You may dye eggs to celebrate Easter, but Chris Pratt really went all out to celebrate the holiday this past weekend. Pratt, currently filming Guardians of the Galaxy 2, spent his Easter holiday in erecting a 20-ish foot tall cross in the desert, documenting the entire project on his Instagram page.
Pratt has previously spoken out about his Christian faith, telling Esquire in a 2014 interview that a random encounter with a stranger in Maui helped him find God. The man told Chris, “I stopped because Jesus told me to stop and talk to you. He said to tell you you’re destined for great things.” Chris admitted, “I gave my soul to Jesus within, like, two days.” He also said that dealing with the premature birth of his son, Jack, in 2012 helped solidify his religious beliefs.
In other “Chris Pratt is a cool guy” news, the actor has teamed up with Omaze for a fundraising campaign benefiting the Boys and Girls Clubs in Chris’ hometown of Lake Stevens, Washington. One lucky winner gets the chance to head to Atlanta and get a tour of the Guardians of the Galaxy 2 set and lunch with the Star Lord himself. In the promotional video for the campaign, Chris gives a quick tour of the set and shows off Star Lord’s helmet, telling fans that if they win, “You can put this helmet on and punch me in the face. That’s a promise. It’s for the kids.” He also nearly reveals the identity of Star Lord’s father, until director James Gunn steps in and reminds him, “You don’t understand what a spoiler is. I keep telling you.”
As for the burning question as to the identity of the father, I’m in Atlanta and our local paper has reported sightings of Chris, Zoe Saldana and Kurt Russell dining together around town, so maybe Kurt is Papa Star Lord? Oh, and director Gunn recently revealed he filmed a “jaw dropping moment” between Chris and Kurt. Hmmm….
I still love Chris Pratt, and I think it’s actually kind of lovely that he put a cross up for Easter. The commitment he has to his faith is admirable and he doesn’t seem to want to jam his beliefs down anyone’s throat. I just managed to cook a ham, so Chris’ efforts are making me feel slightly inadequate right now, so thanks for that. Maybe next year, I’ll at least hide some eggs or something.
Photo credit: Instagram/Chris Pratt, Getty Images, Fame Flynet, WENN.com
Yeah I’ve heard the rumors of him being told to tone down the religious rhetoric on film sets, etc. so …yeah. Also, erecting a giant cross certainly isn’t indicative of someone who is private about his religion. I mean, he can do whatever he wants but let’s not pretend there’s anything subtle about a 20 ft cross.
Gun-toting, animal-killing, fervently religious…he and I have so much in common! Now wonder I’m such a fan.
Yeah, that was my thought — many Christians wear crosses to show their faith but he’s taken it to a new level with that cross. If he’d done it and not “documented” it so meticulously that would be another story.
I wonder if his wife is just as religious.
She’s just as religious but I’m not sure she’s a conservative like Pratt.
listening to her podcast tells me that she isn’t conservative, at all.
Anna’s podcasts are totally, massively filthy, and good fun. I’m sure she could find a double entendre in Chris’ massive erection….
Yeah, Jesus loved the idea of killing for pleasure…
He was quite keen on fishing I’ve read.
Yeah, a little smaller cross and a lot less killing would be my idea of a nice Easter. Jesus said to worship in private and not to use your religion as a way to get attention or accolades. (He said it better than that, but that was the idea.)
I loved him as Andy Dwyer. I wish he hadn’t gotten so famous and started talking.
I used to love him before I knew anything about him. The comments about trophy hunting and coyote-killing, giving his incontinent cat away on Twitter were the deal-breakers for me.
Honestly, the religion thing isn’t even a big deal to me, but preaching about God in light of how little respect he has for animal’s lives–well, I just find it all so disingenuous.
@Kitten
… he gave away his sick cat on Twitter? That kind of says it all, if that’s true.
I LOVED Guardians. And I think he’s great in it… but, damn. Vegan, animal rescue-volunteering me, is kind of… making constipated sad faces at this article.
