Last week, Chris Pratt appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and they briefly discussed Pratt’s religion. Pratt didn’t mention his church, Hillsong, by name. He only mentioned that his pastor suggested he go on the Daniel Diet, and that’s what Colbert and Pratt discussed. Ellen Page tweeted about the coverage of Pratt’s appearance, coverage which seemed to take a positive slant – more of “Chris Pratt is a good guy, he’s churchy and it’s it cute that he followed the Daniel Diet.” Page was like “dude, your church is infamously anti-LGBTQ.” Page didn’t back down, and so now people are paying attention like never before to Pratt’s churchy ways. Which is why Pratt took to Instagram Live and posted this message:
“It has recently been suggested that I belong to a church which ‘hates a certain group of people’ and is ‘infamously anti –LGBTQ.’ Nothing could be further from the truth,” Pratt wrote. “I go to a church that opens their doors to absolutely everyone.”
“Despite what the Bible says about divorce my church community was there for me every step of the way, never judging, just gracefully accompanying me on my walk,” he continued. “They helped me tremendously offering love and support. It is what I have seen them do for others on countless occasions regardless of sexual orientation, race or gender.”
“My faith is important to me but no church defines me or my life and I am not spokesman for any church or any group of people,” Pratt went on to write. “My values define who I am. We need less hate in this world, not more. I am a man who believes that everyone is entitled to love who they want free from the judgment of their fellow man.”
“This is what guides me in my life. He is a God of Love, Acceptance and Forgiveness. Hate has no place in my or this world,” Pratt concluded his post also adding, “Jesus said, ‘I give you a new command, love one another.'”
For whatever record, I totally buy that Chris is not personally anti-LGBTQ or a bigot of any kind. I also think his personal politics and his personal faith are just that: his own business. But the thing is… he’s making a lot of money by branding himself a certain way, and being a church-going man of faith is a big part of that branding. Look no further than his engagement announcement for that – so being publicly pious and publicly church-going is part of his public image. So of course people are going to comment on it, especially when Hillsong does have such a terrible reputation as an anti-LGBTQ cult.
Also: he totally compared “being divorced” to being LGBTQ. Arguing that your cult church is totally fine with you being divorced is not the same f–king thing as your church not being rabidly anti-LGBTQ.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
sure.
oh Chris. dear. shut up babes. Just shhhh
Why is anyone surprised that most organized religions are anti-gay?
I mean that is the creed they teach, Catholic, Baptist, JW all of them.
I’m not saying it’s right but Ellen’s stance should be against anyone in a major religion. Just because someone is catholic (for example) doesn’t mean they are anti-gay.
That’s true. Wouldn’t it have been better though if the bible were like “everyone be nice to each other.” THE END.
yesssss
That’s exactly what it does say. It’s humans fault for turning religion into what it is today and diverting from what is actually written.
That’s the message of Jesus, at the end of the day. Love one another. Period.
This is one of the main reasons I won’t join a church. I love the idea of people getting together in the name of “God” and focusing on doing good in their community.Celebrating his goodness and helping the young and the elderly and the poor, it’s a great idea, why can’t we use it that way. Why do we have to take such a blessed book like the bible and use it to hate on people, any people. It is just so hypocritical. I mean how is a gay person violating the “laws of Christ” anymore than a fat or divorced or addicted person? I mean the bible says treat your body like a temple, respect the sanctity of marriage, don’t eat pork, etc. I have never understood (even as a kid in sunday school) why some sinners were OK in the eyes of God but others were bound for hellfire and damnation. I mean my family church growing up had a prison ministry to “save” the murders and child molesters who were still children of God, but a woman who has an abortion cannot be forgiven? Wha? Way to confuse the fuck out of a 10 yr old.
@phatgirl I think the issue is an organization that considers anyone a “sinner” for being LGBTQ, let alone being fat, is some BS. Personally I’ve always been comfortable with the fact that there is no God, and we should just be good to each other, and other species, because it’s the compassionate thing to do.
The Bible is a book written by humans at a specific time and in a specific context. Unfortunately some religions choose to disregard its historic significance and take it literal in these times. That being said, a religion can make sense to you from a spiritual and faith point but not in terms of the rules imposed by the human built church.
that IS what it says. whatever is hurtful to you, do not do to any other person. the anti-gay interpretations are just that.
These guys are next level though. They run conversion therapy. They’re one of those where sure, anyone can come here! But unless you stay celibate and think of your identity as a sin, you’re not in God’s good graces. Also even if you are staying celibate etc, you can’t hold any leadership positions within the church. I’m wary of most organized religion but there are plenty of places where you can be out and living a normal life and it’s not seen as at odds with the religion.
Okay so, I’m Australian and have long disliked Hillsong. They are extremely dodgy and money-grubbing and most people here think they are a cult. So I’ve been reading that Pratt is Hillsong and the other day looked up a bunch of articles about Hillsong in the US. I read about them firing the Choir master and singer who were in a gay relationship and about what Carl Lentz has said about his stance on LGBTQI (he likens them to liars etc. in saying he doesn’t see them as “worse” than liars – he’s trying to make himself sound accepting but fails). US Founder Brian Houston has also said “”Hillsong Church welcomes ALL people but does not affirm all lifestyles. Put clearly, we do not affirm a gay lifestyle and because of this we do not knowingly have actively gay people in positions of leadership, either paid or unpaid.”
I also read in numerous articles that Pratt actually attends a different evangelical Pentecostal “cool” church called Zoe Church which is led by a guy called Chad Veach. Veach is tight with Lentz and some other leaders of similar churches. He sometimes guest preaches at Hillsong. He is tight with Bieber who seems to have tried out all of these churches as well as Hailey Baldwin. However he has his own church and is not Hillsong despite his close ties. At their base, pretty much all of these Pentecostal evangelical churches are deeply conservative because of where they stem from. They act “cool” and “hip” but are actually conservative. So we can guess that Veach and Zoe Church are also conservative when it comes to things like sexuality. However, officially he and his church have not taken a stance. Veach doesn’t discuss politics or abortion and doesn’t seem to have given his views on LGBTQI anywhere on the record. He has said that he doesn’t like to draw lines in the sand when asked about abortion as he doesn’t want to make people feel unwelcome or scare them off. He wants church to be “fun” and welcoming. Zoe Church’s official policy is that it welcomes everyone. He just says “At the end of the day I’m a Bible guy” – whatever that means.
