As promotion for Tree of Life heats up, I’m finding that most media outlets really want to discuss the character Brad Pitt is playing in specific terms. Some say he’s playing an physically and emotionally abusive father. Some say he’s just playing a typically “strong” father of the 1950s. I’m still not sure, but Brad is getting good reviews for his performance, and some are even hinting at another Oscar nomination for him. Of course, the film is kind of controversial, and some people absolutely hate it (thus, the handful of boos at yesterday’s screening). Director Terrence Malick seems to want to raise discussions about religion and family and the universe, etc. So when Brad got some questions about how he was raised, he took the bait:
Brad Pitt was in Cannes on Monday, promoting his new film, “The Tree of Life,” and talking about how he would like his kids to perceive the film, and his reflections on his own upbringing.
“I think of everything I do now that my kids are going to see when they grow up and how are they going to feel,” Pitt told reporters Monday at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival. “But they know me as a dad and I hope they’ll just think of me as a pretty damn good actor.”
Pitt plays a father bringing up his family in 1950s Texas in Terrence Malick’s long-awaited film, and the actor confessed his own childhood had its ups and downs.
“I got brought up being told things were God’s way, and when things didn’t work out it was called God’s plan,” he said. “I’ve got my issues with it. Don’t get me started. I found it very stifling.”
[From Extra]
I think Brad is pretty much an agnostic at this point. Maybe even an atheist. He’s talked before about how religion “doesn’t work” for him but I think he tends to use “religion” as a catch-all for organized religions, for Christianity and his parents’ faith. My guess? Brad is kind of Buddhist. Budget Buddhist.
Here are some photos of Brangelina leaving the post-premiere party last night:
Photos courtesy of Pacific Coast News and Fame.
“Don’t get me started.”
too funny. 😆
He’s probably an atheist, lots of people shrug off their childhood religions when they mature.
Props to this man for talking about his lack of faith. Good for him for leaving christianity and religion for good.
To think that Tom left one cult for another is just heartbreaking.
Love you Brad, I hope Tom takes lessons from you.
I like Angelina, and her relationship with Brad. But, I have to say it “what the h*ll is going on with her?” In many of the pictures I’ve seen of her in Cannes she looks out of it. Tired, sad, confused. I would say maybe she just isn’t feeling well. But, she looked bizarre in the photo we saw of her a few weeks back with Brad at a play or something. I’m concerned for her.
I love how he’s so honest in this aspect. Grew up in a Christian church and experienced the same thing. I especially hated when people would tell about how “God” spoke to them when they prayed for stupid stuff like what car to buy.
They pretty much use their religion to feel like they are better than others and hide behind it when they make decisions/mistakes (All part of God’s plan. And because they prayed about it, they are always right.)
Since elementary, I often found that my school friends who didn’t go to church were better people than 90% of the pretentious Christians I grew up with.
I’m with you Bee.. somethings been a little off in some pictures lately.. hope she’s ok… I think in these shots they both are just a little toasty.. 🙂 I would be 🙂
Lol, could AngieHo look more wasted, high and oily ?
I guess not.
What a sad woman she is. A mother of 6 should be happy and not looking for a methadon in drugs.
I’ve often wondered if his upbringing is the reason he stayed in his marriage for so long after it was plain the marriage was a mistake. A lot of people raised in strict religious households are brought up with the idea that marriage is for better or worse and if it’s for worse you stick it out till death do you part.
Maybe he finally realized that when holy wedlock becomes unholy deadlock, it’s time to bail.
He used to wear a cross and then he got with Angelina and now he’s atheist. he’s whatever Angelina is. there is something very unnatural and phony about him.
@bee: She looks like she’s tired and in need of a good night’s sleep.
I thought we had the right to worship whatever gods we believe in, including the tooth fairy, but hey I guess that’s not the case here.
BTW, just because they are a stunning glam couple, why do we have to scrutinze their happiness? Sour grapes?
ummm, I’m pretty sure she’s drunk. they were at an after party. I do think she looks miserable most of the time though. Funny enough She looked her happiest with jack Black. LoL
Never could understand why it’s such a big deal if someone is an atheist. And Brad defiinitely is an atheist and not agnostic as he was asked if he believes in God and he said “no”. So it isn’t that he’s not sure about an official church doctrines but he doesn’t believe there is any divine power above and beyond.
I’d look miserable too if I had the paps following me every chance they could.
Oh, she’s so beautiful…
Pitt looks so oily here, even worse than his Achilles in Troy.
@sharylmj I hope she is just a little toasty.
Also, I want to clarify what I wrote earlier by saying I don’t in any way think Angelina’s doing drugs or something strange to cause her to look like she does. She just looks a little “off” as sharylmj said in some of the picture’s I’ve seen.
I’m loving brad here, really, jolie goes without saying, she’s beautiful, but i feel differently about his statement, but it’s his experience, no one else’s. i grew up the same as him, i left my religion searching for something else as an adult, but ultimately came back, to each their own, i love him (brad) so much, his quiet persona, demeanor. who could blame his ex for constantly trying to get notice?.
Im sure his parents are very proud of him at this moment
It’s a wonderful answer who shows that he really “think” about religion: many people who grew into a particular einvironment just accept these believies without discussing it. I must say, this is the (absolutely wrong) way many view the Catholicism here in Italy: they get baptized, they learn the cathechism, they think they are good Cristians because they go to church every Sunday and then are the most obnoxious and ignorant people in the world.
I also see lots of persons who got the label of “agnostics” just because they don’t accept the (corropted) ierarchy and the Pope, and they are incredibly religious in the best way possible.
Here in Italy is almost a routine to baptise yout child because if not, he’s going to be discriminated in school. Hell, (Catholic) RELIGION is a subject in school.
Don’t let me start about it.
