Ben Cohen, the co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s, recently shared his admiration for Jesus Christ in an interview with Tucker Carlson on X. The conversation with Tucker Carlson, released Monday, primarily focused on American foreign policy before transitioning into a discussion about Cohen’s spiritual beliefs.
Cohen openly acknowledged, “I don’t practice religion,” but also stated, “I love Jesus Christ.” While describing Jesus' words as "wonderful" and "amazing,” Cohen expressed disappointment that “a lot of organized Christian religions are not really … abiding by the words of Jesus Christ.”
He also identified himself as “friends” with Shane Claiborne, a prominent progressive Christian activist associated with Red Letter Christians.
“I think if we could follow the words of Jesus Christ and … think about the Sermon on the Mount and … take his words seriously, we wouldn’t be doing the stuff we’re currently doing,” Cohen insisted.
Ben & Jerry’s has long been known for its outspoken political activism. The company has taken numerous stances supporting liberal causes over the years. In 2012, it renamed its “Oh My! Apple Pie!” flavor to “Apple-y Ever After” to support same-sex marriage legislation in the United Kingdom. Three years earlier, the brand changed the name of its “Chubby Hubby” flavor to “Hubby Hubby” after same-sex marriage became legal in Vermont.
An op-ed published by The Christian Post in March noted that in 2021, Ben & Jerry’s decided to cease selling ice cream in certain parts of Israel, citing its belief that the Jewish state was violating the rights of those living in what it called “Occupied Palestinian Territory.” During the protests following George Floyd’s death in police custody in 2020, Ben & Jerry’s sent ice cream to protesters occupying the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone in Seattle.
Over the past year, the company has been highly active in progressive advocacy. A July 4 social media post declared that “the United States was founded on stolen Indigenous land,” and the company engaged in a get-out-the-vote effort supporting Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris, creating a flavor titled “Kamala Coconut Jubilee” in her honor.
Earlier this year, Ben & Jerry’s issued a message featuring the word “Dissent!” as it publicly opposed fascism ahead of Donald Trump’s inauguration. In March, the brand faced significant backlash for celebrating “Abortion Provider Appreciation Day.”
