Ellen Page Calls Out Chris Pratt for Supporting ‘Infamously Anti-LGBTQ Church’

Is this Hillsong church the new form of Scientology screed to a lot of these washed up celebs?

Why do these morons have to find someone who will think for them?

So happy we have Ellen out there not taking any shit

He was an asshole when he was on Parks & Rec and he's an asshole now.

[quote] Is she trying to go after people for going to churches that teach what almost all of Christianity has taught for milenia?

YES she is going to go after them for that, and YES we all should, you sheep piece of shit. THAT IS THE FIGHT WE ARE WAGING. Go stick your head in the sand or fucking fight, those are your choices.

FFing R4 for defending homophobic religion.

The rise of the star-studded, Instagram-friendly evangelical church Chris Pratt, Justin Bieber, and the “cool” Christian celebrity. By Laura Turner Feb 6, 2019, 11:00am EST SHARE It was a Maui street preacher who convinced Chris Pratt, future star of Guardians of the Galaxy and Parks and Recreation, that he needed God. At 19, Pratt had dropped out of community college in his home state of Washington and accepted a friend’s offer to live with him on the Hawaiian island, waiting tables at America’s most picturesque restaurant, Bubba Gump.

“We just drank and smoked weed and worked minimal hours, 15-20 hours per week,” Pratt, now 39, told the Independent in a 2014 interview. “[I]t was a charming time.”

Midway upon his journey of weed-smoking and drinking, Pratt and his friends were approached by an evangelist in a grocery store parking lot.

“This guy came by and was like, ‘What are you doing tonight?’”

The evangelist, who was with a Messianic Jewish organization called Jews for Jesus — people who converted to Christianity from a Jewish background — asked Pratt if he was planning on fornicating that night, or doing drugs and drinking; Pratt, with his trademark goofy charm, we can imagine, responded that he hoped to be doing all three.

“I stopped because Jesus told me to stop and talk to you,” the evangelist said, according to Pratt’s telling of the story. “He said to tell you you’re destined for great things.”

Pratt ditched his friends that night and became a Christian two days later. Now, he regularly attends LA’s Zoe Church, reportedly alongside his faith-minded fiancée Katherine Schwarzenegger.

Pratt, beloved doofus turned hot dad, is part of a growing trend of celebrities, including Justin Bieber, Kendall Jenner, Selena Gomez, Hailey Baldwin, and Kevin Durant, who are vocal about their faith. The churches many of them flock to — Zoe, Hillsong, and Churchome are the prominent examples — may look like they offer something different and more progressive than traditional evangelicalism but are actually quite consistent with evangelical teachings. In an era when religious affiliation is on the decline for young people, these churches can only gain from this proximity to stardom. But how are these “cool” new rising churches different from other churches? What is it about Hillsong and Zoe that attracts this star power?

But why has Hillsong become so popular with a lot of celebrities? It’s like it has taken over from Scientology.

Do they join it to network, or is it seen as fashionable...,

Media can be so clueless about religion. Many stars and athletes have been committed Christians forever. It’s not new. Some of the biggest rapppers, singers, actors, executives are Christians who go to or support evangelical and Pentecostal churches. It shouldn’t be news to anyone in touch with American popular religion. Social Media has just made it more prominent.

R9, Hillsong is just a large Pentecostal global Church that happens to be the most influential Protestant Church on the planet

Hillsong’s teachings are indistinguishable from millions of other evangelical and Pentecostal churches. They are just global and humunguous, with music that even tops secular charts and attains radio AirPlay

Pratt was already a homophobe so it's not surprising he would choose an anti-gay church to attend.

This makes gays so likeable to wider society you guys. Bullying people out of their magic school buses and putting them on the spot. I see him on Graham Norton all the time and he told a great story about when he lived in West Hollywood. I don't think he's got a bigoted bone in his body.

I hear a bunch of other stars go there, too. What difference is one celebrity church from another notorious one? She should not have singled him out and just gone after the church. My grandmother found another Church a few years ago but she had to do that on her own.

R14 is correct. It will only make people think gays are bullies and trying to dictate people’s religious beliefs. Overreach. Not good.

The Fundiebots found the thread, let the fun begin.

And also at least it's a lesbian looking a little unreasonable and accosting this time. Ellen almost assimilated every lesbian after she granted clemency to Kevin Hart on behalf of all us queers. The straights loved that.

The other Ellen, I mean.

Most Christians in America support gay marriage. So Pratt's church is actually not that mainstream. I've gone to multiple New England churches and never met one that spoke against gay rights because most churches just reflect the politics of their region. That kind of church in CA is strange

[quote] Most Christians in America support gay marriage.

I needed that laugh, thanks.

"All Christians are homophobic so it's no big deal" is not an ethically defensible position, R4.

I have a feeling that most of the celebrities who go to this church are too dumb or apathetic to know what the church's policy on gays really is. They go for the business connections and/or to meet a famous mate. Thirsty fame whore Hailey Baldwin is the best example of this. The Kardashian/Jenner clan use it expand their fan base. And it attracts lost souls, like Bieber and Selena Gomez, who are just looking for something to ease their troubled minds.

I guess I never saw him interviewed before. Saw him on Kelly & Ryan earlier this week and he couldn't put a sentence together without stammering. I had no idea he was so dumb.

R19, Cite empirical evidence to support that. And by support ssm, we mean theologically support it in their church, not secular law.

R20 and R24 You can check right here. Most Christians in America support same sex marriage. That is fact.

Of all denominations, only evangelicals are majority against it.

Also R24 there is no overarching authority for protestant churches. Each one preaches whatever it's members want

Why didn't you just look up the evidence yourself, R24? Lazy ass.

R15 I really hate this attitude. This "overreach" bullshit. Why not call out one of the most high profile actors in the biz for associating with a church that calls being gay a "lifestyle" they don't agree with? It's only going to piss of the average bigot homophobe anyways by calling them out. Fuck them.

I'm R24 I should add I think gays absolutely should criticize specific Christians and churches that oppose gay marraige. My point is just that it's not universal

^^^ I'm R25 above, not 24

A poll of 35,000 Xtians in a country wherein 275 million Xtians reside is not empirical evidence, sorry. Either you're a seriously deluded queen that thinks you're far less hated than you are in America or you're one of our religious women that visit this forum to post solely about transgenders and gay male misogyny. Please fuck right off.

It wasn't the buddhist lobby that fought tooth and nail against marriage equality.

Hasn’t that Beiber idiot been sexually molested by Diddy and Usher. Maybe that’s why he’s associating with this church.

Only a very tiny percentage of the overall total of churches bless gay marriages. Probably less than three percent of all churches.

R31 Take first year statistics at the local community college by you and then come back

R33 Depends on where you live. In New England where I'm from and other liberal place like CA most churches bless and even host gay marriages.

The church I went to growing up had an openly gay pastor and an openly gay musical director and both their partners came to church. (This was before gay marriage was even legal in CT) I knew gay people in leadership positions in the statewide Baptist conference.

Obviously down south its a whole different world

Page needs to tread carefully. Pratt is the A-list mainstream guy right now and is bringing in big money; Hillsong church is home to many big name celebrities with lots of influence and power.

R35, I call BS on that. California has a huge number of evangelical and Pentecostal churches. Essentially none of them bless gay Marriage. Likewise, black, Latin, and Asian churches, which tend to be very conservative. I doubt a quarter of churches in California bless them.