I think religion is what you take from it. Im Christian and completely proud to be so. Brad is being praised for being able to admit he’s not when people today are judged more harshly when they are. like its uncool now to have faith. despite the misguided notions, my faith guides my actions, and if those that read the bible truly understand it then there would be considerably less folk telling others to burn in hell for various iniquities, beuase they would understand that our place as christians is to spread Gods love and uplift, and not to spread any messages of hate and yes bad things happen but hasnt man contributed to
most of those things? If there weren’t any bad would we appreciate the good?
Why shouldn’t his parents be proud of him? He’s not saying PEOPLE shouldn’t be a Christian, or any other religion, he’s saying it’s not for him.
@someone Im sure his parents are very proud of him at this moment
I take it you’re being sarcastic here? Please do tell, why wouldn’t they be? Again, what’s wrong with being an atheist?
Angelina just looks exhausted. They have 6 kids and nanny or not, that is pretty exhausting especially when you’re working. I have 2 and its exhausting!
@bored “He used to wear a cross and then he got with Angelina and now he’s atheist. he’s whatever Angelina is. there is something very unnatural and phony about him.”
He’s the male Jane Fonda. He changes for whatever partner he is with. He tries to come off as intellectual but he clearly has no mind of his own.
He just looks hideous in these Cannes photos. We all know I don’t have a very high opinion of Angelina but she looks fine in these pics. I don’t see her looking sad or out of it. Maybe a little bored. These festivals don’t look fun to me. She’d probably rather be working or at home with the kids.
someone: Im sure his parents are very proud of him at this moment.
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Why shouldn’t they be? They raised a fine son who has a successful career, a devoted life partner, and has given them six beautiful grandchildren.
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To Naye in VA: Your Christian faith is admirable. I think faith is “uncool” because so many people who call themselves Christian use their faith as a weapon to bludgeon anyone they disagree with over the head, like saying only Christians are “saved” and anyone who isn’t “saved” is going to hell. You seem to be a refreshing exception.
Re religion, I’m totally agree with this incarnation of him. I am more of an agnostic than an atheist. I think I’m an areligionist. I absolutely LOATHE religion. That seems to be more common on the coasts. Most people out here are raised Catholic or raised Jewish or raised Protestant vs. practicing Catholics, Jews or Protestants.
it looks like they were both boozing pretty hard at the premiere party!
“I got brought up being told things were God’s way, and when things didn’t work out it was called God’s plan”
I think a lot of folks were brought up with that mentality…God is also used to scare kids (and adults) into not doing “bad” things.
always glad to see people grow up and question that “wisdom”. not necessarily DISMISS it, just QUESTION it, PONDER it, etc…
“I especially hated when people would tell about how “God” spoke to them when they prayed for stupid stuff like what car to buy.
They pretty much use their religion to feel like they are better than others and hide behind it when they make decisions/mistakes (All part of God’s plan. And because they prayed about it, they are always right.)”
agree completely. know who ALSO uses that excuse that “god told me to…”? Good ol’ G DUHbya Bush.
EDIT: “beuase they would understand that our place as christians is to spread Gods love and uplift, and not to spread any messages of hate”
wow, a christian who understands what “a christian attitude” really is. hate the sin, love the sinner, and all that. unfortunately, too many people who claim to be “christian” have a MOST un-christian-like attitude and, though it’s blasphemous, think THEY are entitled to judge as God would.
I was born and raised a Catholic but as soon as I started thinking for myself (about religion) I realized I was a total non believer.
I try to be impartial and respect other people’s faith and religions. I just wish that a person’s faith didn’t blind her from everything else. I wish people’s faith didn’t make them lose their objectivity.
@ Lin234:
They pretty much use their religion to feel like they are better than others and hide behind it when they make decisions/mistakes (All part of God’s plan. And because they prayed about it, they are always right.
Here, let me tell you something that happened to me once.
While in Catholic school, during one of my classes, the (Geography) teacher asked about everyone’s religions. When he finally asked who had no religion or didn’t believe in anything, I raised my hand — was received with a really loud booing from my classmates. Funny thing: I hadn’t booed anyone.
As a happy agnostic I think that people have a problem with athiesm because they assume that if you aren’t religious you have no morals. Of course they ignore all the abusive priests& ministers, the jihadists, the homophobia and all the other hateful things done in the name of religion.
No need to say I confirm what Theuth (19) wrote.
Call it a coincidence that I was reading some excerpts from yesterday’s photocall in an Italian newspaper just before I read this thread. He sounded spiritual – that’s way different from being religious – as he talked about the movie, but he was not very profound (as his usual).
I have the feeling that this movie’s going to be something more new-age-y than any person with some intelligence and spiritual sensibility would wish. Hope I’m wrong, I hate those kind of easy cheesy stories (Lost’s finale, for example).
“But they know me as a dad and I hope they’ll just think of me as a pretty damn good actor.”
That’s why he’s hoping to have hundreads of babies.
only those that accept Jesus as lord and Savior are saved. Jesus is the ONLY way.
I wish celebrities would keep their religious and political views to themselves. I find athiests and super religious people equally annoying. Nobody cares what you believe or don’t, so keep it to yourself. Blah.
Example of why people might get a pain in the rear with Christianity, look at jj’s quote above. Fortunately I understand that jj is not a good example of a Christian.
Religion? *Yawn*
Let’s talk about the pictures!
Angie is clearly not pregnant, she doesn’t have that ‘glow’ that she gets when she’s expecting. Her skin looks really good, which probably means shes on the pill and they’re not trying.
Are we going to have a season of Pitt Porn? Will Brad campaign for an Oscar nomination?
A Brangeloonie can dream… 🙂
It’s sad when a beautiful man and a so-so actor thinks he is oh so intelligent 🙂 Any upbringing is stifling in a way… but some rules are needed.
@jj: So all Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Bah’ais, Holy Rollers, etc., not to mention atheists and agnostics, are going to hell?
It’s people like you who give Evangelical Christians a bad name.
@Bee — I’ve been noticing it too, and it might be that Angelina is just aging naturally. She’s 35 now; her beauty prime was when she hooked up with Brad 5 years ago. Is it time for the Botox & fillers?
