I am an average Matt Walsh enjoyer.
Though I do have some serious disagreements with him politically, and even more so religiously, as Matt is a very devout Catholic.
However, his work in combatting Marxist social justice, BLM, the mutilation of children (and adults) through transgender ideology, and his cultural commentary in general, I find very edifying. He is a humorous guy, a father, and a patriot, and for that, I support him and watch his show on Daily Wire pretty regularly.
When it comes to cultural issues, I find myself agreeing with him regularly. And when I don’t, I am hopeful that he will come around where I think he is being inconsistent, because he is a logical thinking man. In fact, he did just that regarding his stance on abortion.
He is a mainstream pro-life guy—I am an abolitionist. So, on paper, we generally say the same thing about abortion, but when it comes to litigating and putting these thoughts into practice, the pro-life industry and abolitionists could not be further away.
We both would say “abortion is murder.” Okay, great. Since it is murder—let’s treat it like murder. Murder is handled a certain way under the law, no matter who commits it, right? Well, this is one of the most glaring differences between the pro-life and abolitionist movement.
The leaders of the pro-life movement, (not necessarily each individual pro-lifer), actively fight against criminalizing abortion and treating it as homicide under the law.
Why in the world would they do that? (you should rightly protest). Because they believe that women are a second victim in abortion, and that women do not understand what they are doing and, therefore, should not be held criminally responsible for either murdering their child themselves by eating a poisonous pill, or hiring a hit man at the abortion clinic to do it.
They actually write these exceptions for mothers into their abortion legislation—they fundamentally disagree that a mother should ever be held criminally liable for murdering her child. In the womb, of course. They would have no problem locking her away for killing her child ten seconds after they are born. Even though it’s the same baby that was hidden inside her stomach moments prior.
I say all of this to say, I watched Matt toe the pro-life party line for years, until recently when he came out in support of criminalizing abortion as homicide for everyone who commits the act or is complicit.
No exceptions. No partiality. Biblical justice for all Image bearers. Just like you and I would be treated under the law if someone were to murder us.
I thought to myself years ago “he has to see the inconsistency with this”. On one hand, you say it’s murder, on the other hand, you say women should be legally allowed to murder their children under the law.
And guess what, he did.
Luther Would Be Proud
I found another glimmer of hope tonight as I listened to this portion of the October 1st, 2025, episode of the Matt Walsh show.
In this episode, Mr. Walsh addresses the newly appointed Pope Leo’s comments on the death penalty, which are in reference to the Archdiocese of Illinois offering Senator Dick Durbin the “Lifetime Achievement Award for support to immigrants.”
And in doing so, I saw some sweet Protestant logic flowing, the likes of which would make Martin Luther spit out his frothy German beer.
The Pope says in his statement regarding being against the death penalty:
” Someone who says ‘I’m against abortion’ but says ‘I’m in favor of the death penalty’, is not really pro-life.”
He goes on to say:
“Church teaching on each one of these issues is very clear.”
And he’s absolutely right, the church’s teaching on the death penalty is unambiguous. Pope Francis changed the church’s official stance on being pro-death penalty in the Catechism of the Catholic Church in 2018.
I guess the centuries of Popes who preceded him got the wrong memo from God, and they were all accordingly dissenters of the very Magisterium they claimed to be the head of. Oh well. Nothing to see here.
A little late for my Protestant brothers and thousands of others who were burned at the stake or slaughtered, unfortunately.
Matt actually says in response to Leo:
“This is, it’s scandalous. People are scandalized by this. Led astray. Now, it would be one thing if we could rely on church leadership a little bit farther down the ladder to speak up in these scenarios and offer clarification. But we can’t. And so it relies on just normal people to speak up and say this is wrong. This is just wrong. It really is. Like it’s outrageously wrong. He says that ‘if you’re against abortion but in favor of the death penalty, then you aren’t really pro-life.’ Okay, that is again wrong and ridiculous. I mean, first of all, God himself prescribes the death penalty in the Bible. Is God not pro-life?”