The explosivwxgrowth of nondenominational churches must also be considered. The overwhelming majority of them are theologically conservative and evangelical

I like her but she needs to chill out with the speeches/interview answers where she works herself up to a tearful (or near tearful) breakdown.

Explosive growth

He's just another fake Christian who thinks if he goes to church on Sunday and begs for forgiveness for all the sinning he did the rest of the week he'll be fine to start it all over on Monday.

I suspect Hillsong knows where the bodies are buried.

Does she still have her Gaycation show with her pocket gay, Ian? They are so good together.

[quote] A poll of 35,000 Xtians in a country wherein 275 million Xtians reside is not empirical evidence,

That's a fucking great sample for anyone with basic notions of statistics. Maybe you should take R34 advice.

Hillsong has been connected with child pornography and sex trafficking just like Scientology. I wouldn't be surprised if both are intertwined. They're Ponzi Schemes to launder money for organized crime. I've been told that Hillsong is based on Scientology's methodology of persuasion and intimidation.

R34 & R44 Thanks, I'll do that, and then you can both take a course in the social sciences and we can trade notes about Bourdieu’s analysis of opinion polls being essentially worthless. This whole "go to school" thing shows your arguments are weak. You are here solely to shill for Christians and to sanitize the terror they have inflicted on gay men and women for centuries and continue to today. The claim that the majority of them are in favor of gay rights is not correct.

I did misspeak though, it wasn't a poll of 35k Xtians, that was split between all the major religious groups. The Orthodox Xtians had a sample size of 186, Protestants 14k split between mainline and evangelical, Catholics 7K. AGAIN, with an estimated 275 MILLION Christians in the U.S. this is an absurd sample size and these polls are conducted over the phone where less than 1 in 10 respond. The figures showed Evangelicals opposing by 64% and the rest were not staggeringly in favor of. Somehow the buddhists they got a hold of manage to clench a decent margin and I'd believe you if you told me the majority of them were not hateful bigots.

That said, I don't give a fuck about where Chris Pratt goes to feel connected to his mystical sugar daddy in the sky, but the attempts to paint Christians as tremendous gay allies and friends, as a whole, reeks of an agenda or pure delusion if by the odd chance either of you is actually gay and grew up with and around these people.

Of the 15 largest Protestant denominations in the US, only five allow blessings of same-sex marriages, and even within these denominations, many pastors and churches do not do so.

I am an atheist now(and for the past 40 years) but I was raised in the Presbyterian church. Our head minister was a man who everyone knew was gay, but no one bothered about it. I mean, if he had come forward with a partner in the 70s there may have been some complaints, but that did not happen.

I have a bifurcated feeling about homophobia and Christianity. Yes, we absolutely must speak out when Christianity attempts to foist itself on any secular entity. We must keep it out of government(including public schools.) But having said that, I think people have a right to congregate in groups and practice whatever religion and beliefs they share. That is just basic American freedom. That has nothing to doo with a Xtian baker refusing to make a gay wedding cake. Outside of their churches and Xtian private schools they must conform to the secular rules of America.

But if gays and lesbians think it is smart to die on the hill of criticizing people for what they do when they are with each other practicing their common religion, I think they are making a mistake.

Again, outside the church= a whole different set of rules.

If Pratt were some edgy freaky hipster who was a member of the Church of Satan, and was known to participate in the occasional sacrifice of animals, she would likely have shook her head in disgust, but let it be. There are many practices which people do who share the same interests and beliefs that I find despicable and abhorrent, but I accept that as a part of living in a free republic. Satan-Jesus. different sides of the same coin.

The bloom is quickly falling off Pratt's rose R36 people are starting to realize that his goodnatured goofball persona is all a put on and a front.

Ellen Page is such a virtue signaller. Fucking sick of her.

R49 I am kinda getting there with her too. If she rebranded a touch to have a sense of humor, I'd be able to relate to her a tad.

I was over her when she cut the dick off that nice man in Hard Candy.

Is this woman the one with the tiny body and squeaky voice?

I really can't believe Arnold and Maria are OK with their kid getting hitched to this asshole.

She needs to focus her energy on influencing public policy and law, not personal religious beliefs and church doctrine. She is feeding the right wing narrative that gays are trying to interfere with religious liberty.

I hope he gets fat again. You know it’s his destiny. Can’t happem soon enough!

How is he even allowed

Eeerr..... This is strange. I'm an Atheist, never believe in any god. I'm against funamentalism and retrograd, conservative ideas. And yet, I don't agree with Ellen here.

Religion is very private. Calling out in public a person for the church he worships in leaves me uneasy. Even if that church preaches the opposite of what I believe in. For me, it is rude to invade a person's intimacy and mock it.

Am I the only one who still thinks like that ?

Obviously not r57, but you knew that .

Bump to skip past unnecessary duplicate thread

Good job r59!

I agree with R54.

Page is talented and holds worthwhile ideas worth airing and pursuing, but imagine taking up as a spokesdyke on Twitter as if it makes a difference.

She’s better than this, or at least I thought she was.

Why closeted Pratt and Bieber support anti-LGBT church?

No R58. I didn't read all the replies and those I read seemed to be in a cruisade against Pratt. I don't care for him, but come on ... I was sincerely trying to see if it is a matter of generation.

For me, it has come to the point that when I hear :"X is calling out Y", I cringe for X and feel sympathy for Y before I even know what is the issue. This expression really rubs me the wrong way.

r4 must be burned at the stake!

r63 it's better than "claps back"

Not surprised: the churchy defenders are also our DL Instaho trolls, who defend Chick-Fil-A, almost gloating when they can post something about their profits. Is one of the rolls Eddie Long?

I get sick of hearing how "Chick-Fil-A is SO GOOD!" and "record profits!" etc. too. They feel Mormony to me, in that the employees seem suspiciously vacant and cheerful and anything evil is hidden under the floorboards.

Since we have this thread, what is EP up to now?

^^ trolls

I liked rolls better

no shit, he was a turd on Colbert with his church lady crap. wtf???

Pratt grossed me out ever since I saw that vid of him saying when he wipes his butt it's like a marker... it keeps going and going. Yuck.

Would Ellen Page still be making this complaint if Chris Pratt were attending a Mosque?

She’s fighting for our rights and calling out those they perpetuate hate and bigotry. Thank you Ms Page.

I have honestly never met a gay person who was waiting around for some Christian church full of fucking retards to "affirm" anything about them!

It's a bizarre notion!

[Quote]Would Ellen Page still be making this complaint if Chris Pratt were attending a Mosque?

Nope and that's a good question to ask her.

Pratt is an alt-right darling and these comments certainly show that. All the little Nazis are soooo butthurt someone dares to criticize their idol. Someone must have posted a link to this thread in some Nazi forum. Well, a good way to weed out all you little Adolphs once again.

Any response from Pratt?

On a career and fame level, Pratt is leagues above Page.

He'll never respond, and the general public and entertainment news will continue to adore him, his fiance, and his adorable little son with the glasses.

Will she be calling out any Islamic celebs????

Good for Ellen Page. Pratt is hot but so, so dumb.

Someone on here once commented that Pratt was the anti Christ. I laughed, but he's certainly worked hard to try and appear like America's sweetheart goofball even though there are rumors of him being a horrible person. Marrying the Shriver spawn is a political move. I wouldn't be surprised if he jumps into politics soon and dumb Reddit type liberals vote for him because he's in their favorite comic book movies. I think he'd be worse than Trump, because he's one of those true believers.