I’m fairly certain that this is correct as it is mentioned in several deep-dive articles that Pratt and Katherine are at Zoe. Maria Shriver is a big fan of Veach and used to have him come to her house and preach to her kids. So despite reporting that Katherine is Catholic and Pratt was the one who got her attending his church; it was actually her mother who got her involved with Zoe Church and that is how they met (through either Maria or Veach). Maria (who is a journalist) actually interviewed Veach in the past too.
Anyhoo, just wanted to fact check! I learned a lot when I fell down the rabbit hole if articles the other day.
And SK Hillsong have very deep pockets and are known to have decent influence in NSW and over our current PM. There are schools of thought that they’re indirectly responsible for the current draconian Sydney lockout laws etc. The Betoota Advocate calls them Hillsong Sharia for good reason I think.
SK, very much approve of the fact checking! Thanks for digging deeper and reporting on your findings.
@Ange – very interesting and disturbing, huh? I thought the lockout laws were mostly backed by real estate interests and the casinos. Involvement from Hillsong wouldn’t surprise me though. Religion has no place in politics or legislation!!! Honestly, this new festival legislation is even worse. There will be no music left in the state…
@dlc – thanks!! I often want to read more and double check things. Glad someone appreciates it! Xx
But that’s similar to saying, “Not all Nazis were anti-Semitic.” And no, it’s not a stretch to compare the two — especially these days, when the “right” has co-opted religion.
If you support an institution that plays a role in systemic oppression (and the Catholic Church DOES), then you play a role in systemic oppression. And that includes black churches that are still rabidly anti-LGBTQA+.
i don’t support any organized religion. But as someone raised as a baptist and reading about religion…my point was no one should be shocked that an organized religion has this stance.
Gotcha. I assume, though, that most people aren’t “surprised” that an organized religion has this stance. I was speaking to: “Just because someone is catholic (for example) doesn’t mean they are anti-gay.”
That’s not exactly true. Catholicism, like most organized religions, has different branches. There are some more conservative, and some more liberal. I learned with a Catholic priest about all the things in the Bible that it would be ridiculous to take literally nowadays (and that includes any anti gay notions). Someone can go to church because they want to express their faith in a community, and that doesn’t mean they agree with all the rules.
I do understand what you’re saying, Mina. However, I’m a bit of a radical on this point and truly believe that we will not be able to reach the next level of “enlightenment” and true equality until we eradicate organized religion. That’s just me, though.
And I think all radical points, including yours, are equally oppressive. That’s just me, though.
@Adler – yes, this, exactly. You become part of it regardless of what you personally feel when you attend, support, and give to these bigoted institutions.
Also, Pratt is parsing words: “…free from the judgment of their fellow man” = “I don’t judge you but God will”. I was raised in a southern pentecostal evangelical church and heard this crap all of the time. People don’t like being confronted with the realities of their chosen doctrines and churches, and they like to absolve themselves of personal responsibility.
Amen Mina, took the words right out of my mouth.
I am a former Catholic, and yes there are different branches with different styles and attitudes. BUT they are all Catholic and have the same basic tenets. And the corruption and abuse in the Catholic Church as a whole, going all the way up to the Vatican, is so ingrained and it’s been going on for so long I don’t know how people can keep associating with it.
And I just see no actual effort to change anything. It’s all covering up and then admitting it when they’re caught and giving some cheap line to the public. From its beginning the organization hasn’t been on the up and up. If people are going to wait it out or try to really change things at a high level, then that’s their business. But I’m also radical in thinking that they should just burn the whole thing to the ground.
You can go to church and “not agree with the rules” but I don’t know why you would still participate and support the Church as a whole by doing so. Whether you tithe or not, you’re keeping them in business. There are other places and other ways to show and celebrate your faith. If you don’t agree with fundamental views, why would you stay?
@Grant and @Mina,
Not being combative, but I would love to understand, from your point of view, why working to eradicate institutions that just breed hypocrisy and inequality are oppressive? Belief and faith is an individual thing, and I have no issue with that. I do have a problem with cultural forces that hold the iniquitous status quo firmly in place.
@Alyssa I was raised Catholic and still consider myself one when it comes to the faith and values (and that means the true ones, not the Church imposed ones). I don’t go to Church anymore but I still support it, you know why? Because at least in my country, the Catholic Church is pretty much the only institution that actually cares and does things for poor people, that take care of the homeless and drug addicts that no one else wants, that gives free good quality education and also have decent homes for the elderly that have no means to go anywhere else. None of that is being done by keyboard warriors.
If we’re going down the road of the Catholic Church and the good that they are doing these days….I am a former Catholic. I also work for a law firm that does business for the Church. Please, please do not think they are doing anything but trying to save their a$$es at this point and not go into bankruptcy from the tens of thousands of child sex abuse cases that they actively worked to cover up over decades. And please do not think they are truly accepting of LGBTQ folks and aren’t actively working behind the scenes to strip health benefits from their LGBTQ employees. They absolutely are – and for that, I could never, ever call myself a Catholic again.
@AR You’re not wrong, but you’re not entirely right, either. The Catholic Church as an institution has been sadly corrupted right to the core, but there are still many parishes and Catholic organizations not dependant of the Church that do amazing work, at least where I live (which is not the US). They’ve been mostly left to their own devices and their work rarely makes the news, but it is there. Catholicism not the same as the Catholic Church for me anymore. I like to think some people still remember the values they are supposed to believe in.
It’s also important to remember that a lot of religious groups have actually done a lot of LGBTQ+ advocacy. For example, the Lutheran advocacy group Reconciling Works is very committed to advocating for LGBTQ+ causes (https://www.reconcilingworks.org/resources/injustice/advocate/).
When it comes to LGBTQ+ issues, the atheist community as a whole isn’t awesome either. Studies have shown that there is a higher amount of support for gay rights in the atheist communities, but certain atheist circles have a serious problem with transphobia (https://genderanalysis.net/articles/atheist-transphobia-superstition-over-science/).
We definitely need to hold religious groups responsible for their anti-LGBTQ+ ideology. But equating religious with anti-LGBTQ+ is dangerous because it ignores the rampant homophobia and transphobia in many secular communities and alienates religious LGBTQ+ people and religious LGBTQ+ advocates.
I’m LGBTQ+ and I’ve hung out in many different religious and secular communities throughout my life. I’ve been accepted by certain communities and felt a lack of acceptance in certain communities. In my experience, there can be issues in all predominantly-heterosexual communities, religious or secular.
I’ve gotten to know someone through a shared activity, and they were recently excommunicated from their JW family for being gay. That their parents would want them to spend their lives without knowing true companionship and love of their own, it is so troubling. How can you separate your children, so that the little one never sees their older sibling? How can you steal from them, and say it’s to bring them back to God? It’s such cruelty…all in the name of religion.