No, he’s not wrong, according to his own supposed authority; you are. This is the standard you have pledged fidelity to.
In order to rebuke the Windy City Pope’s statements and his own Church’s authoritative teaching, Matt says, “normal people with the Bible have to stand up and say this is wrong.”
Perhaps Matt has been reading some William Tyndale:
But you don’t get to do that, my friend. Your Pope and your Church’s teaching tell you what is right and what is wrong; your job is to obey. You have no authority to use Scripture to scrutinize it. People used to die for doing such things, but luckily for you, it was changed 7 years ago.
They have spoken for you, and you have no right to challenge or disagree with the authoritative teaching of the Catholic Catechism, lest you be branded a dissenter of the Magisterium.
According to your own standard, you don’t get that right. But deep down, you know that’s a bunch of bologna.
He goes on to say:
“When Pope Francis came along a few years ago and said, actually, ‘the death penalty is inadmissible.’ He was not only contradicting the word of God, but he was also contradicting 2,000 years of church teaching. I mean, for 2,000 years that was not the teaching of the church. And then Pope Francis came along, you know, approximately 12 and a half seconds ago, and said, ‘nah, actually, I’ve decided the whole thing is wrong. Actually, they’ll 2,000 years of church teaching was wrong. The Bible was wrong. God’s wrong. Everybody’s wrong. I’m right.'”
Matt, welcome to the light. We Protestants have been saying this for centuries about the Pope.
And not just on the death penalty. We would add the perpetual virginity of Mary, the bodily assumption of Mary, the Papacy, justification, purgatory, indulgences—the list goes on. In the case of the death penalty, he is correct: the church historically affirmed it, and the Bible clearly teaches the death penalty as being a righteous consequence for certain crimes, even in the New Covenant. The other doctrines I listed above cannot make the same claim.
And yet, Matt accepts them simply because the Pope has said so and forced it into the Church’s official teaching—and that somehow makes them the “2,000-year teaching” of the Church.
After all, he is the head of the Magisterium, isn’t he? Who are we measly Protestants with our Bibles to correct the official Magisterial teaching that supposedly unites all Catholics? (Well, except Matt, apparently.)
These Popes dare to come along and flatly contradict the clear teaching of Scripture—and even their Church’s own historical claims—and declare, “The Bible was wrong. God’s wrong. Everybody’s wrong. I’m right.” All on the basis of their own alleged authority, which was also made up centuries after the Church’s founding.
He ends this portion of the episode by saying of the army of loyal Pope-splainers online:
“But the conservative Catholics, even worse, some of them will feel the need, and to be fair, I haven’t seen this yet with this, but I’m pretty sure it’s going to happen because it happened all throughout Pope Francis. You’re going to have conservative Catholics who feel the need to to pretend that this is not exactly what it sounds like. They feel the need to like look you in the eyes and lie to you and tell you that no, that’s not what he was really saying. They think they have to lie. That they’re like morally called to lie and pretend that this is not what it actually is. And I’m not going to do that. I just refuse to do it.”
I mean seriously, Matt, just join the team already buddy. This is great stuff!
You’ve already got the beard and cigars going on, you’re ostensibly reformed as it is. Reformation Day is right around the corner.
You’ve now pulled the thread of questioning the Pope on the basis of God’s infallible Word, keep going. Apply that same methodology to everything you believe, and you will find the entire foundation of the Roman Church is built upon sinking sand that will not stand the scrutiny of Scripture when examined through its illuminating lens. Not the lens of a false church that flaunts a bogus claim to authority.
Keep leaning into your Scripture, and cling to the Word of God, not the teachings of fallen men who try to steal His title.
The seeds of the reformation were planted when those nails pierced that Wittenberg door, and I pray that the Spirit would likewise pierce your heart with the true gospel of Jesus Christ.
Soli Deo Gloria.