R80 Muslim not Islamic

R81 He's not even hot and he's an awful actor I hate Marvel for making every mediocre and awful actor a star

Pratt is a casting couch whore.

For you, R77.

Wondering if people should be called out in public for what they do in their private life is not being Hitler.

I can’t believe anyone would take that idiot hipster prick Pastor Carl Lentz seriously. How can someone with half a brain cell go to one of these sermons and not burst out laughing after seeing him on stage with his skinny jeans and tattoos.

Religion is delusion.

Pratt is a ex stripper/Gay male prostitute just like Brad Pitt.

[Quote] I see him on Graham Norton all the time and he told a great story about when he lived in West Hollywood. I don't think he's got a bigoted bone in his body.

I remember that story too.

Calling one vocal celebrity member to task for their participation (and financial support) in an anti-gay church is absolutely acceptable as a form of activism, and I'm wondering who the goddamned wimps are on this thread who say otherwise.

Oooh, I must wring my hands and WORRY ever so much that she's INVADING his PERSONAL INTIMATE BELIEFS blah blah blah. Enough.

He's using his celebrity to push his religious and moral beliefs and all but advertise for his church. He's a big boy, he can get called out on that. Note that the incredibly delicate and hilariously closeted Alton Brown was called out on it too, several years ago, and addressed it by saying he was looking for a new church that didn't have pray-the-gay-away classes.

I doubt Pratt will respond. The social media and comments response has been largely anti-Page.

R92 That just tells us what kind of people you follow on social media. Which isn't surprising given you're the one defending religion on here and accusing Page of "bullying" Pratt for his private views - except once he starts promoting those views on Colbert, they're no longer private.

Just watched the latest Jurassic Park on Blueray. Wow, that was awful

[quote] Would Ellen Page still be making this complaint if Chris Pratt were attending a Mosque?

If he starts, we’ll see how Page responds. In the meantime, he’s going to a vocally homophobic church

R86, that pic is priceless.

R95, We all know Ellen Page would never criticize a Muslim. No one in Hollywood would dare point out the anti-gay teachings of Islam.

Homophobia in America is largely perpetrated by Christian sects.

R98 - Depends what neighborhood you live in.

R93, no, I’m just reading comments on major media stories about this and guaging the response, as well as reading tweets from the #EllenPage hashtag.

Follow the money - evangelicals contribute to Trump, in return Trump will enforce their beliefs.

Of course. To the winners go the spoils of war.

Was Chris Pratt ever vocal about his beliefs prior to his divorce? I'd never heard him mention now he's thanking God in all his Instagram posts.

He used to be my favorite Chris. Now he's #3 after Pine and Evans, and slipping.

Ellen Page really picks and chooses when it comes to her moral stance. She goes after a successful straight white male because she knows she'll earn brownie points for it. I'd actually have some respect for her if she went after a female Muslim of color who attended an anti-gay mosque. But that would get Page in hot water. Her convictions aren't strong enough to endure that kind of backlash.

Isn't that BIeber's church? Ironic that in one of the "celibacy" threads there's some quote where claims not to be comfortable identifying as "religious" because of the way religion has hurt people. I thought homophobia was the idea there...

[quote]I'd actually have some respect for her if she went after a female Muslim of color who attended an anti-gay mosque. But that would get Page in hot water. Her convictions aren't strong enough to endure that kind of backlash.

If the female Muslim of color went on national television to promote her anti-gay mosque while promoting the film she had coming out, I bet Ellen would “go after her”, hot water or not.

I guess we’ll both have to wait and see if her “convictions are strong enough.”

Ellen and the rest of us are all losing sleep over your lack of respect for her.

R105, many evangelicals and conservative Christians say that they “aren’t religious.” It’s based on the theology that being saved (from sin and hell) is not about being part of a church, but personal faith and relationship with Jesus as God and Savior. Many common say, it’s relationship (with Jesus), not religion. It’s a way of saying that a lot people and churches who call themselves Christians aren’t really following Jesus, but legalistically committed to traditions and institutions of mere men.

It would have been smarter and more effective if Ellen had called out some of the female church members who actually profit from their gay fans while at the same time belonging to an anti-gay church, like Selena Gomez and the Kardashian/Jenner clan. That would have left a mark.

I can assure you that fans of Chris Pratt and his action movies couldn't care less about his church's policies on gays.

Yeah this will only help him with Middle America by making him seem like he is being persecuted for his religious beliefs. People will see it as the godless mob trying to dictate personal faith.

Dumb guys pull dumb shit.

R107 well said. I don't attend churches anymore but it doesn't make me less of a Christian. I am still a fundamentalist in my beliefs.

Reading the posts, it's obvious the dumb-dumbs attempting to defend Pratt here have no idea what started all of this, reading perhaps being challenging to them. He went on the Colbert show and raved about his new cult, and about the fast they had him do and so on, ad nauseum.

That is what Page responded to. She didn't just decide to suddenly call him out. He was on there, promoting this anti-gay cult to millions of people on Colbert.

So for all you people attempting to create strawmen, suggesting she should've gone after the women who go there, or Muslims - well, once a woman goes on Kimmel and raves about Hillsong, or a Muslim goes on Fallon and talks up their gay-hating mosque, you may have a point. Until that happens, you just look like morons.

I stopped being a fan of Pratt's after he gave that interview where he described the practical emotional orgasm he has when killing animals while hunting, that was just fucked up.

[quote] defending religion on here and accusing Page of "bullying" Pratt for his private views - except once he starts promoting those views on Colbert, they're no longer private.

Interesting that Page has not yet thought to mention any inherent misogyny or homophobia arising out of Colbert’s staunch pro-life Catholicism. She was on his show just recently, wasn’t she?

The problem is she sets herself up against at least half of Americans

R115 No, that's called courage you fucking idiot. Not everything is about your career. As for you other fucking idiots saying she wouldn't call out Muslims. She has a series where she went to countries with the most inhuman laws and views on gay people to expose just how much hate and cruelty still exist when it comes to being gay.

R116, calm down and take your meds.

"He went on the Colbert show and raved about his new cult, and about the fast they had him do and so on, ad nauseum.

That is what Page responded to. She didn't just decide to suddenly call him out. He was on there, promoting this anti-gay cult to millions of people on Colbert."

Ok, fair enough, R112. I caught a title and a brief article where it came across at her randomly vilifying someone for his private practice. I reacted to that. Those Twitter wars still seems conterproductive to me and very annoying.

You cut that truth telling out, r116! We need to derail a thread about a lesbian rightlyfully criticising a Chistian celebrty for attending a homophobic chruch by by bitching & moaning about homophobia in Islam.

It’s not gonna work though

Apparently all you who are calling Ellen out on not denouncing Muslim or Islam religious beliefs did NOT watch her television show called Gaycation. She most CERTAINLY addressed her feelings on said subject.

"If the female Muslim of color went on national television to promote her anti-gay mosque while promoting the film she had coming out, I bet Ellen would “go after her”, hot water or not."

I see. So the rule is that you can only speak out against smoeone and their beliefs if they state them on a talk show while promoting a film. Got it.

or should I say "someone"

You shouldn’t be intruding on someone’s religious beliefs at all

I would have more respect for Ellen if she simply stated that she wants all Christians to give up Christianity now, or else they should all be improsoned for a hate crime. Otherwise she just leaves us hanging with these nebulous comments.