JW is extra cruel imo. We’re friendly with a couple who are. They’re pretty lax about a lot of things – I assume because they’re young and it’s a small community in our area. But the kind of things that you pick up on and hear that are horrifying…and that they don’t really SEE the problem with is scary. Any group that will shun members for things that they just deem ‘incorrect’ is cruel. It’s one thing to shun people who are literally abusers or murderers or something… but when you’re shunning for sexuality or when someone has a drinking problem, or refusing to allow women to lead worship… it’s messed up.
Well, JW are considered a cult, and like all cults they take an extreme view on religion (or a “Spiritual” ideal) and completely twist its true meaning. It’s really sad when people get so radicalized by something that they forget the whole point of believing in a higher power. I think that some people just have a extremist point of view. If it’s not religion, it will be politics, or a social issue. Religion is just what they choose to hold on to, but it could be anything.
I’m Lutheran and we’re really open to LBGTQ people. We allow gay marriage and gay clergy. We encourage all people, whatever their sexual orientation, to participate in our services.
At my church our minister is female and we have a gay youth pastor. I just wanted to mention that because you hear so much negativity about religion but there are a lot of churches and synagogues where gay people are very welcome.
Christianity, like all religions, has been shaped over time by those in power and by politics. For instance, someone chose what to include in the Bible and what to leave out. Someone edited it. People have translated it Anyone who has ever spoken two different languages is well aware that most things can be translated more than one way. Languages don’t completely line up and meanings can change significantly with different interpretations. Translation is even more difficult when it is from ancient languages that do not even have punctuation. Hell, schisms in the church over understanding and translation have led to a multitude of deaths and to different branches and churches of Christianity being created. The same can be said of Islam, and all other major religions.
There is actually some compelling evidence that in the very early days of Christianity, homosexuality was allowed and accepted. Then opinion changed.
Personally I am an atheist, but I have witnessed that there are some churches that have adapted and changed and that embrace only the positive sides of their faith. A friend of mine attends a church in Chicago that has an openly gay pastor and that gives huge amounts back – they make food for homeless people every single week as just one example. There are a few churches where I am from (Sydney) that have done incredible works for a long time with homeless people, drug addicts, etc. and they do not judge. The Wayside Chapel is absolutely incredible. Their opening missive is: “Our mission is creating community with no ‘us and them’. We do this by breaking down the barriers of judgement and providing a safe place where people from all walks of life are welcome.” They do incredible work with the homeless, with the disaffected, with addicts, etc. They operate as a crisis centre, they give enormous support to the aboriginal community, they are heavily focused on an accepting and open community. They have “community lunches” where everyone can come together and eat (for free) so, feeding those who need it but in a different sort of way to bring them together with the community as a whole and to take away the shame in needing to be fed. They have community gardens. The whole shebang. “At Wayside, we see everyone as a person to be met, not a problem to be solved. We are proud to have been providing unconditional love, care and support for people on and around the streets since 1964. Our door is open 7 days a week for all of our neighbours regardless of their circumstances. Through opportunities to connect, we see moments of transformation can and do happen, and they move people towards health and healing.” Big fan of theirs. Churches CAN be done well.
What? No, that’s not even remotely accurate. I’m Episcopalian and we have gay bishops. Many, many denominations officiate gay wedding. The pastor who married me for my first wedding is gay and married.
I have a master’s in theology from a seminary where at least 50% of the professors were LGBTQ, along with many of the students. I’m not personally Christian, but many of my gay friends are. There are several denominations that have pro-LGBTQ branches in their clergy and congregations, including United Church of Christ, ELCA Lutheran, Episcopalian and Presbyterian. There are reformed traditions in Judaism and Catholicism. Zen Buddhism. And my own tradition – Unitarian Universalist, the first to ordain women and people from the LGBTQ community.
Fundamentalist Christians are biblical literalists – they take the Bible literally. Progressive, liberal churches believe the Bible and other religious texts should be read contextually – with the time, place, culture and audience of the writing in mind.
I also refer you to Nadia Bolz-Weber, Sara Miles, Rachel Held Evans, Glennon Doyle, Elizabeth Gilbert. All religious women who are either gay or write supportively.
This is not to diminish the real hurt experienced when religion is misused against people. But the word religion has roots in connection and community. Not all religion is bad, but all religious organizations include bad behavior (just like government, education, etc.) We shouldn’t paint all religions as one thing. Peace.
So would a poor member of the LGBTQ+ be as welcome as a very wealthy and influential member from the same community?
*checks notes for RBC*
No. No they will not.
I snorted.
While he may not personally be anti-LGBTQ+ he is part of and proponent of an organisation that IS.
That’s like wearing a MAGA hat and then telling me ‘oh but I don’t personally support X Y Z’. Yeah but you feed the beast that does…
Not good enough. Soz.
This.
yeah, THIS. his church engages in and supports conversion therapy. that’s enough for me to say YES THEY ARE ANTI-GAY, because that sh*t is extremely damaging to gay folks.
sorry, Worst of the Four Chris’, you’re still cancelled.
Agreed. They are actively doing things that hurt people, if they are supporting conversion therapy. I don’t know how anyone who claims to be open and accepting can be ok with that.
FFS, there’s plenty of churches out there that DON’T do that and are truly accepting. Go find one of them.
For the record, they stopped supporting conversion therapy in 2011, according to this article
https://www.thedailybeast.com/sex-abuse-and-gay-conversion-therapy-the-dark-past-of-justin-biebers-megachurch-hillsong
@clare — Stephen Colbert is famously catholic. I doubt he believes and endorses everything the Catholic church has to say. Until juuuuuuust recently, catholics were very, very anti-gay; they were just a bit quieter about it. Ol Arnie and Maria are still married, despite cheating, despite living separately, despite an out-of-marriage child…. you know why?
I do feel for the religious in one area — by saying the right co-opted religion, you’re lumping in quiet, humble people in with the zealous judgers. There is just so much gray in between.
Yes, organized religion is a pox on the planet. We war, we hate, we exclude. The amount of power given to religion is simply unacceptable.
Huh? Where did I say the right has co-opted religion? I’m so confused.
Arnold and Maria divorced in 2011 though?
Arnold and Maria are definitely divorced.
Arnold and Maria are STILL married –at least as of last summer when there were numerous news stories pointing that out.
They separated in 2011 but did not divorce.