@Cheyenne: @jj: So all Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Bah’ais, Holy Rollers, etc., not to mention atheists and agnostics, are going to hell?
See, I don’t mind going to hell after I’m dead I only mind them religious people giving me hell (for not conforming to their ideas) here and now while I’m still alive.
@Jimmy ‘a mother of six should be happy’
Wow. Just wow. Motherhood – parenthood – is much more complicated than this. Children don’t just magically make you happy. Your personal issues don’t disappear, they may even be magnified. And maybe she’s just tired. Cause that’s one thing you CAN say – children make you tired 🙂
jj not everyone believes in your religion, deal with it.
@lin234, I feel the same way. My mom has a friend that she has known for over 40 years (and whom I have known my entire life). She had a very old horse that she wanted to put down because it was costing her too much money to keep the poor horse alive. The horse wasn’t sick and still had a fine quality of life, but it was costing her money. So she prayed on it to ask her god to kill the horse for her. She claims that her god “talked” to her and apparently told her that he arranged her life so she would have enough money to take care of the horse.
My mom and I were stunned, to put it lightly, at how plain freaking ridiculous it was for her to think that her god, with all of the other crap going on in the world, would not only take time to answer her when she was asking him to kill her horse, but that he specifically gave HER money so she could take care of a HORSE. I guess screw all of those poor starving people in the world, god is more concerned with this woman’s horse.
She had the horse put down anyway. My mom hasn’t talked to her since.
@Eve, that reminds me of my daughter. She decided at age 4 that she didn’t have any beliefs in a deity, and for that her classmates have mocked her, yelled at her, and told her that god was going to send her to hell. Gotta love those good values that they are learning in church.
I clicked with trepidation, but am pleasantly surprised to see this thread full of thinking people! Gives me hope for our species.
I have always thought that if heaven is full of people like jj (hope she/he was joking) I’d rather end my existence when I draw my last breath, and then just the oblivion.
And by the way, I wouldn’t be comfortable in a place where animals are not accepted.
Religion doesnt support adultery so of course he has “issues” with religion.
He is also EXTREMELY vain which doesnt really go along with most religions.
He went from a semi nice guy to a egomaniac who seems like he is in permanent mid life crisis.
There’s plenty of ‘upstanding’ religious folk who go right ahead and circumnavigate their ‘morals’ when it suits them, morals and religion are but ships in the night with some folk.
You didnt boo anyone? What a sensitive soul you are! When you die and youre off nowhere doing nothing I hope the great nothing who made nothing rewards you for this moral conduct you dont believe in.
Way to miss the point of Eve’s story ‘Me’. Way to totally miss it and make her the bad guy.
@ 46:
My moral conduct has nothing to do with religion, but with the fact that I’m a civilized human being. Unlike you.
ND: I don’t mind going to hell after I’m dead I only mind them religious people giving me hell (for not conforming to their ideas) here and now while I’m still alive.
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Hell sounds like it’s a helluva lot more fun than a heaven populated by ranting fanatics like Me and jj. Spare me that ole time religion.
No, please don’t start with that moral “thing”, please.
Moral, justice, charity aren’t exclusive of this or that religion. It’s up to one’s sensibility.
By the way, an interview to a man of science who understands the great value of life although he’s far from being religious:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/may/15/stephen-hawking-interview-there-is-no-heaven
And here’s the Pitt’s interview, if you have the courage to use Google translate…
http://cinema-tv.corriere.it/cinema/speciali/2011/cannes/notizie/grassi_mistico_malik_d3459d5a-8064-11e0-845d-a4559d849f1e.shtml
To each their own – I say believe and do whatever you want, so long as you don’t hurt anyone else or force your beliefs on them.
I do get the impression that BP is influenced by whoever his current partner is though. He definitely seems to take on the interests and characteristics of his past and present ladies.
Personally I went to a pretty liberal Baptist church as a kid, stopped years ago, and now consider myself sort of a spiritual but not religious person. In my experience, it’s just like anything else, there are people who do it right and make their faith a positive thing, and others who don’t and use it to attack others. If it makes you happy and gives you peace and comfort, great. If it makes you angry and hateful towards others, time to rethink.
@flourpot: You’re not a dork. I completely agree.
“When you die and you’re off nowhere doing nothing, I hope the great nothing who made nothing rewards you for this moral conduct you don’t believe in.”
What are you going to be doing after death? Genuine curiosity here.
“And by the way, I wouldn’t be comfortable in a place where animals are not accepted.”
No pets? Count me out too. Mine are waiting for me, I will see them again.
@Cheyenne – I agree with your comment concering BP staying in his marriage long after it was over, due conflicted feelings regarding his religious upbringing. Also, I don’t think he and AJ actually hooked up till after he and JA announced their separation, for the same reason. It still bugs me when I hear “cheaters!”. We’ll never know all that happened, but I just feel his attraction to AJ might have been what motiviated him to end the marriage, but not the reason at all for the split with JA. JMHO
im pretty sure she blew him during the screening.
I love lainey write-up on brangie red carpet event,seems nice to read.as for religion aspect,i am a christian and i am very proud of it,but i stil cant judge anyone for the choice they make
@Slim Charles Your comments on motherhood were understanding and insightful. Thank you 🙂 I appreciated that.
You would probably be hard pressed to find any true Christians in Hollywood.
I think there are very few true Christians in the world period. Jesus was someone who valued the poor over the rich and preached that people shouldn’t judge anyone else. I actually think Jesus was awesome (in the true sense of the word)….On the other hand a lot of so-called Christians who get their rocks off dictating how other people should live their life aren’t that great. They are the reason people who were raised in the church are totally turned off by religion in adulthood.
I think they just worship themselves, like most of Hollywood.
@TXCinderella: Question for you: Here are two people. One attends church every Sunday, knows the Bible forward and backward, and is a selfish, backstabbing hypocrite. The other never sets foot in a church, never reads the Bible, is ambivalent about whether God exists, and is a kind, considerate, caring person who goes the extra mile to help people who need it. Which one is the “true Christian”?