R122 Do you realise how stupid you're making yourself look? I'm genuinely curious. Or do you actually think that post was some kind of "aha, got you now!" comeback?

If you are an actual gay person R124(which I doubt)then let's see how that whole "not intruding" thing works for you when some good Christian decides you no longer have the right to breathe because his preacher says you're an abomination in the eyes of God.

R127, that would be intrusion upon another’s personal life and rights. When it unwelcomely intrudes upon other people’s lives is the standard.

What is "Q" ?

I'm not being facetious; each dictionary has a different definition, but apparently it is now the umbrella term for just about anyone who wants something to feel oppressed about.

As Justice Kennedy says, tolerance is a two-way Street.

So Ellen wants to feed Christians to the lions?

I can think of a few Christians that she could start with R131 but that would be mean to the lions but she could just use an industrial woodchipper instead, far easier and more convenient.

Ellen is such an amazing woman. More people need to be like her.

Ellen Page is God! If God existed, I mean. And God doesn't exist because Ellen told me. She's God.

Wow, Pratt is clearly a very suggestible person that he fell for that "Jesus told me to talk to you" crap, so I'm not surprised he's been super by this church.

The thread everyone is missing is that one-time DL fav "Pastor" Davey got his start with and is an affiliate of Hillsong- now you see where he got his skinny jeans preaching style from.

I’ve met similar Pastor/Preacher types like Lentz, they always have underlying issues and end up burning themselves out after a couple of years in the spotlight.

I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s eventually exposed for financial fraud, cheating on his wife, or drugs.

Did he and JLaw fuck?

R72 What does that mean "when he wipes his butt it's like a marker"?

Wow that a woman would be slammed repeatedly for calling out an asshole who supports a gay church on DL is just pathetic and sad. Back to reddit for me.

buh bye bigots

anti-gay church

Ellen Page is an intersectional brown-noser, although I do think she did brilliant work in the Flatliners remake.

What’s the opinion on Hillsong compared to Scientology? On the surface they don’t appear as bad, however, deep down their Christian beliefs set them against LGBT rights.

[Quote] Did he and JLaw fuck?

Anna and JLaw denied it but someone else said that they had an open marriage so........

[Quote] although I do think she did brilliant work in the Flatliners remake.

First time i've seen someone say this.

Practically everyone in young Hollywood goes to Hillsong. Selena Gomez and Nick Jonas even! It makes me respect Ariana Grande for having no time for religious nonsense!

Aren’t people concerned about the increasing popularity of this Church. It’s especially worrying that so many celebs are maybe endorsing the homophobic views that it really stands for by default.

Hillsong in my opinion is far more dangerous than Scientology. The majority of the general public always saw the clams as a cult, with the mainstream media being on average extremely hostile. However, Hillsong is far more popular and mainstream.

That in my opinion makes them dangerous.

No, Hillsong is consistent with numerically mainstream Protestant Christianity, which has huge numbers of global adherents, including among celebrities. A large number of athletes are also evangelical Christians. It’s not new

The collapse of liberal Christianity means that those who take their Christianity seriously are very likely to attend Evangelical churches today.

[Quote]Wow, Pratt is clearly a very suggestible person that he fell for that "Jesus told me to talk to you" crap,

Great pick up line! I'm trying that tonight.

Yep, the old liberal churches have very few young people tower, and they seem like a social club for people who don’t believe in orthodox Christianity but it want religious respectability nonetheless. Plus the services of liberal churches are so frozen and dead

Very few young People today

R146: Look, for years Church attendances across the country were starting to fall dramatically, with many people only nominally identifying themselves as Christian. However, of late, a lot of these new “hip” congregations are attracting lots of young people who find the way the services are being presented as extremely enticing.

The worrying thing is the underlying message is the same. They may use obfuscation when they stand up to preach a sermon, but make no mistake, they’re no friends of the gay community.

Hillsong and other evangelicals Churches are becoming more mainstream and popular. That to me is setting a worrying precedent.

Yeah, they are a Christian Church that believes in an inerrant Authoritative Bible. There will always be a large to significant number of people like this. No big deal

I miss Joseph McCarthy, but thank God we have Ellen Page.

R145 Have you heard about this Church’s homophobic views (that you say it stands for by default).

You realize the large majority of Christian churches have the same views on sexuality? That should be no surprise to anyone

I once saw an interview with a Priest who said unless these people quoting bible verse against homosexuality are following the bible to the letter they are hypocrites. He said if you are going to believe one part of the bible you have to believe all of the bible and very few people do that.

Does anyone really think that supposedly “woke” hipster Churches like Hillsong are going to treat gays as equals. They’ve already proved their attitude when they forced that gay couple to step down as choirmasters.

Even if gays are tolerated to a certain degree, they’ll always be seen as outsiders and treated as such.

Love Ellen Page! so much better than that other Ellen....

Pratt released a statement

Pratt's statement is BS. Boy is rattled.

Chris Pratt's God must be quaking now that Ellen Page has "called Him out".

Hillsong "Church" is of the Assemblies of God "religion." Those folks there hate our community! I'm not even going to risk linking to the Assemblies of God website because it reads like hate speech, their whole creed is on their site.

These are the idiots who think that candy corn is Satan's sweets. No joke.

Pratt goes to Zoe church not Hillsong.

R162, they are no longer AoG. They are their own Denomination anyway. Anyway, their creed is the same as most Christian churches on sexuality.

Nothing says sincere apology like one which self-deletes after 24 hours.

Also raises the rather obvious question - if his church isn't anti-gay, why hasn't the church itself said so? You'd think they'd want to take this opportunity to talk about how gay-friendly they are - if they actually were.

But given his pastor is a man who described Billy Graham as someone being worthy of honor and respect - well, we can all answer that question for ourselves.

He is an evangelical who believes the same thing the church does. He’s not gonna stop being an evangelical. People don’t have to like his religion, but it’s his right.

I want to hear his statement before casting him into condemnation.

Rolling my eyes at all of the hypocrisy on this thread.

[QUOTE]“It has recently been suggested that i belong to a church which ‘hates people’ and is ‘infamously anti-LGBTQ.’ Nothing could be further from the truth. I go to a church that opens their doors to absolutely everyone,” Chris wrote on his Instagram Stories.

[QUOTE]“Despite what the Bible says about divorce my church community was there for me every step of the way, never judging, just gracefully accompanying me on my walk,” Chris continued. “They helped me tremendously offering love and support. It is what I have seen them do for others on countless occasions regardless of sexual orientation, race or gender.”

[QUOTE]Chris added, “My faith is important to me but no church defines me or my life, and I am not a spokesman for any church or group of people. My values define who I am. We need less hate in this world, not more. I am a man who believes that everyone is entitled to love who they want free from the judgement of their fellow man.”

[QUOTE]“Jesus said ‘I give you a new command, love one another.’ This is what guides me in my life. He is a God of Love, Acceptance, and Forgiveness. Hate has no place in my or this world,” he concluded.

In short - he said nothing. Just a load of waffle which avoids addressing what Ellen said, other than saying "nothing could be further from the truth" and then not backing up that claim

[quote]For you, [R77]. Wondering if people should be called out in public for what they do in their private life is not being Hitler.