Actually he goes to Zoe Church, not Hillsong. As does Katherine and her mother Maria (Maria is a big fan of Veach and has interviewed him before). Zoe is led by Chad Veach who has strong ties to Hillsong and based his church off what they do; but it is not Hillsong, just affiliated. So Veach and these other pastors that lead similar churches (funnily enough they are all straight white males), are friends and sometimes give a guest sermon at each other’s churches. Bieber is tight with all of them. Anyway, Veach doesn’t have an official, public or published stance on LGBTQI and his church doesn’t seem to either. When asked about abortion and politics he says he doesn’t like to comment on those issues because they are divisive and he doesn’t want to put anyone off church, he wants church to be “fun”. “At the end of the day I’m a Bible guy” he says when pushed on these points. I guess we can infer that since he is evangelical Pentecostal and they tend to hew conservative, that by this he means that he is conservative on these issues; however, there is no confirmation on that and there is no published view. Unlike Hillsong he hasn’t stated that he doesn’t accept LGBTQI or that he sees it as a sin. There’s no current evidence that he has fired staff members for being gay – like Hillsong has. So overall it seems a bit wishy-washy and weak sauce but the fact is that it is not true that Pratt belongs to a church that is openly and demonstrably anti-LGBTQI.
@SK thank you for this. I get that he’s gone to at least one Hillsong service before but it’s been driving me nuts that all the articles I read assume he’s a regular attendee of it when his Instagram (and Veach’s too) have long confirmed that Zoe is his (and Katherine’s) main church. One more point Maria Shriver endorsed Chad Veach’s book that Pratt credits with helping him through his divorce.
Although Zoe and Veach could be prejudiced as well – I don’t mean to imply they’re not – just as you said they have no public on the record anything about it and though it may be tied to Hillsong it’s disingenuous to say it’s the same thing.
Yup! Veach also sometimes guest speaks / preaches at Hillsong do its possible Pratt followed him there one of the times he did that. Kourtney Kardashian has done the same when her pastor from Vous Church has guested at Hillsong.
The thing is, Zoe is an evangelical Pentecostal church. No matter how “cool”, “fun” and friendly it might seem on the surface, the likelihood is that it is fundamentally conservative like the rest of them. The fact that Veach is so tight with other pastors and churches that are more openly conservative speaks volumes. Not commenting on divisive issues is pretty weak and the fact that he says “at the end of the day I’m a Bible guy” when pushed on issues like abortion, suggests to me that his read on a lot of those things is that they are sins; but he doesn’t want to scare parishioners off by making church not fun. I would guess that he probably views being LGBTQI as a sin, but that he’s one of those “hate the sin, love the sinner” types. There are LGBTQI people who attend churches like these. The churches aren’t necessarily openly anti-LGBTQI but they are not pro-LGBTQI either. They are not LGBTQI-affirming. Straight white men still run them and act in leadership positions. They are not truly pro or open like some churches are. I would guess that Zoe falls into this camp.
In that case Pratt (who honestly doesn’t seem like the brightest, most educated and discerning guy) might have seen that there are LGBTQI people there, seen and heard the “everyone is welcome” message, and not heard any direct rhetoric against different sexualities and therefore thinks all is good. I’ll let him off the hook on that. Although he could do so much more and be so much better.
However, that is all guesswork and could well be wrong. Which is why we shouldn’t lay judgment on people when we’re guessing. We can theorise but we have to allow for other possibilities and knee jerk reactions of condemnation are a tad unfair.
He has become soooo unlikeable. His church was there for him after his divorce because (1) he’s a wealthy famous actor that will attract more money-giving congregants and (2) like most religious people, they’re hypocrites that will pick and choose which parts of their holy book to follow as and when it is convenient to them.
He’s definitely the worst Hollywood Chris.
Chaine – This! What p*sses me off the most about these so called “religious” people is that their beliefs are strong until they are in a situation that goes against the church teachings – like getting divorced and remarrying – then they suddenly have excuses or tell everyone that judging others is wrong. Organized religion is the cause of so many problems in the world.
^^exactly this
Ugh I wish he would just stop talking…. The more her talks the drier my ovaries get. At this point they’re raisins.
He’s starting to infect my affinity for Guardians of the Galaxy and I don’t like it
He’s religious for publicity.
A straight white guy getting a divorce and being “welcomed” has absolutely nothing to do with a same sex couple being denied senior positions in a church. What in the actual hell.
Right? The mental leap is pretty impressive though.
That was my first thought when I read the headline: “nothing could be further from the truth that my church is anti-LGBTQ” says the straight white man.
Sure, Chris Pratt. I never liked him but for about a year or so I loathe him. He never speaks up against anything and just uses his social media to promote his movies or retweet fan-crap. Pretty similar to Hugh Jackman… Because speaking up could either p.ss off their fanbase aka Deplorables or they agree with a whole lot of things I don’t even want to think about. At least this is my interpretation.
As someone who grew up Southern Baptist, I actually kind of understand the comparison he’s making. The Bible explicitly forbids someone who is divorced from remarrying. This is actually something that Jesus comments on, saying that to remarry after divorce makes one an adulterer which would mean that the re-married divorcee is living in sin in much the same way religiously motivated bigots perceive people acting on their same-sex attraction are. He’s basically saying that he’s not a fundamentalist Christian and that Hillsong United isn’t either.
Not covering for him, just trying to explain his comparison.
I understand why he thinks it, but I still don’t think it’s comparable. With all the pastors out there having affairs with their congregation and how they treat men who have been divorced A LOT differently than women, it’s not the same thing. I know a man who considers himself very religious. He is divorced. He wouldn’t date a divorcee BECAUSE of her divorce. This is such a common way of thinking – it’s easy for him to say it’s the same because he didn’t experience the kind of ‘tossing aside’ that women in the church are often treated to for doing the same things as men.
Hmm. I don’t agree with you. From a Christian doctrinal standpoint, I think divorce and homosexuality are very similar. Both are explicitly forbidden in the Bible–in different contexts, admittedly–yet both Biblical proscriptions are rapidly fading away in many modern Christian churches because many of those congregations/denominations are starting to view the Bible as a living document, not one that is inerrant and infallible. I think Chris is trying to use his experience with how the church affirmed his divorce and recent engagement to show their affirmation of gay people. Whether or not that’s true remains to be seen.
See the homosexuality component is hotly debated among theological scholars whereas divorce is pretty clear. I would argue they’re not both as overtly stated as you claim.
True! However he goes to Zoe Church not Hillsong (they have ties but are seperate) and there is no published evidence of Zoe doing something like this (unlike Hillsong) and their pastor doesn’t comment on politics, abortion, etc. because he wants church to be “fun” and he wants “everyone to feel welcome”. Look it up if you like, it’s actually incorrect that they are Hillsong. They go to the Chad Veach led Zoe Church which Maria is a big fan of – she has interviewed Veach and used to have him over to her house to preach to her kids. I still think all of these churches are cults; but on this factor there is no clear info yet for Zoe.
