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Chris Pratt: "I'm not a religious person"; seeks to change perceptions about his religious views, denies attending Hillsong Church

Antrax

Antrax

Member
Oct 25, 2017
13,301
JohnsonUT said:
"All are welcome" is a VERY common evangelical motto. In practice, it is obviously not true.
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It's not the quote specifically but the fact that this was his rebuttal to someone else saying he attended a specific bigoted church. Like, the right denial should be "I don't go to the church you're thinking of" not "my church is actually welcoming."

What Pratt said back then was not actually a denial about which church he attended but a denial about their beliefs (which isn't correct in Hillsong's case)
 
VeryHighlander

VeryHighlander

The Fallen
May 9, 2018
6,407
short of something straight up illegal, I can't think of anything that could have tanked Pratt's reputation as the internet's sweetheart more than being accused of being religious. I find that fucking hilarious TBH. We've all had to deal with those "straight edge" types irl at one point so when one reveals themselves in this fashion it's hard not to laugh at them a little. He's (or his publicist) clearly going back on established lore. This is so funny.
 
SageShinigami

SageShinigami

Member
Oct 27, 2017
30,493
The whole thing about his religious beliefs is overblown. You can be Christian and not be a terrible person. But like...I know some of the people he follows. I know one of them personally, and like...lol. Whatever they saying about you is accurate, my guy.
 
Ducarmel

Ducarmel

Member
Oct 25, 2017
2,363
Why flat out deny it when we got receipts on you.

It would have been a smarter play to say you've grown and rejected your religious teachings.
 

Deleted member 43

Account closed at user request
Banned
Oct 24, 2017
9,271
Individually, none of those statements are actually that flag-raising.

"I'm not religious" is a very standard Christian thing to say. They "don't believe in religion, they believe in God."

"I believe in God," yeah most Americans do, even if it doesn't impact any of their other beliefs or how they act whatsoever.

"I never attended Hillsong," well Zoe is related so that could both be accurate, and an explanation for where the rumors came from and why he never denied it before now.

But taken together, and considering everything he didn't touch on…I don't really see this changing any impressions of him.

But I will say the internet going after him for celebrating his "healthy" new baby is some serious bitch-eating-crackers BS. I get that pissing him off, if it really happened.
 
The Albatross

The Albatross

Member
Oct 25, 2017
39,104
Wil Grieve said:
"I'm spiritual" is to Christians what "I'm a Libertarian" is to closet Republicans.

It's all just a way to disguise themselves so they don't get rightfully shit on.
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This was also common among new agey folks. My wife is definitely not Christian/Catholic, very progressive leftist who is antagonistic to the Church, but still calls herself spiritual because she's into yoga and looks up star shit on her astrology apps. I think it's dumb, but I also post 20 paragraph treatises about fictional characters in videogames on dying forums, so ... I'm not really in a position to judge :D
 
Flavius

Flavius

Member
Oct 28, 2017
2,331
Orlando, FL
Tavernade said:
I just mean, he's an actor who is the lead in two gigantic franchises + a fan favorite in a beloved sitcom + the lead in a breakout animated movie. He should be actually popular by those metrics, but he isn't, and I imagine this is him reacting to that.
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I knew where you were going with that...just having a bit of fun with it. ;) I think you're right. This is likely been bubbling up inside him for years at this point. He's just such an awful actor, but he's far from the only one and that doesn't make him a bad person. He's just not very good and maybe a bit boring and if you don't just tow the company line, you're going to get bit.
 
DarthMasta

DarthMasta

Member
Feb 17, 2018
3,973
So, he's not talented enough to be allowed to be religious? If he made better movies, like say, Finest Weapon about a fighter pilot program for the Air Force, he'd be ok?

I'm Atheist BTW, all the religions are goofy, but it's also goofy to pick and choose like this, this person can have his weird beliefs, that one, nah.
 
Everybody Lies

Everybody Lies

Member
Oct 28, 2017
6,261
I don't think I've ever heard someone proclaiming I'm religious, well maybe not religious per se, but spiritual, but still religious, but not THAT religious. Like what is he trying to convince me of here? That he isn't Kirk Cameron? That he only prays three times a week? Okay, I guess, but that is between him and his God which is where he should have kept his religion in the first place.