I am a catholic but i always found preaching christians being among the biggest hypocrits. They talk about it like a badge of honour, like they are better than the rest and criticize others who are not which is very ….UNCHRISTIAN like.
I don’t care what you say you are, it is how you live it that make you a christian or not.
So many people go to church and think praying is like the ultimate proof of their CHRISTIANITY. It’s not.
A true christian live according cristian principles or at least most of it. It certainly doesn’t look down others who are not and doesn’t think s/he is better than those who aren’t.
You can pray as much as you want, if you don’t respect other people’s faith or unchristianity, you are not a true christian, you are not living by christianity rbasic rules which is to tolerate and love people no matter their faith and let them chose what they like cause God loves all his children no matter your faith..
There is a difference between following a certain religion and having a relationship with God. Having a relationship with God is when you read the Bible and learn more about God’s ways. Thats when you can truly see him working in your life. Im not religious, I have a relationship. There is tremendous wisdom in the Bible and it is unfortunate that people don’t pick it up for themselves and read it. Alot of man’s problems is because man creates them and then trys to blame God for them. I do believe that people also forget that the devil does exist. Anyways, the Bible does say Jesus is the only way. He died so you have a chance to go to Heaven. The Bible clearly states why this had to happen to be redeemed back to God. If you have a problem with that you need to take that up with God. Don’t shot the messenger.
My church has a reading program for the poor, a fund that members are able to draw from when they fall on hard times with no interest and no expectation of repayment. We have a meals on wheels program for both members and non-members of our church for folks who can not get out of their homes, usually older folks and few people with cancer or full blown AIDS. My pastor regularly reminds us that Jesus hung out with the undesirables in his time and spoke primary of forgiveness and “love thy neighbor as thyself”.
So yay for y’all who are so much better off without religion or God. There are many folks in my community that are better off because of it.
I’m a crappy Christian trying very hard to be a good girl. I like hippy lovey Jesus and all the kindness and love crap in the Bible. Going to church and trying to be a less crappy Christian makes me a better wife, mother and hopefully a good person. If I choke to death tonight on chicken bone and God and everything related to my faith turns out to be one big sham on me, my life will have still been improved by Christ.
Yes, I am aware my snark is less than Christian. I’m working on it.
Also, I listen to more Satanic metal than anyone on the face of the planet. You should see my record collection.
@ lin234 and Geek Chic- I was raised around these types of people as well. It’s amazing and utterly hilarious what people pray for. Not to mention the most vocal woman in church was married and pregnant with her husband’s employee. No Joke. She also had a crystal rhinestone broach that she wore regularly that said “Jesus.” Every time I think of that woman I shudder.
@Lindsay There are lots of charities that help people without dragging any kind of God into it. Some people do it just because helping people in need is a good, right thing to do and not because their angry God promised them hell if they don’t.
Lindsay, i like you and every other Christian out there struggles with being a Christians idea of a good Christian.
#65 (sorry i cant read your name) Precisely, it says in the Bible, the only way to God is through (belief) in Jesus and when you say that to somebody you are deemed a hater, a Jesus Freak, a bad Christian for wanting others to go to hell. It is what it is.
Cheyenne. you go to heaven as stated, By believing that Jesus died on the cross for your sins. Thats it. So even if you think that someone isnt worthy of going to heaven and an athesit friend of yours is, it is ultimately God’s decision who goes.
#32 – prove it. With something besides the Bible; a book is no proof of anything.
I wasn’t raised in a strictly religious household, but my parents did send us all to Catholic schools, in the belief it was superior to the public schools (not necessarily true, though my brothers chose an excellent all-boys high school). Anyway, I found out only years later that we had been terribly shortchanged, academically, as far as math and science. And nothing was ever discussed unless it had to do with Catholic things. For instance, we weren’t watching when the Challenger tragically exploded. But we would’ve been if Christa McAuliffe had been a Catholic school teacher. We never got good field trips, or had local sports people visit, or did fun community things. They kept us so separate from all non-Catholic activiities, and even used to tell us how dangerous the public schools were. Total b.s.
@N.D.
Way to miss the point, yo. You got a chance to be snarky too, so there’s that.
*hi-five*
I do not go to church but I was raised a Christian. I did my baptism, communion and confirmation. My Sunday school classes didn’t scare me or anger me about church going into my young adulthood. I even graduated from a Catholic college and in that school I was required to take religious courses. I didn’t come out of there a scared or angry either. I believe anyone who has such a strong negative opinion about religions are just ignorant to theology. Religion and science are a comfort for my life now and for my afterlife. If my child or husband died I will need my faith to live on. It is a part of nature.
Sarah: you go to heaven as stated, By believing that Jesus died on the cross for your sins.
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Whoa. So if you are a good and decent Muslim or Hindu or Jew who does not believe Jesus died on the cross for your sins, you won’t get into heaven?
I can’t believe God is that narrow-minded.
nnn: if you don’t respect other people’s faith or unchristianity, you are not a true christian,… God loves all his children no matter your faith.
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Co-sign. You said it all.
He’s entitled to his opinion on this god matter, same as you or anyone else.
Why is this even news AGAIN. He already said this 2 or 3 year ago.
And if is so funny how all the Christians are the first to run and judge someone because they don’t share your beliefs. Brad has always been this way. And all this talk about how he was religious with Aniston and a not with Angelina. WTH.. I don’t see Aniston as some big Christian.
And do you think his parents don’t know his feelings. I think the public has some silly idea of who Brad Pitt is and have been wrong for many years. Brad is and has never been a “pretty, southern boy”. He decided he didn’t want the life he was living.. Packed up and moved to LA with 350 dollars. Never has been this white bread guy.
Just because he has his beliefs that is his right. I dont’ hear him telling anyone else what to believe or how to live. UNLIKE some of the people on this site, that are using his words to blame YET AGAIN Angie.. Seriously some of you have such Blind hate you need to seek some help for it. Especially since whatever Brad or Angie believe or not has no affect on your life in anyway. WHY it the hell do some of you care so much.