“Put clearly, we do not affirm a gay lifestyle and because of this we do not knowingly have actively gay people in positions of leadership, either paid or unpaid.”
That’s a direct quote from Brian Houston, the Australian pastor who founded the Church.
So yeah, I think it’s safe to say that the Church is anti-LGBTQ. Just because they gave up their conversion therapy treatments (only 8 years ago) doesn’t mean that they’ve changed. FYI, the Jenner girls and Khloe Kardashian, as well as many other celebrities attend this church.
IMO you cannot attend this church and say that you are pro-LGBTQ–not with the way they treat gay people. There are a million other churches out there and he chose this one. His choice but he needs to own it.
I know nothing about this church, so thanks for sharing how they’ve been anti-lgbtq+
Thank you!
Chris is ignoring the actual policies of his church in his comments here. They are very specifically and explicitly anti-LGBTQ.
I am scared of churchy and preachy people of any stripe. By all intents and measures, they are exclusionary.
That’s why I worship the Sun. I can see it. It’s reliable. And it gives so much of itself to everyone, no matter their origin.
I agree. It’s our source of warmth, if it was gone, we would be as well. It doesn’t push any silly beliefs on us. I love the sun!
Agreed — without the sun and our beautiful planet, we couldn’t survive. But I’m surviving just fine without the fairy tales of religion, thank you very much. And I’m so tired of churches & religious groups being tax exempt and not paying any of their fair share of taxes.
“And I’m so tired of churches & religious groups being tax exempt and not paying any of their fair share of taxes.”
OMG THIS ALL DAY LONG! drives me crazy that they get involved with politics and policy but don’t have to pay taxes.
Yes, tax them all!
YES tax the eff out of churches!!
So what denomination is hillsong? All I see is people saying they’re anti LGBTQ
Christian. They consider themselves a ‘megachurch’ and some describe them as pentecostal but honestly they lean heavily towards evangelicalism. They’ve also taken notes from Scientology on how to manipulate and exploit their congregants out of exorbitant amounts of money, tear families apart and quite a few other squicky things.
Hillsong is Assemblies of God–they’re a Pentecostal denomination. They don’t allow gay marriage in their churches, and they don’t allow gay leadership. Due to Hillsong’s celebrity focus, I have no doubt that they downplay the anti-gay policies to keep the cash rolling in.
Their site says ‘contemporary Christian church’
That’s marketing and branding for you. It’s sad that hate and exclusion continue to be contemporary issues.
I’ve read that Hillsong is into the prosperity gospel. if that is true – yuck!
A lot pf Pentacostals are
I mean there are quotes out there from the founder himself, that are pretty anti-LGBTQ so I’m def not buying what Pratt is selling.
TBH I side-eye all evangelical branches of Christianity and especially those coming from the US and other english speaking countries. The further away from Luther’s theories the more extreme and frankly judgemental to anything ‘other’ they get.
And let’s not forget that it ‘s not just LGBTQ people but also women, people of color and anyone who doesn’t conform to their values who is excluded in one way or another.
Does Hillsong have female pastors? What’s the diversity like in that cult?
I don’t understand how this cracked out church most Australians poke fun at has appeal to celebrities.
I assume in the same way that Co$ does… they blow smoke up their ass. It attracts celebs who maybe aren’t great people or are going through something or whatever, and are trying out the religion thing to get around their potential guilt… and they go there, and everyone tells them how wonderful they are and how amazing it is that they’re there… and continue to kiss their asses and make them feel great, so they take those positive feelings of asskissery and chalk it up to the power of religion.
Plus likely a critical mass of other celebrities doing it so it has an “IN” factor to it. You are pious AND popular.
Did Pratt and Adam Levine go to the same Deflecting Criticism 101 class or something?
Ha ha ha ha! So true! We do laugh at them in Aus!
What happened to the dm article that he was partying in a strip club in London, asking one of the strippers to marry him instead of his fiance? I feel like this story was buried pretty fast and no one seems to have picked up on it. I believe it as this is exactly the kind of guy who would then feel the need to extreme Bible fasting and “cleanse” himself
DM as in dailymail? I don’t believe anything they write.
https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/entertainment/a26141248/chris-pratt-celebrated-engagement-katherine-schwarzenegger-at-strip-club/ It was in the tabloid The Sun. Apparently it was photographed
lol The Sun makes up 98% of their articles. You know it’s fake when the title says “reportedly”
I feel like he’s just say HE isn’t anti-LGBTQ. The church is known to be, so there’s no denying that.
Don’t you hate when people do this time? My philosophy is “you are what you eat”—If you’re a member of an anti-LGBTQ church, then you are anti, too. Same thing with the politicians they give speeches standing in front of a confederate flag and then try to act like they aren’t racist,
this flag just happens to be hanging on the wall at this organization where they gave the speech.
He really is dim
charlotte clymer has a great thread on twitter about this – namely, pratt exonerates himself by more or less relying on the church’s “hate the sin, love the sinner” rhetoric.
i grew up heavy in the catholic church, then was an atheist for over a decade, now an agnost. i’m so desperate for some sort of spiritual community, notably to help cope with what seems to be chronic clinical depression.
christianity is what i’m most familiar with, but the catholic church is despicable and mainline protestantism is so… sterile/waspy.
truthfully, i’m terrified of being taken in and brainwashed by a hillsong-type church because i’m so desperate. i know religious freedom blahblah, but there should be legal structures to protect vulnerable people from the tentacles of such cults.
You might like to try attending a Unitarian Universalist church service. They encourage people of all beliefs, including atheists, to gather weekly for services.
@ADASTRA and @INSERTPUN
thank you kindly for your suggestions. from what i’ve read up about the unitarian universalist church, it seems the most appealing of all deniminations. if only there were one near where i live!!
episcopalian churches are much more accessible. i’d kind of dismissed mainline protestantism offhand as being dul, austere, waspy, but i will take your word for it insertpun and give it a try.
I read that twitter thread yesterday. Very good breakdown of how these churches work.
I grew up in a Methodist Church. Walked away as soon as I became an adult.
@Tate – Me as well. I never took to the beliefs. Growing up, I was told going to church was important because “it makes us good people.” Ummm…how about just being polite and kind to one another? As soon as I completed my Confirmation and was allowed to decide whether to stay or leave the Church, I was done. My husband and I don’t identify as atheists, more as non-theists/organized religion these days.