Just a weird thing to even get into.

Someone should have told him long ago when it comes to business, no religion and no politics. Kind of hard to put that devil back in the box once it's out.
 
Wooden Robot

Wooden Robot

Member
Oct 27, 2017
726
Never understood the level of hate people have for this guy. Just seems christian in the same way musicians and sports figures are when they go up and thank god after an award.
 
Iztok

Iztok

Member
Oct 27, 2017
6,141
Matt said:
Individually, none of those statements are actually that flag-raising.

"I'm not religious" is a very standard Christian thing to say. They "don't believe in religion, they believe in God."

"I believe in God," yeah most Americans do, even if it doesn't impact any of their other beliefs or how they act whatsoever.

"I never attended Hillsong," well Zoe is related so that could both be accurate, and an explanation for where the rumors came from and why he never denied it before now.

But taken together, and considering everything he didn't touch on…I don't really see this changing any impressions of him.

But I will say the internet going after him for celebrating his "healthy" new baby is some serious bitch-eating-crackers BS. I get that pissing him off, if it really happened.
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Yes I agree, this is how I understood his statements here.

I used to love this dude, I thought he was very entertaining to watch in anything, even his interviews were always funny.
But when this Hillside thing hit I was just so disappointed and haven't watched anything he was in since.

When I saw the threat title it got my hopes up but no, this isn't good enough, yet. Maybe he'll get there.
 
Sordid Plebeian

Sordid Plebeian

Member
Oct 26, 2017
17,404
Pretty sure James Gunn has also talked about how he wasn't associated with that church but the rumor spread like wildfire
 
Genesius

Genesius

Member
Nov 2, 2018
15,640
NinjaScooter said:
We could ask every Catholic celebrity the same thing while we're at it.
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There are plenty of Catholics (myself included) that have a problem with the SC ruling and the outright evisceration of church and state that's going on right now. I am so weary of freaking southern Evangelicals and far-right ultra conservatives in the American Catholic church dictating the perception of a religion that means very much to me and calls for the opposite of so much that those types parade around. We are to love our neighbor, be unjudgmental, generous of spirit and possessions, merciful, and fair. And it's all been twisted and co-opted into a way for Republicans to get re-elected by jingling the phrase "abortion" around in front of idiots like car keys.

It's incredibly disheartening. Not only because of the hypocrisy, but because it's also made Christianity a large punching bag on the whole.
 
Jakenbakin

Jakenbakin

"This guy are sick"
Member
Jun 17, 2018
11,881
Blistering fast response to controversy from *checks notes from 3 years ago, sees reference to checking notes memes* 3 years ago.
 
NinjaScooter

NinjaScooter

Member
Oct 25, 2017
54,261
Genesius said:
There are plenty of Catholics (myself included) that have a problem with the SC ruling and the outright evisceration of church and state that's going on right now. I am so weary of freaking southern Evangelicals and far-right ultra conservatives in the American Catholic church dictating the perception of a religion that means very much to me and calls for the opposite of so much that those types parade around. We are to love our neighbor, be unjudgmental, generous of spirit and possessions, merciful, and fair. And it's all been twisted and co-opted into a way for Republicans to get re-elected by jingling the phrase "abortion" around in front of idiots like car keys.

It's incredibly disheartening. Not only because of the hypocrisy, but because it's also made Christianity a large punching bag on the whole.
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My point is that the head of the Catholic Church and the Vatican have essentially come out in support of Roe V Wade being overturned, yet as you said many catholics do not necessarily share this view and don't agree, creating a scenario where its possible for a person to belong to a church or religion and not share all of its views on everything.
 
CommodoreKong

CommodoreKong

Member
Oct 25, 2017
7,736
Snake Eater said:
He wants other roles
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I seriously doubt Pratt was having problems getting other roles given how popular Jurassic World and GotG are.

Cruise isnt exactly having problems getting roles despite his religion being scientology and while I could be wrong I don't see Pratt constantly shoving his religion down peoples throats that could cause him to lose out on some roles. Sure he might occasionally talk about it on talk shows or post about it on Instagram but I haven't really seen anything that I think would turn away a casting director.
 