He seems to love his family and is taking care of them. And just because people wrap them self in their religious cloth has nothing to do with it. Look at some of the comment from the Holier then Thou Christian.. WOW.. I bet GOD would be so Proud of you.
He was asked a question. and unlike other he actually gave an honest answer. just as he did 2 years ago. Same thing.. Silly to rehash what was already addressed then
How about no comment? Unlike peanut butter and chocolate, celebrity and religion aren’t two tastes that go well together, in my opinion. 🙂 And, who cares if he was asked? Angelina was asked about Osama Bin Laden, and she skipped over that topic quite graciously. Too bad Brad didn’t take her cue there.
I live in the Ozarks. I live about 40 or 45 minutes from where Brad Pitt grew up, but pretty much all of the Ozarks from southern Missouri to northern Arkansas is the same (in food, culture, attitude, politics [pretty much all Republican or Libertarian or lately, Tea Party]).
Although I am the same age as Pitt, I can only speak of what it’s like in this area for me. Religion is not a ball and chain in this area. For God’s sake (literally apparently) the churches have to get an alcohol permit when they have a carnival because most people expect to get a beer.
There is a strong, strict “Southern Baptist” influence in this area (and they do NOT drink. Or dance.) and perhaps that would be stifling, but from living here day in and out, I just don’t see it. The local radio station’s “Conservation Update” recently did a story on “How to Recognize a Meth Lab” (when you’re hunting or hiking in the woods). I have never used meth so perhaps should not judge, but I think it has done more damage to the communities in the Ozarks than any kind of organized religion ever has. We’ve had houses robbed and burned down, children raped and murdered (google “Rowan Ford” if you don’t believe me) and nothing of the magnitude has been associated with organized religion. Btw, I am not affiliated with any religious cult or organization.
@lisa #77: Excellent comment. I agree with everything you said 100%.
(You said it all better than I could have 😀 )
Anyway, I found out only years later that we had been terribly shortchanged, academically, as far as math and science.
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I have no idea where you went to school or when, but this hasn’t been my experience. Now and when I was a kid, the Catholic schools in our area are light years ahead of the public schools in academics. The rate of kids going to college is way above that of our public high school, which does nothing more than prepare the kids to work at McDonalds, since they are barely literate.
We also were watching the Challenger in science class and got great trips, like Washington DC for one.
I think Brad has every right to express what he feels about God.
I think religions are great for some people and not for others. I think some people are spiritual and some aren’t. I think some people believe in one God, some believe in multiple Gods and some don’t believe in a God at all.
No reason to judge anyone. We all have our own beliefs and should be able to
share them without being torn to pieces by others.
I also think that using any belief to hurt others mentally, physically or emotionally is just plain wrong no matter how you slice it.
And for the sake of full disclosure, I’m an atheist.
I agree with all the posters who say there is a difference between religion and a relationship with God (and this is not just a matter of semantics). Religion is a veil for hypocrisy – ie going to church every Sunday, knowing all the right phraseology or jargon out of the Bible, etc – but having a relationship with God is harder work. And if you’re genuine about it, and if you’re genuine about what you believe, you don’t use the Bible to put other people down. You don’t hold up placards and signs with hate messages scrawled across it with a Scripture reference to justify anything. You don’t use prayer and being a Christian to feel better about yourself at the expense of other people’s feelings and the decisions that they make.
Personally, without Jesus, I’d be more messed-up in my head and heart than without Him. 🙂 But I don’t think or feel that I’m better than anyone else because I’m Christian, and I certainly won’t be raising my son to use the Bible to be a bigot.
When you take the relationship out of the religion, you’re just left with rules, regulations, laws, commands … and hate and fear fill the void where love, peace and assurance should be. This kind of situation is where you know the letter of the law, but not the spirit of it. Hence you end up hating anyone who is different from / to you, and using the Bible to attack them.
@jemshoes: Excellent post.
Cheyenne, no it does not make God small minded. It makes man small minded and exerting their free will. In this day and age, i find it hard to believe that people do not know or havent heard that the Bible states that the only way to him is throught the belief of Jesus. A small minded God would say there is only way to heaven good luck finding it out chumps.
Jemshoes, you put into words my issues with why people hate Christians and why I hate hearing it. Just because a few Christians chose to say what their opinion is on any subject and use the Bible to back them up, it does not make them judgemental or narrow minded or any other ugly word others like to throw at Christians (as a whole, i might add, not even taking the time to meet ALL Christians before labeling them). They have their right to their beliefs and how they interpret the Bible. Just as muslims have the right to their beliefs, Jews tho theirs, Catholics to theirs, Mormons to theirs, etc.
JC16 – would you ask a muslim to prove his religion based on something other than the koran? A Jew? A Hindu? Why do Christians need to prove their religion?
Reading these comments “explaining” the rules of religion is just so sad. It’s so silly. A book written by primitive people in a language few people understand, translated who knows how many times by unknown sources is used as an explanation for life and if you believe it you will be immortal and if you doubt it you will be punished in hell for being a heathen. Oh, and there’s zero proof for any of it but tons of proof to the contrary. Oh wait there’s more. A virgin gets pregnant, men rise from the grave after death, and bushes talk to people. If this doesn’t send your b.s. meter into the red, what could? We can do better, people.
I started losing my belief in christiany and any religion when I started thinking for myself. One guy during testimony meeting in church actually testified that he just knew that God had put the right person in the White House and that person was George W Bush. And the fact that it encourages people to get married too young because no sex before marriage. Makes no sense to me.
@jc126: It wouldn’t be faith if it were provable. Christianity is a faith based religion. As such, it doesn’t sound like its your ‘thing’. I don’t see a reason for finger pointing or sneering from EITHER side.