Episcopalians are nice. They’re extremely affirming of LGBTQ people and socially progressive in general. They’re actually very similar to Catholicism with the way they worship (services tend to be heavily liturgical), but without the issues that the Catholic church has.
I’m actually not Episcopalian, but my sister runs a soup kitchen out of a local Episcopalian church, and they’re great advocates for homeless and food insecure people in their area. My mom goes to a Blue Ocean Church, which may technically be considered evangelical, but again, without the issues that most evangelical churches have (one of the pastors is a lesbian and married, and probably about 25% of the church identifies as LGBTQ).
I don’t actually attend church anymore because I believe in the basic tenets of Christianity (be nice to people, take care of one another, etc.), but a lot of churches are terrible to the disenfranchised, which Jesus would not have been cool with. However, those are two good places to start if you want to attend a church, but you want a church with progressive values.
Damn, those are valid and strong sentiments! I really get the feels from what you’re saying. Crazy suggestion – would you consider talking to a counsellor? Maybe just talking about your belief systems with someone who isn’t trying to influence you could help you find your way. Like, if you’re feeling vulnerable or despairing you could talk about how to set healthy boundaries so that when you decide to re-enter a religious community, you’ll feel better equipped to identify risk, assert yourself, and walk away if needed. Truly hoping the best for you going forward!
Maybe Ellen Page should take it down just a notch…
Why should she take it down a notch? She lived in the closet for many many years, and is now shining a light on anti-lgbtq assholes around the world with Gaycation. Maybe Pratt shouldn’t belong to a crappy religion?
🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼
What is wrong with what she said? Hillsong’s founder has said what he said and that church does what it does. Reminder: Anyone in a group that has experienced persecution has a right to speak up against that persecution and anyone not in that group has a moral duty to speak up and prevent that persecution. Conversion therapy is persecution.
Well said, WATP!
Maybe you should explain why.
Maybe you should shut up.
…sounds rude, doesn’t it, dearie?
I’d like to give her a megaphone, honestly.
Skeletons in your closet?
I think she should keep her volume right where it is.
From Jezebel: Hillsong’s global pastor says they are “a gay welcoming church but we are not a church that affirms a gay lifestyle.”
Ummm what does that even mean?! “You’re welcome to come to our church but expect to be judged”
Sounds like another way of saying ‘don’t ask don’t tell’ – which I mean…is kinda gross.
Hillsong’s position is basically that being gay is a sin to be forgiven of, which is exactly why Pratt’s simple ass is equating LGBTQ, a state in which one is born to his divorce, a decision he and his former wife came to probably when Anna got tired of his down home stupidity.
LGBTQ people don’t need forgiveness or redemption. And any church that feels they do is anti-LGBTQ.
All of the above. Not a lifestyle, not a sin; these people are wicked bigots and Pratt is an idiot.
What does the Bible have to say about divorce, anyway?
“LGBTQ people don’t need forgiveness or redemption. And any church that feels they do is anti-LGBTQ.”
*CLAPPING*
BINGO.
Yep I’ve heard this crap before. It’s seen as their sin which they’re not supposed to act on. Like an alcoholic who must abstain from drinking.
This is a hugely important distinction. A lot of churches that claim to be “gay friendly” actually are just tolerant while still believing LGBTQ people are going to hell; it’s your traditional love the sinner/hate the sin thing. If you want to go to a church that actually allows for same sex marriage ceremonies, LGBTQ people in positions of authority, support for LGBTQ adoption, etc, you need an open and affirming church.
I feel like a lot of churches do the HIllsong thing where they try to not be super open about what their thoughts actually are, and they wait until you’re in deep before springing it on you.
I thought Pratt went to a different church founded by a former Hillsong guy… Does he actually go to Hillsong? I have kind of mixed feelings on this. I personally hate most organized religion especially Evangelical Christianity. I think they grossly distort the message of Jesus, which is itself quite lovely, even to an atheist like me.
But I also am not going to “cancel” Chris Pratt over this because I’ve never heard of him practicing or encouraging hateful behavior. I don’t think he came out as pro Trump even? I think part of tolerance is that people can have personal beliefs you disagree with as long as they aren’t hurting anyone. I’m not interested in being thought police. I just think there are bigger fish to fry than Chris Pratt. Of course Ellen Page is free to say whatever she wants and criticize him and I have no problem with that either.
I agree with this completely, I feel like you said everything I was thinking. I’m not going to “cancel” him, won’t make a difference for me either way because I’ve never seen anything he’s in except memes lol. He’s not out saying intolerant things or anything, not hurting anybody, neither is Ellen.
He doesn’t go to Hillsong.
He did .He was photographed
Going to a service isn’t the same as being a part of a community.
He goes to Zoe Church founded and run by Chad Veach. Veach comes from a family of pastors. His father is Dave Veach, an administrator with Foursquare Church in Tacoma, Wash., who oversees more than 200 congregations and who ran a small church when Chad was growing up. Chad’s siblings are pastors too. Chad then counseled teens and young adults at the United Generation ministry in Puyallup, Washington; before going on to work for Judah Smith, the leader of Churchome, a megachurch started by Smith’s father, Wendell. Chad then moved to LA with his wife Julia and they started holding small services at home and then at a small church in Santa Monica before starting up Zoe Church fully. So he wasn’t Hillsong. He is, however, close with Hillsong and with Carl Lentz. He sometimes guest preaches at Hillsong too. He openly admits to basing Zoe off the Hillsong model. In regards to the “tricky” issues like politics, abortion and LGBTQI, Veach has no confirmed published views. He says he doesn’t like to comment on “divisive” issues. So not openly anti or pro LGBTQI. Considering his background we can probably infer that he is among the lines of: it’s a sin but we hate the sin and love the sinner. However, that is unconfirmed as far as I can see. He says everyone is welcome and that he wants church to be fun.
I dislike all of these culty churches that use coolness and hipness and music to mask deeply conservative views. I mean, they still think that men “lead” in the home etc.
However, I do think that Pratt is being deeply dragged here due to being misidentified as Hillsong when he’s not. I don’t like churches like his, but at current time it is not openly anti-LGBTQI but it is pretty weak on that topic.
I wonder what Arnold and Maria make of their future son-in-law?
Considering Maria set him up with her daughter, I’d say they like him a lot.
Maria Shriver is a huge fan of Chad Veach – the founder and lead pastor at Zoe Church. She has interviewed him in the past and is known to have invited him regularly to her home to preach to her kids. Pratt attends Zoe Church – that is his church (not Hillsong). Katherine and Pratt were essentially set up through the church by Veach and Shriver. So I highly doubt his church is an issue for her.