What does a big cross really mean, anyway? Wouldn’t volunteering at a homeless shelter on Easter… you know… say a whole lot more? I’d rather see pictures of that. Like the Rock, visiting a children’s hospital.
To be fair … that looks like a pretty big desert 🙂
It does look like a big desert… I’ve spoken about a giant Madonna that sits over a cliff here in East Boston. It’s very beautiful and moving, even from an atheist’s perspective so maybe people will see the cross and be comforted by it.
Eh, I just don’t like Pratt and I’ve kind of had it with religious extremists legislating their religion so please pardon my cynicism. As I always say, believe whatever the hell you want but don’t use your religion to deny people their rights.
I wonder if Pratt is a Trump supporter.
I think you need to read my post again. I said “I WONDER if he’s a Trump supporter”. That’s a LONG way away from declaring that he IS one.
Additionally, I think it’s a pretty reasonable question when he’s much-lauded by the NeoCon community. Sure, maybe they embraced him without his permission but it doesn’t change the fact that Pratt IS a conservative Christian and as such, it’s not a stretch to think that he would vote for a candidate on the Right.
“Given his gun loving attitude, I’d be surprised if he didn’t support Bernie.”
LOL. Um ok.
Yeah he brags about his vast collection of guns and waxes poetic about killing big game in Africa. One could say that is reminiscent of Donny Trump Jr and his penchant for shooting elephants and other animal butchery.
As for the $1,000 or whatever he gave to Obama’s campaign (let’s not make it seem like he was giving a million bucks like Morgan Freeman) it could have been because he simply didn’t want to see a Mormon in the White House.
*shrugs*
Re Chris supporting Trump- when Chris won an award but could not go to the event, he got someone’ to read out a prepared thank you. It included the phrase ” vote Trump”. I got the feeling he was taking the pee though.
Just when I thought I couldn’t like him less…
I just read this thinking, “Bloody hell, it’s different stateside”!
Anyone doing this in Britain would be regarded as a bit weird. Not that we don’t like Christians or none of us are Christians. We just don’t like all this public emoting about it. He could go in a Christian parade or attend a big service and put his picture up doing it and we wouldn’t mind, but that would be about our limit before we said, “That’s weird”.
I’m relieved to read you guys!
Yeah I wish I could say that this is totally abnormal for the US but….
Ha. Well, the downside is that we are that buttoned up about everything, not just religion (unless we are drunk, in which case you definitely don’t want to know us). The reticence would probably do your head in.
Absolutely agree on everything! I am such a fan myself…he got me at how animals are beautiful and that’s one of his motive to kill them…Big big fan …
Ugh. My love for him has dwindled to a mere tolerance. If he were Muslim or atheist and doing this, he’d have no career.
Not another religious wacko…
Man, I wish I had the balls to be as blunt as you.
When you live in a country where religion rules everything you get tired of all the nonsense that religion produces.
Every time someone try to dish out religion crap on me I just stop listening and I really change my mind about them. You can be just as religious even if you don’t try to force your ideas on me. Same with politics.
Yeah this whole display is a bit intense, but as long as he isn’t setting it on fire or trying to force his beliefs on others than it’s all good.
Well erecting a ginormous cross for everyone to see comes pretty close to forcing your beliefs on others IMO. I mean, I’d be pretty upset if a neighbor put that in their yard and I was forced to see it all the time.
@Arpeggi:
I thought this was put up in a desert not near anyone else’s house.
Yeah but it’s certainly not that far away in the middle of nowhere if he and his crew managed to bring all the tool and wood to erect the cross, it’s probably not very remote and the cross is likely visible from the roads, which sort of makes it visible to anyone going around there (also, if in the desert, was it in a park?). My point was more that when you build such a huge thing, you do it to make a statement. Which is what annoys me a tad. I mean, who do you build that for? God?! God doesn’t care about a cross; if it exists (which I don’t think so but that’s another story), the cross would only remind it the thing we used to kill its son. I dunno, but it doesn’t seem like a great way to honor your deity (“yo God! Remember how we crucified your kid?!”).