R86, you didn't quite get it. Pratt is apparently a hero for the alt-right crowd, which is possibly why we always get crazy as fuck posters defending him if he's criticized in any way.

Pratt sounds like a grade A simpleton. I bet that church is soaking him for some big bucks every month.

Ellen Page is a virtue signalling cunt. (But she was genius in the Flatliners remake.)

love to see right wing Christian boy Pratt's career crash n burn.....horrid church he in.

The church is a large donator to anti-gay Republicans and Trump in particular. Pratt's tithes money to his church so Pratt is supporting anti-gay Republicans.

R174 What is "tithes"?

Pratt alwys seeme like such a kool guy, flabbergasted he associated with this shit ass church, influence of his bride to be???

He's probably just another one who has fallen for the organized religion fraud. Most of the people like that I've known were raised by parents who drummed the notion into them as kids that if you weren't right with God you'd go to hell. They go through life doing whatever they want, and at some point hit a point where they start remembering what their parents said and they get scared that just maybe it's all true. Suddenly they're open and ripe for the picking by these religious fraudsters. And the more money you have the more those types want to pull you into the fold.

R176, he's been a fundie freak from the start.

The whole thing comes across as the latest fad for these Hollywood types. Everyone saw how batshit insane Scientology really was, so it was no longer fashionable or wise to become involved with the clams. Moreover, one of the main reasons they go to these things is to network; they can make contacts and socialise in a more mainstream setting.

To add to R151's excellent post, I am reminded of an incident on Fandom Wank from probably 2003 or so, where I said that if you're part of an anti-gay church, you're part of the problem of homophobia. I was piled on by well over 100 girls and ladies telling me that even if they gave money to their anti-gay church, they personally were not anti-gay; therefore, I was a monster, etc. etc.

Not six months later, the tide had turned and everyone was saying the same thing I had: support or tithe to an anti-gay church, you are essentially anti-gay. That opinion was reflected on ONTD, Twitter, Tumblr, other social media for years. You didn't hear self-described liberals using the old "just because my church hates gays doesn't mean I do" anymore.

I'd say about three years ago I noticed things going back to how they used to be, with people pretending like they have no idea their church is homophobic, or that it doesn't matter because laws have been passed, or it's a private personal issue and how dare someone else say anything about it.

We're regressing culturally and socially, and this is just one example of it.

At Least a third of the nation goes to churches with similar beliefs; the majority in much of the nation. Why do people act surprised celebrities are also evangelical? A lot are.

Most professional athletes are evangelical or Pentecostal

If you think teaching what Christianity and the Bible have taught about sexuality for milenia and what over 95 percent of Christian churches teach about sexuality today, is hateful or unacceptable, just realize how radical that position is. You are asking people to betray their religion and God, the most sacred aspect of many/most people. It’s an extremely hard sell, a uphill climb. It also is great fodder to truly Antigay forces, giving them fuel to say gay rights are antagonistic and contrary to traditional, historic religious liberty and practice.

On the Sabbath day, every Church, Temple, Synagogue, or Mosque on the planet is full to the brim of 2 types of people. Gullible and delusional people who are easily hoodwinked and conned out of their money in hopes of buying their ways into Heaven one day, or complete frauds for whom "Church" is nothing more than a social occasion and a place they can go to put on the dog and make others think they're something they're not.

He’s is a big fan of Christine Caine, who is hugely popular.

That’s it!!! @christinecaine ! She said it better than I did on @StephenAtHome 🙏♥️ thank you!! I wanted to credit her with this great quote.

☀️ How did I miss how cool @prattprattpratt is? And endearing. On @StephenAtHome , he quotes @ChristineCaine: “If the light that is within you is not greater than the light that is on you, the light that is on you will destroy you.” #ToYourLight ✨🌟

Page needs a pageboy haircut.

A special (the virgin) MARY! for R183

Americans are so obsessed with religious nonsense! Grow the fuck up.

The secular world is a small minority of the overall global Population

R183 needs a crucifix shaped dildo up his ass.

Bitch should have stuck to what she's good at - hanging around in Canadian trailer parks and fetching pepperoni for Ricky and Julian.

P.S. Even as a kid her forehead could double as a drive-in screen.

You have to be a creep to make the cast of Parks and Rep find you obnoxious, I mean they hated Rob Lowe and now we see why.

Sorry, Parks and Rec.

[quote] If you think teaching what Christianity and the Bible have taught about sexuality for milenia and what over 95 percent of Christian churches teach about sexuality today, is hateful or unacceptable, just realize how radical that position is.

Can you cite that 95%?

Hey Ellen, his church is infamously anti-GAY (and probably specifically anti GAY MEN). Not sure where their opposition to alphabet soup is ever mentioned.

Don't know the Church which Page is referring to here and I don't much care. Anything which drives this censorious, poker-faced lesbian crazy is good in my view.

I don't care if your Church isn't inclusive. Neither is Heaven. That's why you make choices: Right ones, wrong ones: Your call. You makes the choice, you takes the consequences. Not complicated.

Anyone clutching their pearls at the fierce exigency of that: Get over your gay ass already.

[quote] Church isn't inclusive. Neither is Heaven. That's why you make choices: Right ones, wrong ones: Your call. You makes the choice, you takes the consequences. Not complicated. Anyone clutching their pearls at the fierce exigency of that: Get over your gay ass already.

Oh, my word. You sound just like that good-for-nothing Baptist dropout Black Earl.

Tell us, character; do pacifistic Buddhists go to Hell? Do unbaptised infants who die before their 1st birthday? Do cute dogs?

R195, below is the global list of Christian denominations. The number of denominations from that huge that have a liberal view of sexuality is very small, a tiny drop in the budget.

From that huge list

I can't believe some of you are attacking her for standing up for your rights. bunch. Of fucking morons.

If she was standing up for our rights, she'd also be chastising anti-gay mosques and synagogues. Not just churches. She's a smug, humorless little bitch who picks and chooses what to be offended by depending on who does it. If she had any integrity, she'd be upset about everyone who's anti-gay. Not just singling out a church attended by young white celebrities. Speaking of which, does she think black churches are any less homophobic?

r201 No, I think that's wrong. Are other religions threatening gays, especially gay males? Yes, no doubt. That doesn't mean that every G/L advocate needs to condemn ALL of them. That kind of thinking is reminiscent of toxic intersectionality, that says 'women's rights are not abortion rights because that excludes trans women' and that results in no progress for anyone.

She's only calling Pratt out because he's one of the biggest stars in the world who has had multiple #1 movies last year, and will have an equally big year again. I don't see her calling out big hw agents and execs who keep gays in the closet for profit, or any other religion that hates gays. She wants attention like any other hw celebrity.

What has she done for gays other than come out once her career dried up?

R202 She chose to go after Chris Pratt because he's a hot young white church-going Republican. Why not go after Scientology with their anti-gay bullshit? Worried about getting disappeared like Shelley is she?

Exactly, she went after white Christianity (which I hate, by the way) because it's "safe" to do so. It's not safe to go after mosques, synagogues or black churches, because their members are oppressed as well. Intersectionality, right?

r204, r205 Maybe she went after the low-hanging fruit. Okay, and? Unlike most celebrities, she's using her platform and influence to go after a hot, young, male movie star who, with his many recent TV appearances, is actively promoting his church's brand of anti-gay rhetoric and behavior. I'm okay with that!