Pratt & Katherine Schwarzenegger attend Zoe Church. They are totally the same brand as Hillsong & closely tied to Hillsong, but it’s a separate church.
They are super vague in their statement of faith, so I doubt they are gay affirming.
https://www.thecut.com/2018/08/justin-bieber-hailey-baldwin-hillsong-evangelicals-hollywood.html
If they don’t specifically come out as tolerant, pro LGBTQ, pro women’s rights and anti racism I consider them Christian Fundamentalist until proven otherwise.
Wow, I used to like this guy from his earlier tv days. Incredible disappointed. Was he always a member of this church or is this recent? I never heard him speak so vocally about religion before.
He was living in a car in the beach with two bucks in his pocket in Hawaii and being an overall douchey party boy when he met some random guy who woke up his spiritual side, took him to church and soon after he landed his first good acting role. So he’s always connected his success to God and has always been pretty open about being religious. I, however, have never heard or read a hateful or judgy comment from him, so why does everyone feel they have the right to judge him without even knowing the guy?
@Mina Because we’re by holding people to the bare minimum of helping make a world where LGBTQ people are treated as equal humans and not misguided sinners. Easy peasy lemon squeezy :)))))))))
And how doesn’t he do that? Have you even gone to this Church? Have you heard what they preach? Or are you just parroting what you’re reading here?
taffy brodesser-akner wrote a profile where the head pastor of this church is rather definitive on the issue: he believes homosexuality is a sin and if you truly believe and walk with god you would agree with him. if you truly believe in god it would be easy to resist the temptation of that sin and not live as a homosexual. he stresses everyone is welcome but that they do not condone it. he also admits that no homosexual would have a leadership position in the church (he gives a specific example) because it is not what the church believes to be right.
this is not different than a lot of other religions but the point is that this is a high profile church that uses celebrities to pray on people, much like scientology and getting a big name like chris pratt to spread THEIR word of god is important to their cash flow.
now he is out here saying everyone is welcome but he doesn’t say that once you’re there – you will learn that something you are born feeling is sin and you will be expected to rid your life of the sinfulness to earn a place with god. but good news – they will help you do it for a lot of money and some mentally damaging conversion therapy. what people like justin bieber and chris pratt do for this church is insidious and dangerous.
Why does Maria’s daughter not attend a Catholic church? If Maria is so Catholic she won’t get a divorce, then it seems odd the daughter would be an active member of a non-Catholic church.
Her grown daughter?
I mean my mama is an indie Baptist who regularly attends church. I’m Methodist and stopped going three years ago.
Maria is divorced, like millions of Catholics. Adults can choose what church to go to (or not go)? You all have some really strange ideas about religion.
Maria and Arnold are not divorced. Google it.
I did Tournaline. Their divorced was finalized in 2017. And what does it matter anyway? Now if you’re not divorced you’re a bad person?
This is interesting because Maria might be from a Catholic family and have grown up catholic but she is actually a huge fan of Zoe Church – the Church Chris and Katherine attend. Indeed, Maria (a journalist) has interviewed Chad Veach, the founder of Zoe Church, and she used to have him come regularly to her house to preach to her kids. So Katherine is in the church her mother introduced her to and Pratt and Katherine already attended the same church and that is likely how they ended up together in the first place. Zoe Church is similar to Hillsong in many ways but is not actually Hillsong. Also, people don’t necessarily attend the churches of their parents anyway. A school friend of mine was from a catholic family and through a highschool boyfriend (now her husband) became a total born again Christian at a church similar to Hillsong in australia. They’ve since moved to NYC and started their own hipster evangelical church (cult).
I guess since best, or even top 100, Chris is unattainable, he’s really leaning into “worst Chris.” Watch it, Chris Christie is coming for you, Pratt.
Finally actually commenting on this site – which I’ve loved for years, thanks for being awesome – just to note one thing: Chris Pratt doesn’t go to Hillsong. He goes to Zoe church, which is “modeled after Hillsong” (and the pastors know each other) but not the same church. I have no idea on it’s stance on LGBTQ rights so I’m not defending but it, but it is a different church and as far as I’m aware does not run conversion programs. Katherine Schwarzenegger goes there as well fwiw.
Yes exactly. Similar but not the same thing.
I guess he learned gaslighting somewhere.
I was thinking the same thing. His statement is such a load of bull crap.
Was reading with an open mind … then he started piously spewing scripture. Fug off, Pratt.
I despise this preachy, privileged d-bag. The thing about these holy rollers is their mighter-than-thou attitude. He’s pretending he’s living his “truth” but that inversely means that he thinks everyone else is false. He’s the worst and I hope his movies stop making money so we don’t have to see him anymore.
He doesn’t go to Hillsong, he goes to Zoe Church. One’s religion doesn’t necessarily represent their views on everything, unless Ellen Page wants to call out all muslims as being anti gay as well?
He has gone to Hillsong too
https://www.etonline.com/chris-pratt-attends-same-church-service-justin-bieber-following-split-anna-faris-87240
And Zoe Church is part of the “Hillsong family” whatever that means
https://hillsong.com/family/
They are like a spinoff church of Hillsong, but they’ve taken a different approach. They famously don’t take any firm stances about any political or social issues so everyone feels welcome. Take that as you will.
Ah yes but people sometimes attend other churches for some preachin’ when they feel they need some and theirs is not there. Also, it should be noted that a bunch of these “cool” evangelical churches have founders and lead pastors who are friends with each other and who will sometimes guest speak / preach at each other’s churches. So, for example, Richard Wilkerson Jnr, who heads up Vous Church in Miami, sometimes guest speaks at Hillsong. Vous is where the Kardashian sisters go – he married Kim and Kanye. So when he speaks at Hillsong Kourtney has been known to attend Hillsong to hear him. Similarly, Chad Veach who heads up Zoe Church – which is Pratt and Katherine’s Church, sometimes guest speaks at Hillsong. Therefore there’s a good chance that he was speaking there when Pratt attended.
Zoe Church and Veach have no published views on LGBTQI (not abortion or politics). Veach says he avoids “divisive topics” and doesn’t like to draw lines in the sand. He wants church to be fun and for everyone to feel welcome.
That said, these Pentecostal evangelicals tend to be very “traditional” and conservative when you scratch the surface. For instance, they think that men “lead” the family. One could infer that they are accepting of LGBTQI but not affirming. IE, they likely view it as a sin but take the attitude of “hate the sin, love the sinner”. It is not definite or proven, but very likely.