Well, I thought we already knew Kurt was playing star lord’s father.
I believe this info was given as soon as it was known Russell was cast for the movie.
Given what this article is about I feel like Kirk Cameron would be a more appropriate choice to play his father.
I’m not a very religious person but I was raised Catholic, I made the decision that I didn’t really believe in their practices later on. That being said, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with him saying he’s Christian & decided to celebrate Easter that way. I think it’s actually rather lovely what he did, & how faith kept him going around the time of his kid’s birth. He’s not shoving down his beliefs on us, but he’s allowed to share whatever he wants in his IG.
I agree. I’m a Catholic from a Latin American country so this kind of religious showboating, for want of a better term, is not that odd to me. He doesn’t seem to be harming anyone or forcing his view on anyone else and it doesn’t seem threatening. That land is probably private and/or secluded or belongs to a church so I don’t see any real issue, just as I wouldn’t have an issue with similar displays of devotion from other faiths.
Me too! I think people are quick to judge people’s faith based on what they think of their religion/church. If you don’t like it that’s fine it’s your opinion but don’t go around judging others for what their faith stands for. It’s clear that it brought him some sort of comfort when his kid was having health issues. That being said, in Mexico holy week is something else & way more than what Pratt did here. So this display with the cross is nothing compare to what I’ve seen.
I’m from a super Cathplic country too, an European one, and this kind of thing would be odd. The Holy week is a huge deal, but most religious “showing off” is done in the comunity, not by youself. Erecting a crucifix can be done, mostly in small villages, but it’s done by the whole village, not one person. They’re also not 7 m tall.
@Locke Lamora: He didn’t put it up alone, he did so with help. As small as it is, that’s a community. It’s harmless, just he and some fellow worshippers erecting a symbol of their faith.
Cultures differ – what’s tame to Latinx may be excessive for a European and quite day-to-day for the American Midwest.
@Locke Lamora I think to me he’s not hurting anyone, preaching his beliefs & did it with his friends on what could be his/their private property or a church in honor of Easter. But people have been to the extreme calling him Christian wacko for doing it. I have a soft spot for the guy since he takes the time to visit hospitals & donating money. Yet if you look at the comments no one is talking about the good thing he’s doing which is raising money for the Boys & Girls club of his hometown.
Lizzie McGuire, yes, religious festivities in Mexico are another thing! Easter ones are toned down in Mexico City (mostly going to the masses, the via crucis and the midnight mass on Saturday), I think ‘ve seen weirder things on Día de la Virgen de Guadalupe, some people go full crazy on that one
Oh, I don’t think he’s a religious wacko. I’m just saying this would be odd on my Catholic country, while Lizzie said it wouldn’t be in also Catholic Mexico.
Oh yeah Dia de la Virgen de Guadalupe gets all the attention from everyone, the televised special events & all that. I was in 4th grade when they made us dressed as la Virgen de Guadalupe & Juan Diego. That was definitely not fun at all.
Yeah Locke Lamora, it’s definitely different in each country. I think when they say religious wacko to me is someone like Tom Cruise or John Travolta, but in this case not Chris Pratt.
@Lizzie McGuire, lol really? were you on a Catholic school? I was in a Catholic high school and on that day we all had to pray the rosary
(^^in response to thread above)
I mean, the diff in Christianity as practiced in Europe and the Americas boils down to history. Europe=high church (and the Spanish took their high church to Latin America), America=reaction to high church (puritanism/separatism). Random denominations in the US that don’t even exist in Europe have these random and very individualistic expressions of faith (haha, highway billboards anyone?). Europe, you guys have all the orthodoxy, the beautiful cathedrals and monuments, etc. You don’t need billboards.
So creepy!
Nope, don’t like this guy, at least at a superficial level. Too Hickistan.