And as to her not going after scientology, mosques, etc... Maybe she's afraid to? If so, that is OKAY!. Not everyone is MLK Jr or Gandhi, willing to be viciously vilified and eventually murdered for their beliefs. Being a martyr turns you into an extremely powerful messenger, but the thing is... you have to die.

I see Chris Pratt promoting his hate church on talk shows and media, and I see Ellen Page pushing back on that by shining a light on the church's hate. I don't have a problem that she didn't also attack every other religious hate group in the world, she shouldn't have to.

Someone should write a HuffPo article "Religious Intersectionality - Why You're ALL Hateful Homophobic Bigots".

R206 By specifically going after the much-loved Pratt, she's personalizing it and it's why many people have taken his side and marked her as just another "hateful gay leftist loon" picking on white Christians. He comes off as a victim (persecuted because of his religious beliefs by someone who's not even American) and she comes off a bullying bitch who's up in everyone else's business. Does she really think she's helping the gay cause?

If she wanted to bring up the topic of churches and gays, the best time would have been when Boy Erased was released. Of course there was nothing in it for her back then. Instead she waits until a week before her Netflix series The Umbrella Academy is released.

Chris is really hot

[Quote] And as to her not going after scientology, mosques, etc... Maybe she's afraid to?

Then those are the religions she should be going after by your statement. Christians won't do anything to me, so I'll single them out. She wanted to be a hero, but revealed herself to be a coward. Gays (specifically gay men) are being murdered by Islamic radicals, but she's goes after Pratt because his church doesn't approve of gays and "pray" for them? Give me a break.

I'm not a religious person, but her calling out Pratt, the dorky, loveable, nice guy would be like me singling out Page the tiny, quiet girl from Juno for being in the closet while many other, more powerful men have done the exact same.

Idk I don't buy that Chris is some secret alt-righter but it seems very weird how staunchly he's being defended against Page, while people are also saying it's wrong to criticize Christians and churches that shun gay people. Just my two cents

R190 - Take your meds and a deep breath, then go watch some reruns of RuPaul's Drag Race.

Okay R212 You can fuck right off. First you want to criticize gay men for feeling anger towards people who think they should be shunned indefinitely, and now you're mocking gays for watching gay shows?

I'm not sure if you're a straight deplorable who got lost or a pathetic self hater, either way fuck off

Asking people to choose between their deeply held faith and gay sex is a losing proposition every time.

R214 No its not. Millions of Christians, most in this country support same sex marriage. A vocal minority does not, and we have every right to attack them. And I say this as a devout Christian.

R213 - Deep breaths. Have some ccocoa and take a nap. You'll feel better in a few hours. Then you can play with your Game Boy!

R215, but are they attending churches every week and active in Christian activities? Of the top 16 denominations in the States, all but five have conservative theology on sexuality

[quote] I'm not a religious person, but her calling out Pratt, the dorky, loveable, nice guy

Oh, it feels GOOD to laugh again!!

Ellen Page needs a makeover. A fresh look for Easter Sunday.

R217 You misunderstand how Protestant churches operate in the US. It's very different from the Catholic church. There are no overseeing organizations that try to enforce what each church is preaching. Each church is it's own self run unit. There is no authority figure above them. The vast majority of Christians have no idea what the official stances of their denomination are because they don't enter into day to day worship. And it's not something protestant ministers read and try to align with their sermons.

Actually what I said is too broad. There is a wide difference between Evangelical Protestantism and Mainline Protestantism. But even within those two umbrellas you can have huge variations between what each church is preaching

Chris Pratt is a douche for being associated with this church, but honestly, I have zero interest in what Ellen Page has to say. She was closeted during Juno and when people actually gave a shit about her. But now that her career has stalled, she finally decides to come out, and is suddenly the authority on gay and lesbian issues and has the righteousness of someone who wasn’t a coward and was out their entire career.

Fuck them both.

Ellen Page is possessed of the Jezebel spirit.

I think we can all agree that (almost) all religions serve as a vehicle for anti-gay bigotry, both passive and active.

r191 omg that was her!

R224 No I don't agree, there are many secular people in Appalachia who hate gay people.

There are many Christians in liberal areas who love gay people.

If you want to hate gays you will find a reason, if you want to embrace gay people nothing will stop you

R211 Chris Pratt is a Republican. It's no secret. He says so in this clip. Not sure if he's a Trump supporter or not. But definitely a Republican.

R226 And there are also plenty of so-called liberals who hate gays (and POC and women and Jews and...) too. You know, like gay icon Cher who responded to her teenage daughter coming out to her by kicking her out of the house (to be raised by her Republican father). What's your point?

What's Page's stance on Jehovah's Witnesses? I need to make sure I harass them according to Ellen's direction. Do I mess with all of them? Or should I only totally destroy the lives of the famous ones?

R229 Just the white straight male celebrity ones. I don't know if the surviving Jacksons classify as white so pick another white straight male celebrity. But only if you're a woman. That way, if he bothers to respond to you, you can cry about the big mean man bullying you.

Given it's already been explained a number of times in this thread why Ellen spoke out against Pratt, those who keep going on about her not attacking other people are just making themselves look stupid and ignorant.

So, once again - she tweeted about Pratt because he was promoting his church and some fast they do on Colbert. So you'll need to wait for your other groups to promote their religions on another late night show before you can try calling her a hypocrite.

R231 - Bullshit.

Jennifer Lopez has been going on about a ten day fast recently. Does she go to the same church? Or does Ellen give her a pass because she's a brown woman?

Liberal Christianity has literally died out with its elderly Congregations. And the type of liberal Young Christians who used to populate such congregations largely don’t regularly attend churches anymore, or just don’t make much of Christian faith anymore. The center of modern Protestantism is markedly evangelical and Pentecostal

[quote] I don't care if your Church isn't inclusive. Neither is Heaven.

Heaven is a mythological place, nothing more.

Many people do the Daniel Fast. Churches commonly collectively call a fast in January

R233 And has she been attributing that fast to her church and promoting said church? Because if not, you're just making yourself look stupid by trying to make the comparison

Many homophobic cunts in this thread. They are clearly not regular Dataloungers.

R237 I haven't been following her diet as I'm really not interested. I just saw it in passing on some gossip site. See, the difference between you and me is that I don't worship the ground any of these cunts walk on and thus I don't follow their every bowel movement like some.

How do you know, R238 considering Muriel wiped everyone's cookies recently (hence nobody seeing links)?

Los Angeles Lakers player Chandler is a member of the church and close friends with pastor Carl Lentz. Kevin Durant has had a close relationship with pastor Carl Lentz, who was also reportedly present when the basketball player got baptized at Hillsong in N.Y.C. and when he signed a sports management deal with rapper JAY-Z, The Christian Post reported. Kyrie Irving leaned on pastor Carl Lentz to help him talk through wanting to get traded from the Cleveland Cavaliers back in 2017, according to TMZ. Bono is Another famous name reportedly involved with Hillsong: U2's Bono, who has been vocal about his religious beliefs. Nick Jonas also has attended Hillsong.

R188 Yeah, I thought that as well. But then while watching the BAFTA's Sunday night I was shocked. A very lovely black British actress won supporting actress for Black Panther. She proceeded to give a speech which would seem over the top at any US awards shows...and I am including hip hop stars(first I want to thank god) athletes and country singers. And it went on forever.