It is therefore likely that Pratt sees LGBTQI people being welcomed at the church, and that, since Veach doesn’t discuss these issues, views it as completely open to LGBTQI. However, that is not the same as a church that doesn’t view LGBTQI as a sin at all and is LGBTQI-affirming. I do think we should get our facts and therefore our criticisms correct though.
So he doesn’t go to thur Catholic church on this street, he goes to the one two streets down.
Okayden
You must not be religious if you think all churches of a religion are the same.
It’s so bizarre to me that the two churches that target Hollywood and celebrities the most, Hillsong and Scientology, are both so anti-gay.
They’re both run like money making schemes, and you’d think a LGBTQ friendly stance would be more popular in Hollywood.
Maybe they have to take these hard lines so they attract the most devout/naive/ignorant? The self-righteous types like Chris Pratt and Tom Cruise who believe in their own exceptionalism? To believe you’re special, others have to be excluded and condemned, I guess.
Everyone is so offended these days. He can go to any church if you are offended you don’t have to go
Everyone is so sensitive to criticism these days. If you don’t want people to criticize or have opinions on your beliefs, don’t plaster them all over the internet and discuss them on national TV!
I recommend reading about Evangelisicm in America and how it’s hurt people, especially the LGBTQ community. I also recommend you ask yourself why you think freedom from consequences is a desirable thing.
Oh yeah he absolutely made that comparison but, I like his approach. He said I am not my church. He stands on his own. I can respect that. He could’ve really messed up his response. This was a good way to go.
Sometimes the judginess can be too much. Chris Pratt is probably one of the nicest celebrities out there, has never been involved in any scandal, has never said anything racist or sexist or homophobic, doesn’t have any accusations of any misconduct, he’s just minding his own business and dares to share a little of the faith that makes sense to him and everyone feels like they have to judge him for being a Christian and going to a Church I’m sure none of you have ever set a foot on, let alone know what’s been said in their sermons. The day this guy does something reproachable, cancel him. But if you’re going to lay it down on someone just because of their religion, that makes you a bigot too.
So this famous millionaire plugs his specific church, which is demonstrably anti-LGBTQ, in public, while he’s on the clock working for his job, in the year two thousand and nineteen, when LGBTQ people are at risk for depression, suicide, and other forms of physical and mental harm, and your reaction is to insist he’s done nothing wrong and we’re the bigoted ones. YIKES.
That’s actually incorrect. Pratt goes to Zoe Church, not Hillsong. Similar but not the same. Zoe has no published or public stances on LGBTQI (or abortion, or politics for that matter). Their founder wants church to be “fun” and doesn’t like to comment on things like that as he doesn’t like to draw lines in the sand. So, they are not openly approving, but neither are they disapproving. Pretty weak; but not the same as Hillsong which is demonstrably anti-LGBTQI. Zoe says they welcome everyone equally so Pratt May take that at face value. At the end of the day it is an evangelical Pentecostal church – and those tend to be fairly conservative at their heart. However, at current time there is no published evidence that I can find that they are anti-LGBTQI.
Where has he plugged his church? He’s never even mentioned the church he goes to. He’s talked about his experience and his faith. But freedom of speech is bad when it’s not about something we want to hear, right?
Thank you Mina, you are so right. I attend church regularly and the message is one of inclusion on all levels, anything else would be foreign to me. Unfortunately what seems to happen re religion is that people have a bad experience with religion or read negative pieces about religion and lump all religions or sects of a religion together. There are so many variations and places of worship that it is a shame.
Mina, you would be wrong. I’ve been a church going Christian most of my life, less church going, still Christian.
I can’t speak to LGBTQ issues because I’m cis but I can speak to what it’s like to go to churches steeped in white supremacy and be friends with and worship with those who don’t say or do outright racist things and yet still manage up prop up white supremacy through silence and decision and above all, gaslighting.
And that’s what Pratt is doing with his down home, gosh jolly, I’m too nice to confront it dismantle bigotry and as long as I don’t behave measurably bigoted, it shouldn’t matter that I support it with my time, my presence, and my tithes or that I raise my children in the same head space.
It’s as bad as saying you can’t be racist because you don’t own slaves, don’t use the n word.
He has become completely intolerable and I have a feeling we won’t have to worry about cancelling him because I think he’s doing all the work himself
As someone who swallowed the “hate the sun, love the sinner” kool-aid for a long time- it’s crap. If you believe that LGBTQ people are sinning in God’s eyes then you don’t really love them, you aren’t extending them equal treatment, and it’s ludicrous to pretend otherwise. I’m sorry to get so heated online but I want others to avoid my mistakes and hold themselves, and others, to the only right standard, which is 100% acceptance. Not 99%, 100%. Anne Hathaway actually said it best a few years ago when she got some LGBTQ amabassador award: it isn’t award worthy because it’s easy, it’s actually the bare minimum of good behavior (Im paraphrasing).
Thanks for sharing this. And by all means – get heated! Get heated online and in real life too! I agree with you. I’m not religious and never have been, and it’s exactly because of that kind of doublethink/doublespeak. Never sat right with me, even from a young age. My only rebellion as a teen was rejecting such dogma. Drove my parents wild lmao.
Jesus also said he didn’t come into the world to bring peace but wanted to divide it with a sword. Although this was probably geared toward the religious elites of his time & Rome itself, funny how Christians ignore that verse lol.
They don’t ignore it, they just understand he’s not saying what he CAME to do, just giving a prophecy of how his teachings are going to cause division even in people who allegedly share the same faith. Considering all the comments here, I’d say he was pretty on point about that.
Isn’t this also the church that the beibers met at and go to? sounds like a stain on humanity
All these LA “rock star” pastors are the exact same cis white male. Ctrl+C Ctrl+V
Well if we dig deep enough everyone in Hollywood probably had ties to some church or some other organization that likely has views some find offensive. That’s why we should all boycott everyone and everything at all times. I was under the impression that Pratt was not a member of Hillsong and doesn’t even attend service there. But I’ll tell who is, Justin Bieber.
I legit knew nothing about Pratt’s church attendance or that he was even religious. I read about it here and that’s about it. Personally, I’ve never gotten the impression that his trying to shove his views down anyone’s throat – he seems to talk about it in terms of himself. I also disagree that anyone who attends a particular church should automatically be branded racist, sexist, homophobia, or anti-LGBT. It’s an absurd and false assumption – it’s like saying all Christians are against abortion which we know isn’t true. It is possible attend a church or belong to a faith and not agree or support 100% of the official and unofficial stances. Millions of Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Buddhist do it everyday.