing. Check this out to answer your question. We read in Romans 2, “You therefore have no excuse, you who passed judgment on someone else? What’s this for whatever poor you judge.” This is like what cancel culture does. You’re condemning yourself because you who pass judgment do the same things. Here’s a truth that most people don’t realize. We all have sinned. All human beings end up sinning. When they sin, God canceled them. You broke the law. Sin is a killer. You sin, you die. The wages of sin is death. You’re like, whew. When Jesus came down in flesh, God made Him who had no sin. He is the only person who ever kept the law perfectly. He was the one who wrote it. That person was Jesus Christ.

So, He keeps the law. When they had Him nailed to the Cross, His last words were, “Forgive them, Father. They don’t know what they’re doing.” He was forgiving all the way to the Cross. He never made a mistake. They brutalized Him. He said it was going to happen over and over and over. I’m going up to Jerusalem. I’m going to die for the sins of the world. Be buried. And in three days, I’ll arise from the dead. All the disciples were looking at him like He was crazy. They said, “You’re going to do what?” He says … ‘I’m going to die, be buried and be raised from the dead.’ Well, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, they record the same story. Jesus was saying what He was going to do and He did it. And then He says, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. I just beat death and provided a propitiation for the sins of the world.’ And they got down and bowed at his feet. 

It’s like every mistake I’ve ever made. But I’ll never go around trying to catch somebody else in a mistake. I’ve been forgiven through the blood of Jesus. And I’ve got a lot of sins that I’ve been forgiven for. Not only your past sins, no sin in the future is countered against you. Just say, Lord, I blew it. I blew it that time. My bad. He says, “Get up, get up. My blood covers it.” So, it’s a wonderful thing. I’m trying to get people to understand the grace of God. Just love God and love your neighbor. It’s really not rocket science. And the brothers who are meeting in those buildings, they ought to get out and start.

In your book, you write that when we recognize who the real opposition is, we will find a path that will lead us to redemption and forgiveness. Who’s the real opposition and how can we overcome it? 

Well, Jesus said, “If they hate you, remember one thing. They hated me first. If they hate me, they’ll hate you too.” Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. Paul told Timothy, “So, we’re going to be persecuted if we live a godly life in Christ Jesus.” Some people see Jesus as a myth and the Bible as old time stuff. But we look at it and say, I’ll tell you what He’s talking about. Life and immortality here. There’s a way to leave the planet earth alive. When you physically die, your soul and your spirit go to heaven. Peter and the Apostle Paul, called it your tent. We live in a tent. It’s temporary. When that tent collapses and you die, your soul and your spirit ascend to Heaven. 

He says you shouldn’t cry at your funeral at all. Watch. We believe that Jesus died and rose again. So, we believe that God will bring Jesus back. This is the end of times. Those who have fallen asleep in it, well, they can’t be bringing their bodies because they’re down here in the cemetery. They are rotted in the earth, and some are out in some ocean. He’s bringing back their spirits, their souls. And look, there will be a resurrection of their bodies and a permanent tent. You will have a permanent dwelling forever more. You get your body back, but it’s changed, not exchanged. And you read that in I Corinthians 15. We’re going to have glorified bodies that will never wear out. I don’t know about you dude, but I’m 75. And I’m not the man I was when I was about 20.  I’m pretty fired up about it. Look, I know of no other story that promises forgiveness of sin, resurrection from the dead and eternal life. I know of no story that will top this one. So I’m all in. I’m all in.

To purchase Phil Robertson’s latest book Uncanceled: Finding Meaning and Peace in a Culture of Accusations, Shame, and Condemnation.