Over the weekend, actress Ellen Page attacked Chris Pratt for attending a church that affirms the biblical teaching on marriage.
Page took to Twitter to call out Pratt’s church, calling it “infamously anti lgbtq,” quoting a tweet that promoted Pratt’s recent appearance on “The Late Show” with Stephen Colbert.
Chris Pratt Reveals Powerful Quote That Has Helped Him Survive Fame
“Oh. K. Um,” she commented. “But his church is infamously anti lgbtq so maybe address that too?”
Oh. K. Um. But his church is infamously anti lgbtq so maybe address that too? https://t.co/meg8m69FeF
— Elliot Page (@TheElliotPage) February 8, 2019
Pratt, who is known for attending Zoe Church in L.A. as well as Hillsong L.A. (alongside other celebrities like Justin and Hailey Bieber), is very vocal about his faith. Whether it’s posts on social media or awards show acceptance speeches, Pratt has taken many opportunities to share his love of God with others.
In 2015, the senior pastor of Hillsong, Brian Houston, said that the church does not condone homosexual activity.
“We do not affirm a gay lifestyle and because of this we do not knowingly have actively gay people in positions of leadership, either paid or unpaid,” he wrote on Hillsong’s website. “I recognize this one statement alone is upsetting to people on both sides of this discussion, which points to the complexity of the issue for churches all over the world.”
Page, who came out as a lesbian in 2014, doubled down on her Pratt comment in a separate tweet Sunday, saying that there were no “two sides” to the LGBTQ debate.
“If you are a famous actor and you belong to an organization that hates a certain group of people, don’t be surprised if someone simply wonders why it’s not addressed,” Page wrote.
“Being anti LGBTQ is wrong, there aren’t two sides,” she added. “The damage it causes is severe. Full stop. Sending love to all.”
If you are a famous actor and you belong to an organization that hates a certain group of people, don’t be surprised if someone simply wonders why it’s not addressed. Being anti LGBTQ is wrong, there aren’t two sides. The damage it causes is severe. Full stop. Sending love to all
— Elliot Page (@TheElliotPage) February 9, 2019
What did Pratt discuss on “The Late Show”?
During his appearance on “The Late Show” last week, Pratt discussed his January diet called the Daniel Fast, which is based on Daniel’s diet in the Bible.
During his interview, Colbert asked him if he’s ever felt like the Old Testament prophet Daniel in a metaphorical “lion’s den,” because of the constant limelight that comes with being a celebrity in Hollywood.
“There’s this great quote, that I actually heard in church, which was, ‘If the spotlight that is shining on you is brighter than the light that comes from within you, it’ll kill you,’” he said, quoting Christine Caine.
Colbert replied, “Wow, I like that.”
Other Christians under fire
Pratt isn’t the first prominent Christian to face criticism for associating with an institution that upholds the biblical view of sexuality. Most recently, second lady Karen Pace faced overwhelming backlash for announcing her part-time teaching job at a traditional Christian school in Virginia.
Mike Pence Fires Back After ‘Deeply Offensive’ Criticism of Wife’s Christian School Work
But it goes beyond politics. Even the universally popular HGTV stars Chip and Joanna Gaines have been attacked for their church’s stance on biblical Christian marriage.
As Faithwire previously reported, a 2016 Buzzfeed article titled, “Chip And Joanna Gaines’ Church Is Firmly Against Same-Sex Marriage,” opens by dissecting the success of their HGTV show, “Fixer Upper,” as well as the couple’s other endeavors, before noting that the Gaineses are “devout Christians.” Then, the article abruptly starts moving into contentious LGBTQ territory.
BuzzFeed reporter Kate Aurthur wrote: “Their church, Antioch Community Church, is a nondenominational, evangelical, mission-based megachurch. And their pastor, Jimmy Seibert, who described the Gaineses as ‘dear friends’ in a recent video, takes a hard line against same-sex marriage and promotes converting LGBT people into being straight.”
Chip Gaines, in a piece titled “Chip’s New Year’s Revelation,” responded to the criticism, defending his wife and their family.
“Jo and I refuse to be baited into using our influence in a way that will further harm an already hurting world, this is our home,” he wrote. “A house divided cannot stand. If there is any hope for all of us to move forward, to heal and to grow – we have got to learn to engage people who are different from us with dignity and with love.”
Though the biblical understanding of marriage is nothing new, high-profile Christians can expect to see more criticism from people like Page as the LGBT crowd continues to gain influence in American politics and culture. Pray that they will have the courage to stand by their convictions and not cave to activist bullying.