The crowd was quite polite though, and there is no music to play the winners off as we have here.

So clearly there are some religious fanatical Xtians in Europe even if they are in the minority.

I think it's hot that Pratt is a Jesus freak because it's likely he's a giant closet case. His hole has probably been around the block a few times.

To the poster who asked a Tithe is usually 10% of your annual income given to the church. Mega churches like that usually require a tithe. If I were Ellen Page I would double down and ask Pratt "okay Chris let's put our money where out mouth is, have you ever donated to anti-LGBTQ politicians?"

That’s none of anyone’s business

[quote]So, once again - she tweeted about Pratt because he was promoting his church and some fast they do on Colbert. So you'll need to wait for your other groups to promote their religions on another late night show before you can try calling her a hypocrite.

There was episode of Colbert from a year or two ago where Ellie Kemper was a guest. Kemper is a practicing Catholic and she discussed her son's baptism. Celebs talking about religion has been happening for awhile.

Of course. Why wouldn’t they? It’s often the most important part of many people’s lives.

The very fact that someone is an evangelical means that they MUST spread the word about their faith. They do not see it as a private matter.

When is she going to call people out for talking about Ramadan?

r249 there is a difference between a religious holiday and doing some sort of bible fast for a new aged Christian church based on hate.

R250 - What an ignorant comment.

It’s not a new age church. It’s quiet orthodox in theology, well within the Historic Christian creed.

Quite orthodox

Hillsong:

Our Statement of Beliefs

We believe that the Bible is God’s Word. It is accurate, authoritative and applicable to our everyday lives.

We believe in one eternal God who is the Creator of all things. He exists in three Persons: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. He is totally loving and completely holy.

We believe that sin has separated each of us from God and His purpose for our lives.

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ as both God and man is the only One who can reconcile us to God. He lived a sinless and exemplary life, died on the cross in our place, and rose again to prove His victory and empower us for life.

We believe that in order to receive forgiveness and the ‘new birth’ we must repent of our sins, believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and submit to His will for our lives.

We believe that in order to live the holy and fruitful lives that God intends for us, we need to be baptised in water and be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit enables us to use spiritual gifts, including speaking in tongues.

We believe in the power and significance of the Church and the necessity of believers to meet regularly together for fellowship, prayer and the ‘breaking of bread’.

We believe that God has individually equipped us so that we can successfully achieve His purpose for our lives which is to worship God, fulfil our role in the Church and serve the community in which we live.

We believe that God wants to heal and transform us so that we can live healthy and blessed lives in order to help others more effectively.

We believe that our eternal destination of either Heaven or hell is determined by our response to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Their beliefs are the standard Historic Protestant beliefs of most Protestant churches. They are part of the huge and growing Pentecostal/charismatic movement, which has over half a billion adherents.

Has Ellen gone after Zachary Levi? Isn't he supposed a hardcore Christian?

Did she go after Colbert when she had the chance? He is always talking about his religion.

R257 I don't watch Colbert's CBS show regularly. But, I remember him talking about being Catholic quite a bit on the Comedy Central show. One year, he mentioned Lent and giving something up. Many Catholics also fast on Ash Wednesday and on Fridays during Lent.

Ellen Page is a pick-and-choose holier-than-thou virtue-signaling look-at-me social-justice-blazing sapphic warrior.

omg thank you all posters - I have been totally wrong about evangelicals they are totally not against LGBTQ people...and are totally cool like Chris Pratt...how could i have been so wrong.

good for ellen for callin him and that damn church out.

religion is a pock mark on humanity ….

Its hard to believe that these guys are really practicing christians, that they truly understand what they think they are practicing but then again they all seem really simple and borderline special like every other person who prays to the sky fairy

Will Ellen Page call out any prominent people attending anti-gay Mosques?

What is this bullshit demanding that Page should go after every asshole out there if she says anything about one person? You homophobic right wing cunts are exhausting.

R262, you really come off as a douche

Politically :

Study: Regular church-goers are happier than non-believers

Hillsong’s three bands in their various formations have produced almost 100 albums. Their songs are sung by an estimated 50 million people across denominations and countries each week, and in January 2018, they won their first Grammy. According to data given to The FADER by Nielsen, songs written by the three Hillsong bands have been streamed on-demand more than 760 million times since December 29, 2017. For comparison, over the same time period, that’s only 10 million fewer than Justin Bieber. “Hillsong is just this massive, massive presence in Christian music,” says ethnomusicologist Tom Wagner.

[Quote] Has Ellen gone after Zachary Levi? Isn't he supposed a hardcore Christian?

His marriage to Missy Peregrym was so fucking random.

Pentecostalism continues to grow explosively. At latest count, there were 3,500 denominations, anything from the Pentecostal Methodist Church of Chile to United Pentecostal Church International, which, through a merger in 1945, was formed in St. Louis.

Again, it's a little difficult for non Christians to get this really. But denominations are just not a major factor in religious ideology among protestants. There's the major evangelical vs mainline split. But even that has little to do with formal denomination

There are mainline Baptists and evangelical baptists. Same for virtually all denomination. And they are more different than mainline baptists are compared to mainline Pentecostal for example.

Since when is the DL flooded with evangelicals???

Mainlane Baptists are a tiny minority of current Baptists, dwarfed by the huge Southern Baptist Convention, Black Baptists, and assortment of even more conservative Baptists

Mainline

[quote]Will Ellen Page call out any prominent people attending anti-gay Mosques?

Maybe.

She didn’t just take some random potshot at Pratt.

She had a show called Gaycation - see link below.

She was on Colbert a couple of weeks ago and gave a very poignant and personal response regarding our current national leadership and it’s hate toward gays.

You could hear a pin drop, and at the end - through the audience’s applause - you could hear Colbert (softly) saying “You’re right.”

Not long after that, Pratt was on the same show, with the same host saying that he belonged to a church known for its anti-LGBQT stance.

Ellen, who had just been on that very same show pleading with America to stand up to gay-hating ideologies, called out Pratt for belonging to a gay-hating church.

To me, that doesn’t seem like Ellen Page is out of line or like she’s cherry-picking or grandstanding or whatever else some of the other uninformed posters above are stating.

R273 Not true.

In New England for example, almost all churches are mainline protestent. Evangelical churches are few and far between. In places like Georgia and North Carolina there's an even split. While in Iowa or Kansas its all evangelical. It just depends on where you live

New England is a small part of the US population, an even tinier part of American Christianity. It is culturally and religiously aberrant from the rest of the nation

CT and MA have much higher populations than Iowa, Kansas, Wyoming, or most evangelical strongholds. The states with the highest percent evangelical populations are also all the smallest states population wise. The only exception to this is Texas. Those are facts

Wrong. Georgia, Ohio, Michigan, much of Pennsylvania, Texas, and Florida are top ten populated states with large evangelical populations. California also has tons of influential evangelical churches

Also North Carolina

[quote]We believe that the Bible is God’s Word. It is accurate, authoritative and applicable to our everyday lives.

That's always the first thing evangelical churches list on their beliefs page. And it's a red flag that they don't like gays or believe in marriage equality.

Hillsong is just a Southern Baptist church with better music and prettier members.

Mainline protestants have huge presences in Georgia, Pennsylvania, and California but don't take my word for it, this is extremely well recorded statistically.

Between a third and 40% of protestant Christians in this country identify as mainline. That is not the "tiny minority" you keep going on about. You're just wrong on this. You just want to make sweeping statements because it's easy.