And how come Jesus never tells people to go to a random guy and tell him that he is NOT destined to great things, but to a mediocre life?
PS: Don’t stand next to that cross in case of thunderstorm, unless you want to talk to Jesus sooner than otherwise expected.
hahahahahahahaha!
Yes, pretty much my idea. I would expect God to handle the downtrodden more than anyone. But no, he ‘talks’ to Chris Pratt.
puts “Hickistan” in my pocket for future use
**laughing**
Maybe the “great things” Jesus was talking about was making Guardias of the Galaxy. 🙄
Why are people so offended by his faith? Did he do something? I’m not aware of him making any hateful remarks or going all Westboro.
I don’t get it either.
I don’t see how it’s different than the red string bracelets or all the pics of celebrities dressed up for Purim. It was Easter. The guy does a lot for kids and visits hospitals and seems harmless enough but one cross pic on Easter and he’s a “wacko”.
Exactly. Harming no one, pushing it on no one, just documenting something important to him. With all of his good works, it is hard to see why this action is so offensive to some.
Negativity sells. I like that he pays forward the positive (visiting sick children, helping funding of home-town programs) while ignoring the nay-sayers of HIS religious choice. Other than posting a few pics, I haven’t read any ‘damnation and hell-fire’ statements from him. /shrug, to each their own in this situation vs. the religious w(b)itch-hunt on this thread
Because it’s cool to make fun of Christians now.
Yes the 71% of Americans who identify as Christians are surely being bullied by the 23% of us who have no religious affiliation.
No it isn’t cool making fun of Christians now.. and I was raised as one, in a hugely religious country,where the Pope lives and i learned to differentiate faith from religion. Religious is someone who plants a 7m tall cross in their garden to prove others that their faith is real while a faithful person is whomever keeps that faith private and uses it to make good and be a better person despite all the corruption and all the sex abuse the Church of Rome represents.
I don’t believe any of the bullcrap I was fed during my years at church school but I do believe that you don’t have to be religious to be a good person and the more you show off, the more sins your God has to wash away off you.
Also believing all those fairy tales that every religion base their beliefs on is beyond naive and obtuse and also anachronistic.
@delta j
Agree.
@paolanqar Same as you, I was raised Catholic in a very religious country. Yes, there’s a difference between religious & faithful but that’s not up to us to shove down our beliefs on them too or judge them for believing in something. We don’t believe on what they believe & that’s ok but it doesn’t makes us better than them either. I also went to Catholic school & learned all about it. I don’t agree with their point of views so I decided that I was not going to follow them. I don’t go to Church nor I practice their beliefs. That being said I respect people’s religions, to some members of my family it brings them comfort to pray. To you it might be fairy tales but to them it helps them believe in something else, to them it’s something good.
more like pervasive Christian involvement in politics has caused a reaction. People are sick of pubic expressions of Christianity. But sure, pretend it’s just about what’s “cool” and the Church did nothing to bring it on itself.
Between evangelical churches telling the weak-minded that Christians can only be Republicans and the Catholic church protecting its own nauseating rear end at the expense of children, it’s hardly mysterious as to why the public has lost patience with the Church in public life.
I have no issue with religious stuff. If it’s about someone’s religion or culture, it’s cool. I wouldn’t care if it was a giant menorah and I’m not Jewish. I don’t think it makes him a religious weirdo either. He is harmless. Good for him for having his faith to get him through the hard times. It’s refreshing. Most people praise God when things are good, and curse him when things are bad.
Hmmmm, I’ve kind of seen a lot of the opposite of what you quoted. I see people pray in bad times and dismiss Him completely (or practically so) in good times.
I think that for many people this reminds them too much of the religious right that wants to control everyone based on their beliefs. I used to love Chris Pratt, but this honestly makes him far less attractive to me. I’m trying to figure out why and I think that’s it. I assume he’s against a lot of issues that are very important to me based on this.