@ Cheyanne
To make myself very clear, I am not judging anyone! You are entitled to your opinion, as am I and the rest of us bloggers on this site. BTW, by a “true Christian” I do not mean someone that goes to church every Wednesday evening and Sunday morning. I mean someone who believes in a higher power and does their best to live their life right and to reach out to help others. I don’t believe that you have to buy into organized religion to be considered a Christian. Have a blessed day!
@Sarah: I don’t believe God is small-minded. But religious fanatics do.
TG: lol Don’t forget it’s a good thing good ol’ George Bush prayed to God while making his decision about WAR. lol Look how well that turned out.
For those Christians who think their religion is unpopular, there is a reason why politicians always happen to state they are part of the Christian faith. Can you imagine a President running for election declaring himself a Muslim? THAT is a unpopular religion in the U.S. Not Christianity.
@ Trillion- The crazy thing is that there are Christians who think YOU’RE the crazy one for not believing in all that.
Can anyone seriously believe in a religion that could let killers, pedophiles into heaven for accepting Jesus into their hearts after their crimes, yet if their victims were just good people without religion, the latter would be the ones going into hell? How absurd.
Or else another favorite Christian phrase is that Jesus died for you. Yea, you! Cause you’re just that special and that’s why you should believe in God. Yet, God, Jesus, whatever has no issues declaring death to mass groups of people, children in the Bible, innocent or not. I guess Jesus died for everyone but those people don’t count?
I especially love how anytime you ask a real question, the only response you’ll get is you have to have faith. lol Like that’s the answer to all of life’s problems and questions.
I’ll conclude with the question: how many wars have been started because of religion?
#86/Sarah – no, I only said that to #32 because she said “Jesus is the ONLY way”. I would say it to anyone of any faith who insisted that their way is the ONLY way – show me proof. Hell, show me any proof of a deity whatsoever, for that matter.
#81/Whatever – Boston archdiocese, in the 1980s. As I noted, there are some really good Catholic schools, esp. high schools – coincidentally or not, mostly all-boys schools. I have heard many alumni – and largely women – repeat similar stories of being behind in math/science. I’m not saying there aren’t crappy public schools, sure there are, but there are good ones; and many are better than a lot of Catholic schools. Catholic kids don’t even have to pass state tests, teachers don’t have to have Master’s – no standards set. Our English teacher one year was also our French teacher. She used to sound out the words VERY slowly and poorly. Pathetic.
I see you are messing up with the words.
Religion has nothing to do with faith.
You can believe in Jesus and choose of not being part of the currupted hyerachy of the Church. That doesn’t make you less of a good Christian.
You can have faith and be far from spirituality.
I’m on spirituality’s side, by the way.
I doubt very much that Brad is an atheist. I distinctly remember reading an interview Angelina gave when she mentioned one of her favourite presents from Brad was a bookshelf filled with books about different religions. They wanted their children to be exposed to all of the religions in the hopes that as each child grew up they would adapt different aspects of each religion (or not) into their lifestyle as each child saw fit.
If anyone beyond a few close members of his family care what Brad Pitt thinks about anything important I’d be shocked.
Brad Pitt is not here on Earth to provide us with deep thoughts. God just whispered that in my ear. Then God said, “Plus, I just make him do what his women tell him to and let him follow along. It’s a time saver. We feed, dress, and provide all his worldviews of the moment just that way.” Amen.
“I don’t believe God is small-minded. But religious fanatics do.”
As did the pharisees whom Jesus was constantly calling out.
I find it odd that so many equate atheism with a ‘thinking’ mindset. As a scientist, I have been taught to do my research before I come to any conclusions, and from a lot of these posts, it is clear to me that many have never read the Bible at all, yet are trying to use it to argue against Christianity. That is not a smart way to debate.
At any rate, the more I learn about the amazing complexities of living systems, the more I am certain they did not come about by chance. There are many brilliant people who believe in God and call themselves Christians. If anyone is really interested in checking it out, I recommend C.S. Lewis. Talk about a smart man, and certainly not narrow minded.
Not getting into the topic, but as for him publicly saying he has issues with how he was “brought up” is kind of disrespectful to his parents, is it not?
Looks like their both a little tipsy in these pics, good for them to take a break from everything and have a little fun 😉
we christians are telling u that Jesus is the only way so you people dont end up forever seperated from God. im not very religious, BUT I have an intimite relationship with God. I know He exists. i was leading the most harmful, self destructive life, and when i hit rock bottom, I turned to God, and He helped me change my life around. i am not the same person that i used to be. yes i know some of you will say that plenty of people have changed their life with their own will power and hard work. in my situation, God changed me in one day. until then, i didnt even want to serve God or pray or do anything with Him.i was the one saying that I dont need God and my life isbetter off without Him, but the change was not something that i did on my own. it was a sudden and drastic change of heart that day that led me change my life around. I understand most of you that are saying what you are about God and religion because i used to be that person, and it is hard to understand something that you have never felt before. its not blind faith that leads me to the conclusion that God does exist. there are too many answered prayers to say that they were coincidences. and please dont discredit the bible as some book that was written so long ago. if you are ignorant of what is in there, it does not make you and your arguments right. the bible contains hundreds of prophesies that came true exactly as the bible stated, and the amazing thing is it was written by many writers over a span of 1500 years. its full of knowlege and scientific facts that were “discovered” centuries after the bible stated that they were true. archeologists used it as a guide to find cities. God is as real to me as the air i breath. even just for your own curiousity, just say “God if your real, reveal yourself to me.” see what happens. if He is not, then go and keep on living your life the way you did before, but if He is real, it will be the most amazing thing that has ever happened to you. do you want to risk your soul? because to tell you the truth, anyone can say anything and scientist can research everything and make all sorts of theories about what happens to the soul after the body dies, but the thing is, you cant know for sure what really happens. what if it is all true and you have to meet the One that created you and everything around you? i can say that i dont believe in air because i dont see it, till im blue in the face, but that wont make my statement any more true. Same thing with God. He doesnt need to follow our rules or make Himself nonexisted becaues some people dont believe in Him. He gave us instructions and gave us a way through Jesus to come to Him. its that simple. it is your own choice, and it will be because of your own choice if you end up seperated from Him. He doesnt force anyone to love Him or serve him. He created hell for the devil, and He does not send everyone to hell, they choose to go there themselves by rejecting God and His Word.
