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Chris Pratt Claims He's 'Not A Religious Person' While Opening Up About Internet Hate He's Received
It would have been difficult for many to predict the strange career path and public perception Chris Pratt has gone through. While he started as the breakout role on Parks and Recreation, the actor has become a social pariah in some parts of the internet.
But the internet crowned “Worst Hollywood Chris” wants you to know he’s still just a cool, down-to-earth guy.
And it starts with his claim that he’s “not a religious person.”
\u201c"Religion has been oppressive as f--- for a long time. I didn't know that I would kind of become the face of religion when really I'm not a religious person." Chris Pratt @prattprattpratt - Mens Health \n\nWhat he said about religion is on point.\u201d— Joseph Bonner (@Joseph Bonner) 1656481265
In an interview with Men’s Health, Pratt tried to address some of the rumors and attacks on his character. One of the most prominent has been claims that he’s a very religious person who attends a homophobic church.
According to Pratt, it couldn’t be further from the truth.
“I didn’t know that I would kind of become the face of religion when really I’m not a religious person.”
He went on to criticize organized religion, which he described as ‘oppressive as f***’:
“I think there’s a distinction between being religious—adhering to the customs created by man, oftentimes appropriating the awe reserved for who I believe is a very real God—and using it to control people, to take money from people, to abuse children, to steal land, to justify hatred.”
“Whatever it is. The evil that’s in the heart of every single man has glommed onto the back of religion and come along for the ride.”
After talking about how ridiculous these claims are, some were quick to defend the Marvel actor.
\u201ci have never seen any celebrity get more mindless hate than chris pratt\u201d— doctor idk (@doctor idk) 1656439832
\u201cUnhinged internet people who make hating Chris Pratt their entire personality in shambles.\u201d— Christina Tasty (@Christina Tasty) 1656458201
None— \ud83c\udf1fBeanman\ud83c\udf1f #SONICSWEEP (@\ud83c\udf1fBeanman\ud83c\udf1f #SONICSWEEP) 1656465910
\u201c@MensHealthMag @JamesGunn This controversy is literally "Do you like the color red? DOES THAT MEAN YOU HATE THE COLOR YELLOW?" but taken to another level.\u201d— Men's Health Mag (@Men's Health Mag) 1656425794
However, his claims don’t hold the water he thinks they do. While Pratt was very critical of organized religion in the interview, he is very outwardly a religious person.
As many pointed out, he’s made several Instagram posts that directly contradict any claims of not being very religious. This includes a time he helped carry a cross up a mountain for Easter.
Within that same interview, he talks about going golfing with his pastor, something no non-religious person would do.
But the biggest claims come from the controversial Hillsong Church. In 2019, after Elliott Page called out Pratt for attending an “infamously anti-LGBTQ church,” many were quick to tie him to Hillsong, a church that meets that description and additionally has recently seen controversy over sexual misconduct scandals.
Despite Pratt claiming he has nothing to do with Hillsong, he has been spotted there. And his current place of worship, Zoe Church, has direct ties to Hillsong, with the very pastor friend Pratt goes golfing with, Chad Veach, being a contributor to the previous church.
Because of this, it’s difficult for many to believe what he says about religion.
\u201cChris Pratt once spent Easter erecting a giant metal cross on some mountain, but OK, sure. https://t.co/sy5i38Lc8q\u201d— Olivia Truffaut-Wong (@Olivia Truffaut-Wong) 1656458651
\u201c@THR Chris Pratt: I'm not religious.\n\nAlso Chris Pratt:\u201d— The Hollywood Reporter (@The Hollywood Reporter) 1656446643
\u201c@CultureCrave @MensHealthMag Wasn\u2019t he just golfing with his pastor?\u201d— Culture Crave \ud83c\udf7f (@Culture Crave \ud83c\udf7f) 1656450478
\u201c@JoePapaWendigo @Ant_Honey_545 @TheShaneReuter @CultureCrave @MensHealthMag He belongs to the Zoe Church, which is a subdivision on Hillsong. He wasn't wrong and it's been documented for a while. This is literally a PR stunt and blitz now, years later, because they fear the extreme backlash coming with his association.\u201d— Culture Crave \ud83c\udf7f (@Culture Crave \ud83c\udf7f) 1656450478
\u201cchris pratt trying to rebrand as lightly secular what\u2019s going on\u201d— vampire workday (@vampire workday) 1656511614
\u201cthe weird thing about chris pratt saying he's never been to hillsong is that he was literally seen at a hillsong service in 2017\u2014and it was reported on by multiple publications, including ET\u201d— molly freeman (@molly freeman) 1656451394
\u201c@bambipaisen will smith dealt with more hate in 3 days than chris pratt has his entire career\u201d— Ryan (@Ryan) 1656441318
\u201cevery Black actor gets 10x more hate than the "hate" chris pratt gets for the shit he says\u201d— \u263e (@\u263e) 1656474994
The article includes some other strange claims, like how Pratt says he doesn’t like being called “Chris” as well as his attempts to address a supposed dig he made at his ex-wife and son.
But claiming he’s not very religious is almost certainly a defense after what many see as criticism for his religious beliefs.