I was raised as a Southern Baptist and my mom gets more extreme every year. I have a lot of issues based around the church and erecting a giant cross like this makes me think about all of the control the church wants to have over our everyday life.
Now, I’m not saying this is fair. Like I said, I had to try to figure out why it bothered me and that’s the best I can come up with right now. Maybe I will discuss it with my therapist next time religion comes up!
It’s nice to see a celebrity willing to proclaim his faith and risk being thought of and treated differently by his peers and colleagues.
I agree 100 percent. Fail to see how he’s harming anyone.
I’m always pissed by these messages from God, they are all like ‘you’re meant to do great things’.
How about God sending someone with the message ‘you are meant for mediocre things’ or ‘you are meant to suffer terribly’.
I mean, the majority of people are not meant to be cinema stars but yet the society counts on us to pay the taxes, provide good education to our kids, do the grunt work. Maybe God should send some messages our way as well.
I hate being so cynical, but honestly if someone walked up to me and told me that I’d say “Wow. Thank you!…weirdo.”
My favorite is when a plane crashes and the sole survivor claims that “Jesus had bigger plans for me”. Guess Jesus didn’t have big plans for the other 200 people who perished.
I mean whatever. People have a right to believe whatever they want but that kind of mentality just doesn’t make sense to me…but meh, I guess it doesn’t have to.
*shrugs*
Kitten I like reading your posts, especially the 71% comment that was hysterical. As for me, I’m not Christian and I find it a little too loud and proud for my taste. If you’re not Christian you do not at all find comfort in this sort of thing, just the opposite. If I were a famous person I would not use my platform to discuss religion at all, it is off-putting to those not that religion. If he were not famous I don’t see this as a big deal, it’s just like any religious zealot who wants to display their faith. And I do think this is not subtle, a small sideways cross is subtle, this is the equivalent of having a horse as an indoor pet.
I agree Kitten. And why is God wasting his time helping some athletes to win matches/ games / races? It also annoys me when people whohave a big tragedy in their lives (and I’m not unsympathetic) say that they used to be religious but the tragedy meant that they no longer believed. But they had no trouble in believing when tragedies were affecting anyone else. That was fine.
I lived across the street from a woman in Dallas who said God talked to her every day. She said she could hear him as plainly as she could hear me. I asked her what he talked about, and she said “the weather.” So I’m thinking, God lets children die in a burning building, but he tells you it’s going to rain? I think maybe she was hearing the weather on the radio and she thought it was God. I spent some time crouching behind my sofa when she came to my door so she wouldn’t see me and would go away, I’m ashamed to report.
LMAO!!
That’s a very convenient thing for God to talk to her about. Very helpful in planning one’s wardrobe for the upcoming week.
A guy once told me God talks to him, and he will tell me all about it, but when we’re going to be in a more approprite place. We were in a church at the time.
I usually don’t believe in these things, apart from a few Marian apparitions, like in Fatima or to the kids in Međugorje.
LOL Locke Lamore. That kind of sounds like a pick-up line 😉
Well, I was about 16 then, and he was a pensioner, so I really hope it was not a pick-up line 😀
Yeah, Locke, that sounds very much like a pick up line. LOOOL
Maybe, whatever message is sent your way, by whomever, your head needs to bet set on a compatible frequency. I don’t think my head works on the same frequency as Pratts’s.
I don’t like it when anyone so publicly declares their faith. It’s tacky and a bit self-congratulatory.
Do all the good deeds you want, but no need to advertise.
So do you think Islamic women who wear hijabs are tacky? Because that is a public display of their faith.
That’s not really an apt comparison. A hijab would be equivalent to a Catholic wearing a cross around their neck.
As far as I know, there isn’t really an agreed-upon visual depiction of Muhammad among Muslim culture (please feel free to correct me on this) but I bet if Pratt had put up a 20 ft statue of Muhammad people would feel a lot differently.