Wow, I leave this thread for a while and everything explodes! To whom is interested, I’ll write down my experience with Catholicism in Italy…
As most of people in this country, I was raised as a Catholic: sacraments, church, catechism. Like I said before (and Solveig, who seems to be my soulmate – I predicted that horrible ending after the first episode XD) here in Italy Religion is a subject in school: if you’re lucky, your teacher will make you study religions’ history and promote civil discussions about social life; if not, you’ll stuck with a priest who just repeat what you hear on catechism. For me, it was the first; plus, thanks to my parents, I grew up in one of those minor “sect” who where less involved in preaching and more with helping other people. So, nobody never actually force me to believe, but it was an unspoken rule that Catholicism was the true religion.
As years passed, I started thinking with my mind, studying science, other religions AND the story of Catholicism (here there isn’t the situation described by some of you about Catholic school: just because there is Religion it doesn’t mean every subject is related to that), and I simply came to the conclusion that I didn’t believe in anything I was teached, I just accepted it because everyone was doing it: I started considering myself Agnostic (because I was still very young and I loved the concept behind and the books) by the age of 14. Later, I became Ateist (age 18) because these ideas keep maturing, the social enviroment changes around me – last years in Italy have shown a degeneration into the Catholic ierarchy, who demonstred so many flaws and idiocy – and I didn’t want to be linked anymore with Catholicism. Now, I know my formation is based on this, and that I’m still baptized (there is a way to cancel it, but I won’t do it for know because it would be a problem with my family AND my friends), but I consider the Bible the same way of other books: a beautiful collections of myths and story which some people use as a guidance for their actions and beliefs.
The actual situation in Italy is rather messy because of our history, and many people still believe in Catholicism and (minors) priests, but not in the Church, which is a powerful and (for the most part) bigot organisation.
Well, all I can say is I hope I can look one tenth that good after a long evening of work and sitting through a long, emotional movie followed by a few hours of socializing/business lubricated by a few glasses of wine.
I can assure you I wouldn’t be standing upright in heels.
As an atheist raised Catholic I try to stay away from religion discussions. 14 Years of Catholic schools and I was religioned out years ago. It does seem like the big and maybe main difference between Catholics & Jews on the one hand and most Protestant religions on the other is that Catholics and Jews believe you must not only believe but do good works while most Protestant religions think all you have to do is believe. Maybe that is why they are so big on the whole ‘Jesus is the only route to salvation’ mantra – that’s essentially the whole religion.
Her arm in that fourth picture is soooooo skinny.
Circular logic jj, you believe in a god because a book told you so, so therefore god is real, why? because a book told you so.
‘Air’ exists despite seeing it or not, try going without oxygen for a spell, see what happens.
“because to tell you the truth, anyone can say anything and scientist can research everything and make all sorts of theories about what happens to the soul after the body dies, but the thing is, you cant know for sure what really happens.”
You don’t understand the scientific method if you believe this, and ‘theory’ in science does not mean guess.
so sad Brad, who does Brad think gave him those cute looks? Only God can do that! And, Angie needs a TAN, just a tiny one…. that rather paste thing she has is not cute on her beauty!
she’s so special and beautiful and he’s such a cool guy…..
@jj I think it’s great that you have something that makes you happy. But why assume that people who have done amazing things for humanity, saved lives, helped millions of people but may pray differently than you and call their God a different name (or possibly don’t believe in god AT ALL) are going to Hell? It’s that kind of thinking that caused most of the wars in history.
OH and Brad was very religious when he was young and according to him when he left MO and started experiencing other things he stopped believing he says he discussed with his parents a while ago and they supported him in his decision.
Sure, wars have been instigated over religion.
The Khmer Rouge was chock full o’ atheistic thought. They killed 2 million+, didn’t discriminate between the intellectuals or religious folks.
Atheistic Nazis killed 17 million+
Atheistic Communists killed 30+ million
Atheistic China under Moa killed 60+ million.
Atheistic North Korea starves its own in labor camps.
Your point is what? Humans uses all kinds if memes to kill and subject each other? Big golf clap right there.
@Lindsay great that you thought of secular wars it doesn’t change the fact that there have been religious was fought since the beginning of time and even the current war on Terrorism is in effect a religious war. Everyone has the right to their beliefs, I don’t see why some people feel the only way they can validate their religion is to foist their belief system on others. IMO anyone who thinks their way is the only way isn’t very spiritual and isn’t going to attract me to their ‘club’.
The Nazi regime was not atheist.
“Gott mit uns” “God is with us.”
“I am now as before a Catholic and will always remain so.”
— Adolf Hitler, to Gen. Gerhard Engel, 1941
“I believe today that my conduct is in accordance with the will of the Almighty Creator.”
— Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf, p. 46
“I am convinced that I am acting as the agent of our Almighty Creator. By fighting the Jews, I am doing the Lord’s work.”
— Adolf Hitler, ibid. p. 65
I’m not interested in evangelizing anyone here, I’m pretty happy with the separation of church and state in my country and what you personally believe is not my concern. I worry about my own backyard, so to speak.
My point is, pick your meme and humans will use it for some form of evil. To say there is zero benefit to faith, religion or God is…..what was the word the other poster used? Oh yes, silly.
@Lindsay I never said there is zero benefit in faith,religion, or God. I do believe there is zero benefit in those religious people who try to bully others into believing the same thing as them. I also believe that anyone who says there is only one way to God is very ignorant.
@ Lindsey
“My feelings as a Christian points me to my Lord and Savior as a fighter. It points me to the man who once in loneliness, surrounded by a few followers, recognized these Jews for what they were and summoned men to fight against them and who, God’s truth! was greatest not as a sufferer but as a fighter.”