TalonJH

TalonJH

Member
Oct 27, 2017
4,887
Louisville, KY
So he's lying then? It's whatever though if he wants to change. I don't see a problem with that if he finally wants to distance himself.

Edit: Also, I don't think Pratt was having much trouble getting roles.
 
Alpheus

Alpheus

Member
Oct 25, 2017
7,665
This...sudden, shift makes me think he's rather religious* and this is a smokescreen, some new calculus his management made due to Roe v Wade being overturned by the right wing activist Judges.

*And yes I'm aware for Evangelicals they say they're "not religious" like bad fanfic writers have their characters say "I'm not like other women/men" but they definitely are, they just rationalize and see themselves as not being that way.
 
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NinjaScooter

NinjaScooter

Member
Oct 25, 2017
54,261
Is there actually anything to substantiate or any stories recently about Chris Pratt's religion or lack of religion actually having any sort of substantial negative bearing on his career? People keep bringing that up as a reason for this story, or because he is having trouble getting roles, or because Thor is coming out but, like, Jurassic World 3 launched like a month ago (and was fairly successful at the box office), if this were really an issue, and the reason for this interview, wouldn't it have made more sense for this to come out then? Because it sounds like a very "online" narrative.
 
Charpunk

Charpunk

Member
Oct 25, 2017
10,653
Shroki said:
Because zoomer leftist twitter has been trying to cancel him over it for like three years straight and he's got a movie coming out, so it's going to flare up again (if it hasn't already).

Like, I unfollowed this dude years ago for his religious tweets. I'm an atheist and I'm obnoxious about it at times. But even I think the weird axe people have to grind isn't rooted in enough, I don't know, actual evidence of shittiness to justify the attacks. Especially on Era here, where people are all too happy to ignore that Tom Cruise is like the third most prolific figure in a cult that extorts, kidnaps and possibly murders but Chris Pratt is the worst because.... he doesn't talk much about his politics and attended a megachurch like 6 years ago?
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I really don't get people's obsession over Tom cruise here. Oh great he made a movie that brought back people to the theaters, guess I should forget what a terrible person he is.
 
Tabaxi

Tabaxi

Member
Nov 18, 2018
12,971
I guess after he somehow botched the "look how great my wife is" social media post, his PR firm decided to try something new.
 
DanGo

DanGo

Member
Oct 25, 2017
6,752
Slayven said:
That is the interesting question. He been super radio silence before
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Trying to get some neutral PR before his TV show drops, since unless it's a radical adaptation, it's based on a crazy conservative fever dream novel. I think his team is mistaken that the religious stuff is the only problem for his image, it's just the easiest thing for folks to point at. I think it's all the bread crumbs about his political stances that have really eroded whatever likability he had.
 
echoshifting

echoshifting

very salt heavy
The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
14,851
The Negative Zone
NinjaScooter said:
My point is that the head of the Catholic Church and the Vatican have essentially come out in support of Roe V Wade being overturned, yet as you said many catholics do not necessarily share this view and don't agree, creating a scenario where its possible for a person to belong to a church or religion and not share all of its views on everything.
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Possible sure, but I think also reasonable and fair to assume that if a Christian can't stomach saying, abortion is health care, love is love, and trans rights are human rights, they probably don't believe those things. Especially if they attend a church that doesn't endorse those beliefs either. Those are simple things to say if you believe them. And yeah I think you have a greater responsibility to express that if you're a public figure giving funds to a church that denies or actively works against those things, whether you're evangelical or Catholic or whatever else.
 
odiin

odiin

Member
Oct 27, 2017
3,740
NinjaScooter said:
Is there actually anything to substantiate or any stories recently about Chris Pratt's religion or lack of religion actually having any sort of substantial negative bearing on his career? People keep bringing that up as a reason for this story, or because he is having trouble getting roles, or because Thor is coming out but, like, Jurassic World 3 launched like a month ago (and was fairly successful at the box office), if this were really an issue, and the reason for this interview, wouldn't it have made more sense for this to come out then? Because it sounds like a very "online" narrative.
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It has had a very obvious negative effect and my source is that I made it up.
 
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