Pardon me for being unclear Jonas, I meant activities like building a 20 foot cross and posting it on Instagram.
That’s obviously not the same thing, Stretch.
No apt comparison would be a sikh wearing a turban. Which is a mandatory head covering. Not wearing a cross around your neck which can be hidden under clothing.
Islam prohibits Idotary. That is why no statues in Mosques.
Depictions of Muhammed forbidden. T
Aniconism is present in Islam is against the creation of image of “sentient beings” Therefore most traditional/ even modern Islamic art is graphic. Caligraphy. Geometic patterns, etc.
Photography, film, and TV — become a gray area. Because then all TV would be forbidden.
Knowledge is power.
I assume in your vast and powerful knowledge you meant “idolatry”.
You seem to be insisting that a whisper is the same as a shout.
Sikh is not an apt comparison either if it’s considered a mandatory component of religious dress. I wouldn’t care if someone wore a yarmulke but if that same person erected a giant Star Of David in their yard I might find it a bit much.
I wouldn’t complain about it and I wouldn’t try to get him to take it down, but yeah, I’d find it to be a bit extra.
Again, no one’s saying Pratt’s not allowed to do it (obviously) but when you document yourself erecting a 20 ft cross on social media, you’re not making your religion a secret. It’s no longer personal, and people will have an opinion. If he didn’t IG the whole experience, none of us would even know about it and let’s not pretend that he didn’t have that option.
*shrugs*
Correct me if I’m wrong Jonas, but women wearing the hijab has little to do with actual Islamic belief. It is the outward manifestation of male repression and subjugation and is the antithesis of any modern system of religion. It is rooted in the outmoded belief that women are responsible for the “lustful” thoughts of males, and that it is their wanton showing of hair, ankles, shoulders and legs that leads men “astray”. I personally refute this ridiculous notion, and no man on a God’s green earth will ever tell me what I may or may not wear. Next thing you know we will have to hidden behind a curtain in church, and these special male people can pretend we don’t exist. I acknowledge that it is a matter of choice, but I just find it loathsome.
Antipodean, you’re exemplifying Western feminism at its most condescending. It’s simple, if you ever happen to become Muslim, don’t wear the veil. It’s OK millions of Muslim women don’t.
Some of the best feminists I know wear a hijab. Islam also has dress codes for men. No saggy bottom jeans. No skinny jeans. Etc. Not adhered to by millions in the same way millions of women don’t wear hijab.
Or how is it praised and celebrated when people like Ricky Gervais publicly attack people’s faith, and loudly proclaim his belief that there isn’t a god on public platforms that are reaching the masses, but yet people are offended by someone celebrating their faith on a religious holiday?? Dual standards…..
@Lambda, I was not aware that feminism was a point on the compass, and that it could be defined as such. If you want to describe me as “Western”, please do, but I refute your assertion that I am condescending. If that is what you perceived my comment to be about then bless your little heart. If you noticed you would see that I concede it is a matter of choice, but that is the beauty of living in a democracy, everyone has the right to dress whatever way they want to, and I have the right to disagree with it, if I so choose.
SERIOUSLY? I’ve tried to be fair on this thread but this is just straight-up bullsh*t.
We’re living in a country that is DOMINATED by one religion, to the point where people won’t even vote for a president that they know is a non-believer and people are here complaining about ONE comedian who DARED to say he doesn’t believe in God? Are you freaking kidding me?
The audacity! He should pretend to believe in God so he doesn’t offend the masses, right? Get out of here with that.
Also, please stop with this idea that people are “offended”. That kind of unnecessary hyperbole contributes nothing to the conversation. The post is about a celeb putting a giant cross up and people are giving their opinion about it. That’s all. People aren’t complaining or protesting–they’re giving their opinion, which they have every right to.
I am so tired of this fallacy that Christians are maligned and I swear it gets trotted out anytime someone has any opinion about religion that isn’t 100% positive-rosy-happy-supportiveness. We’re all supposed to just shut up and let the dominating religion have the podium and never have a say about it.