R281, uh that’s the historic belief of Prostestantism, sola scriptura.

Good for Ellen for speaking up against anti-gay organizations.

But she has to realize her judgement applies to all Christians, and she could have just called out all of organized Christianity. What makes her look like an opportunistic SJW is that she went after a wealthy white cis-male. She went after a target she knew her peeps would high-five her for. But I think her heart was in the right place about standing up for herself and the gay community. And who knows, maybe it will cause some Christians to take a deeper look at the anti-gay aspects of their religion.

GOing after people’s religion is foolish

She's kind of hypocritical since Hollywood is one of the biggest anti-gay organizations in history.

Hollywood has always struck as being very pro-LGBT, at least on the surface level anyway. However, the problem with Churches like Hillsong is that they interpret the bible literally word for word.

Many of these actors and celebrities like Chris Pratt need to explain how they can reconcile living in a majority liberal environment, yet support a Church group that in reality hold homophobic views.

No they don’t. What kind of fascist philosophy is that? Religious conservatives and traditionalists are free to live wherever they want. We have a Constitution guaranteeing it. Talk about radical overreach that tempts a backlash.

If he talks about it, the rest of us are allowed to comment. No one said anything about him not being allowed to live where he wants. You don't have much of a point if you have to put words in people's mouths to make it.

[quote]the problem with Churches like Hillsong is that they interpret the bible literally word for word.

No they don't. They pick and choose, like all Christians.

R244 Thank you for that information.

R290: They May pick and choose what to believe in, but the more hard core among them really do interpret the bible as it is written.

R290 Some Christians pick and choose.

I get the impression that 90% of Christians follow the New Testament while ignoring the awful Old Testament (which is similar to the awful Mohammudism)

Why hasn't Ellen gone after Jon Heder and other Mormon actors? The Mormon Church was largely responsible for Prop 8 in California.

Why doesn’t Ellen attack Ilhan Omar for attending her mosque? I’m sure Omar’s mosque isn’t too LGBT friendly.

You homophobes need to find another place to squat.

Skirt around it all you want but you are homophobes, no one here is fooled. We've spent our lives dealing with the likes of you.

Hard as you try to keep from bursting, we've seen all of you before. We know what you are about.

And I laugh at the comparisons to Scientology. Hateful as Scientologists are, they appear to be better at their con job than you Hillsong folk.

On second thought, stay you Hillsong freaks. Datalounge can always use another bunch of nutcases to turn into laughingstocks.

After almost 300 posts, I just realized that you're talking about ELLEN Page and not ELAINE Page.

I couldn't understand why Elaine Page was dragging Chris Pratt.

"why doesn't Ellen Page go after...." What the fuck? Deflect much? She is taking on a popular actor who is going on national tv shows spouting how awesome his church is. She gets to pick and choose her own battles. Maybe she will go after all the other things you mentioned, or maybe she already has.

Ellen Page could easily play Elaine Paige in a biopic. She was genius in the Flatliners remake.

R298, Ellen is only calling out Chris Pratt the way Milo Yiannopoulos calls out Muslims.

R300 is homophobic

Oh wow

The amount of gay haters on DL is scary. Back to reddit............

R293 Yes, all Christians pick and choose what parts of the bible to follow to some degree. Generally speaking the New Testament is considered more important to Christianity than the old. And the gospels, which contain some actual quotes by Jesus is the most authoritative part. But even that is not absolute. Jesus very directly says divorce is not acceptable and should only ever be sought for infidelity. Catholics take that part very seriously, protestants don't as much

Catholics make up a nonscriptural fiction of annulment to undermine Jesus’ prohibition on divorce and remarriage

[Quote] Why hasn't Ellen gone after Jon Heder and other Mormon actors?

Does Jon Heder still act??

R306, you’re right. Asking people to give up their religious beliefs is rather intolerant and doomed to fail and unleash a potent backlash. The gay community should ask for legal rights and tolerance to live without persecution, but trying to interfere with church doctrine and person faith is unacceptable.

Personal faith

Why is anyone shocked that a Christian Church actually teaches what the Bible says and what all but a relatively few Christian churches have taught for milenia?

Ok, now the churchies are trying to tell us what we can and cannot discuss. "The gay community" doesn't need your approval on anything. Then again I'm sure you're nothing but some right wing losers pretending you're doing God's work.

You can discuss til hell freezes over. Ellen Page went on national tv to shame and persecute someone for their faith. How about gay evangelicals or gays who attend Hillsong and other churches (there are many). Is she gonna protest them?

Democratic leaders think AOC is a disaster for the Party. She’s naive and bad optics

Some of you seem to take the whole thing way too personally. Especially R312 who looks to have dozens of posts in this thread. Are you being paid by this ugly homophobic cult to silence any negative conversation about it?

How much money has that hipstery charlatan cult leader collected already to his personal bank accounts?

Declaring war on the religious beliefs of a huge percentage of Americans is a sure way to be defeated.

R315 I don't know i things are different on R/the_donald, but saying the same thing dozens of times does not make it more persuasive

r306 nice troll - first of all it is not a choice. Born this way thanks very much.

I’ve always felt that this surge in popularity of evangelical Christianity is similar to the religious “awakening” or revivals that struck across huge sections of the United States in the 1830s. After awhile all these denominations will show their true colours and LGBT rights will suffer. The gay community isn’t as strong or as organised as it used to be, because younger gays thought they could assimilate into the straight community.

[quote] because younger gays have assimilated into the general population.

fixed it for you

R318, your conclusion is flawed

R318: You only think it’s flawed because you don’t want to see it. The reason why LGBT rights got as far as they did was due to certain amount liberalism that pervaded throughout the country from ‘60s onwards. At that time Church attendance was in decline, with a lot of the congregations being comprised of older people. And while many of them may have been conservative in their private opinions, they could be surprisingly more liberal and open minded in many other ways due to going through the depression, WW2, and experiencing the positive effects of Roosevelt’s new deal. However, most of that generation have now died out, and there’s rising tide of right-wing conservatism that is sweeping across the nation. Trump, MAGA, and the rise of deceptively “hip” evangelical Christianity is only the start of this phenomenon.

We’re going to start to see a regression of LGBT rights because of this.

Sorry, I meant r320.

R317 Man, that's a reach. I mean you're accusing me of trolling.

It is your belief that you are born as you are. Was what I said so out of line?

[quote] It is your belief that you are born as you are

Does anyone here still believe this is a gay man and not some straight right winger?

The 60s and 70s were objectively much more conservative than today. Anyone claiming anything else is grossly insane

Of course they were, r325. But there was certain socioeconomic factors in place that allowed an expansion of liberal values. All the gains that the LGBT community made were because of it. However, those conditions no longer exist, while there has also been a huge swing to the right in the last couple of years that it is only going to get worse and more divisive as time goes on.

You queens realize you can still wank to him even if he doesn't run for president right??

Didn't the hillsong peado head priest fuck bieber a quickie and then the bieebs had some spunk all over his pants?!

r327 you fucking hetero breeder. Go rape your sister-wife and then run your two headed kid over with your pickup truck by 'accident'

R329 Seek psychiatric help.

FULL PERFORMANCE: Watch @hillsongunited sing 'Good Grace' LIVE on @GMA this morning!

#HILLSONGUNITEDonGMA