-Adolf Hitler, My New Order
A definite win for Christians. Big golf clap for you right here. Oh, and the word was absurd.
@lin234: I’m not sure what your point is. Christianity did not make Hitler a monster. He was a monster first, and decided to use it as a means to justify his actions, and as a cover. Monsters use other religions and atheism to do the same. It doesn’t make those cosmic viewpoints invalid.
@Lindsey: You left out the Crusades and the Inquisition which killed countless people in the name of Jesus.
It’s a very short line from “Believe as I do or God will curse you” to “Believe as I do or I will kill you”.
HItler was not a Christian. He was a Nationalist. That was his religion, Germany, the state and himself.
From Hitler:
The decisive falsification of Jesus’s doctrine was the work of St Paul….For the Galilean’s object was to liberate His country from Jewish oppression. He set Himself against Jewish capitalism, and that’s why the Jews liquidated Him….The Jews, by the way, regarded Him as the son of a whore and a Roman soldier. [Table Talk, p. 76] … Christ was an Aryan and St Paul used his doctrine to mobilize the criminal underworld and this organize a proto-Bolshevism…. Christianity is an invention of sick brains….The war will be over one day. I shall then consider that my life’s final task will be to solve the religious problem. [p. 142-4]
LIN234- so a guy gets killed in a robbery attempt, he dies and goes to hell because he doesnt believe in God and/or Jesus. God is an asshole and so are Christians. The guy who killed him is jailed, he finds God and believes in all the tenets of the Christian faith and he goes to Heaven when he dies. God is an asshole and so are Christians.
Cheyenne, there you go once again labeling a group of people. Christians do not beleive that God is small minded. We just tell you what is in the Bible. Christians believe God is omnipotent.
He was Catholic, ergo Christian, he was NOT an atheist.
He might have been raised a Catholic, but he became an atheist.
Sam: Where did I ever say all Christians believe God is small-minded?
I did say, and will repeat, that I don’t believe for a second that God is so small-minded that He will condemn anyone to hell who does not accept Jesus as their personal savior.
When you say “Christians” are you referring only to evangelicals? In case it escaped your notice, mainline Protestants and Catholics are Christian also. And they also believe God is omnipotent.
Do you accept everything that is in the Bible? There is a reference in Exodus to burning witches. I believe they justified the Salem witch trials on that. And don’t even get me started on the slavery references.
No Sam, he didn’t become atheist, he never abandoned his faith in god.
Cheyenne: @Sarah: I don’t believe God is small-minded. But religious fanatics do. That is what you said.
God isnt condemning people who do not belive in him to hell, the people are condemning themselves.
I dont consider Catholics Christians, and before you get all up in arms, i was raised a Catholic and they are not Christians.
And as for slavery in the Bible: I read this a while ago and found it amazingly interesting:
In both Old and specifically New Testament times, people would go into slavery themselves if they were unable to pay their debts, or unable to pay their own cost of living (which would then be covered by their master). They would have more in common with a lower class worker or a college student still mooching off of their parents than the race-based slavery we’ve known in the Western world.
A prime example of where one does see race-based slavery in the Bible, is when a little group of people were enslaved by the Egyptians solely because they were Hebrew (Exodus 13:14). Anyone know what happened next?
Anyone? Anyone?
…God was pretty ticked. Angry enough to bring the freaking plagues. [Note: They were kind of a big deal.]
The Bible also does address the act of “man stealing,” (exactly the kind of thing that Africans did to their own people) and had this to say about it: “Anyone who kidnaps another and either sells him or still has him when he is caught must be put to death” (Exodus 21:16).
Read any book on Hitler, read freaking Wilkipedia. He abandoned his faith when he was older. Please show me where you get he was a Catholic while he was Chancellor of Germany. I can give you a list of books sitting in my office right now that say the exact opposite.
You may not consider Catholics as Christians, but they are. You don’t have the right to monopolise one faith and claim it as the ‘right’ one.
Dude. This thread could get really ugly. I’m only going to say one thing: ignorance and intolerance are human traits, not traits belonging only to religions or CEO’s or baseball teams. I’ve met really blind religious members who aren’t kind to people who don’t think their way. And I’ve met plenty of atheists who want to bully you into thinking their way and they’re just as insensitive to the beliefs of others. True tolerance should be to let everyone think and feel the way they want to feel without belittling them or making fun of them in the hope that you’ll change their mind. And I’m pretty sure you can find those abominable traits anywhere and in any school of thought. *shrugs* M’kay. I’m done. Peace to all of you who may or may not be religious. Remember to be kind in this regard!
Catholics are ABSOLUTELY Christians – are you friggin’ serious? Catholicism was basically the only acceptable form of Christianity for well over a millenium, before the Protestant Reformation (which spawned Lutherans, Calvinists, Methodists, Baptists, etc.)
Anyway, this thread is insane. Don’t Christians have something better to do than try to convert people on a gossip site?
I’m an atheist, but I’m not going to try to convince people why they should be too (not on this site, not anywhere – unless I’m asked about it.)
I love how he just speaks for himself, is a little self-deprecating so as to further underscore that he does not claim to know what’s right for anyone else, and is very friendly and straightforward about it. The more I know about this guy, the more I believe he might just deserve someone like Angi.
Holy moly. I cannot believe this has devolved into ‘Catholics are not Christians’. 🙄
LOOOLLLLL……this thread is getting INTERESTING!!!!
@Crash2GO2: Holy moly. I cannot believe this has devolved into ‘Catholics are not Christians’. 🙄
ita 🙂 from the the botox thread “God Lord” 🙂 its all the threads, things are hot right now; collective malaise? what/who’s next? 🙂
So much for not getting all up into arms…Hows this, catholics can be christians, but christians are not catholics. To me, after being involved in both of them, i see them as two seperate entities. I never said one was better than the other. That is how others took it.
whatever, I dont love this look for him. too craterface from grease, and, though I will always watch his movies I dont think anyone thinks of him as a “damn good actor”. Entertaining and easy to look at- yep.