Nope.
Not happening anymore sorry not sorry.
Antipodean, And now you know: feminism, in its theory and especially in its practices, is indeed a matter of geography and of cultural positioning. Western-centric, often white, feminism has had a dubious and condescending position in the North-South, West-East axes. It’s a colonial feminism of sorts. You illustrate it. As my little heart is generally blessed, I think you should do what every decent person would, namely, take your talk and your ears to a group of Muslim women, and listen to what they have to say. Don’t hide your ideas from them, it’s not like it’s anything they haven’t heard before.
@Lambda, thank you so much for your superior knowledge, I consider myself schooled. How did I ever manage to navigate the complexities of true feminism, which at is base is very simple and straight forward, without such helpful and illuminating advice for all these years? Who knew?
You’re welcome!
apparently god writes fortune cookies…
I personally don’t care what people do as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone, doesn’t have flashing lights that are going to give me seizures from where I’m standing on the street, or doesn’t make godawful noise at all hours. He wants to have a stupid huge cross and spend time he could be doing better things erecting it, bless him. Don’t care.
That’s nice, dear.
Co-signed.
And thank you!
Lol! Perfect.
So did they just randomly decide to erect a huge cross in the middle of the desert or was this a church mission type thing? If it’s the former, is that even legal?
I think it is his own property, but I thought the whole thing was just odd, and reminded me of the zealots who walked down the streets of my small southern hometown growing up, carrying crosses on their backs, warning every one else to pray for their sins. I would have respected him more if he kept it off instagram, but it definitely seemed for show, and a major workout.
Ah, I see. Agree with you, the whole thing is odd.
It’s not something I would ever do but it certainly doesn’t offend me. I don’t get why people really care one way or the other? By all accounts he’s a really nice guy, purposefully grabbed his old guardians costume to visit hospitals, is raising money for the boys and girls club, etc. Those outward acts seem more important to me than something he put up on his property.
Darn. I liked him but I can’t tolerate preaching. Believe what you want. Keep it to your family.
I’m wondering here if the question isn’t a matter of the platform of fame rather than the platform of religion?
I don’t discuss religion in public. Most of my co-workers and casual acquaintances have no idea what my religious beliefs are — and I like it that way. I don’t need to validate my personal identity by making it part of my public social identity. And part of my belief system is to be not just respectful, but genuinely supportive of the beliefs (or non-belief) of others.
However, I did recently post pictures of my kid as an acolyte at our church — a picture with his grandma and another of him lighting the candles. Since I’m not a famous, no one by my smattering of FB friends cares. And these are the same friends who know that I’m happy to celebrate Passover, Samhain, and Dewali with them.
But if I was famous and posted that picture in IG with thousands of followers who don’t know the full extent of my beliefs — would that be considered proselytizing?
I would have preferred an article titled
Chris Pratt erects enormous
That’s it. Impressive? Oh yeah.
Reviewing his Instagram is not mandatory so he’s not shoving anything at anyone.
I’m an atheist and am not offended by this at all. The cross is an important symbol, especially for the Easter holiday. I’m fine with him sharing this on Instagram. I wouldn’t be offended if he shared photos of his adorable son with the Easter Bunny, which has less to do with the religious side of Easter than a cross. For some reason, I really like this celebrity and perhaps he can do no wrong?
ugh
The religious right is using God and cries of loss of religious liberty to discriminate against people so that this kind of show seems excessive and leaves a very bad taste in my mouth.
A very bad taste.
look at the animal-for-fun-killing christian chris pratt
” I stopped because Jesus told me to stop and talk to you. He said to tell you you’re destined for great things.”
Am I the only one who finds that quite pied piper-ish? Like, cult-recruitment level of strange? If somebody said that to me, I’d feel they were insulting my intelligence. My response would probably be: “You know what they say… If you talk to God, it’s called prayer. If God talks to you, it’s called psychosis.”