‘Duck Dynasty’ star Phil Robertson once gave an unusual 'proof' of Jesus Christ at a public event
The outspoken patriarch of ‘Duck Dynasty,’ Phil Robertson, made headlines in 2016 for using an unconventional argument at the Western Conservative Summit in Denver to support his belief in the existence of Jesus Christ. The reality TV star, known for his bold statements on faith and social issues, sparked controversy with his argument about using the calendar to prove Jesus Christ’s existence. He told the audience that it has been 2,016 years since Jesus "walked the Earth" and used the calendar as proof of his lasting impact. “It is 2,016 years since Jesus showed up, right?” he said. “So don’t tell me he wasn’t here,” he told the crowd.
Furthermore, Robertson said, “By the way, if your calendar is dated of all the human beings who have ever walked on the Earth, and your calendar is dedicated and predicated to just one of ’em, evidently something rather large went down back then.” He challenged skeptics, arguing that the fact we use the year 2016 to mark time is proof of Jesus’ existence. “How come we say it’s 2,016 years, I don’t believe in this Jesus stuff," he said, mimicking a supposed rival argument. “I said, ‘Well you’re counting time by him, dude. Face it!’” he said, pushing the crowd to acknowledge the reference of the calendar to Jesus Christ.
While the calendar year is based on certain assumptions about the birth of Jesus, it also honors other figures in history, like Roman gods. But Phil argued that the calendar itself is proof that Jesus existed. He clarified that even those who didn’t believe in Jesus, still were counting time by him, and that, within his own thinking, was the proof necessary to show that Jesus had an impact on history. “When you allow men to determine what’s right and what’s wrong, you get decisions like the five judges who said, ‘I may not know we have 7,000 years of history of men marrying women. A male and a female. For that reason, they’ll leave their father and mother and cleave to one another and become one flesh. I know it’s been that way for 7,000 years, but we know what's best for everybody,” he said, as per Christian Post.
In another interview with Christian Post, Phil revealed how he discovered Jesus. It was one such situation where a man shared the Gospel with him and introduced Jesus to Phil Robertson, which blew him away. The reality star expressed his shock that such a simple yet powerful truth had previously escaped him. This realization opened his eyes to the truth about Jesus. “How in the world did I ever miss that?” Phil admitted. “I was blown away when I heard that Jesus died for me, was buried, and raised from the dead. Something so… simple yet profound… I had never heard it before,” he added.
And even now, Phil Robertson continues to speak about faith and Christianity. In 2019, he published his book 'The Theft of America’s Soul' and explained it as a warning for Americans, to seek peace and harmony under the will of Christianity. “Until I was 28 I didn’t have any faith,” Robertson told Fox News. “Here I am biblically speaking — God said I was under the control of the evil one. I didn’t know that. I was just getting high and drunk with the worst of them. … I had built a track record that was not a good one. I then realized, ‘What was I thinking? All that mischief and carrying on.’ … I came to know Jesus. I looked up one day and I said, ‘Man, I’m driven to do this. I have to do it.’” Now, 44 years later, according to Phil, his faith has grown stronger.
