Ellen Page called out Chris Pratt for attending Hillsong Church after Pratt discussed his spiritual beliefs on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.”
Pratt explained that he’s on the Daniel Fast, a fast inspired from the Bible, which is a “21-day diet during which he ate only fruits, vegetables, grains, and unleavened bread.”
He also shared the advice his pastor gave him about fame saying “If the spotlight that is shining on you is brighter than the light that’s within you, it will kill you.”
Hillsong Church has become a trend in celebrity culture with Justin Bieber, Hailey Baldwin, Kourtney Kardashian and others among its congregation attendees. The church was founded in Australia in 1983 and since then has expanded to Los Angeles and New York City.
Although it’s considered a trendy church for the millennial crowd, its views on the LGBTQ community aren’t favorable.
LGBTQ people are welcome to attend services at Hillsong. Bieber went viral after he invited a queer fan looking for an LGBTQ-inclusive church to attend Hillsong. However, gay people are not allowed to hold in positions of power in the church.
In 2015, Hillsong pastor Brian Huston elaborated on the church’s views calling being LGBTQ a “lifestyle.”
“Hillsong Church welcomes ALL people but does not affirm all lifestyles,” Huston wrote. “Put clearly, 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. I recognise 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 blasted Pratt for staying silent on the church’s anti-LGBTQ views.
“Oh. K. Um. But his church is infamously anti lgbtq so maybe address that too?” Page tweeted.
Oh. K. Um. But his church is infamously anti lgbtq so maybe address that too? https://t.co/meg8m69FeF
— Ellen Page (@EllenPage) February 8, 2019
In a later tweet she explained why she chose to call out Pratt over his church’s views.
“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. The damage it causes is severe. Full stop. Sending love to all.”
She continued: “If lgbtq+ people are expressing their pain, their trauma, their experiences…maybe just try and listen? Open your heart, stop being defensive and have compassion. It’s a beautiful and life changing feeling, empathy. Much love truly 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
— Ellen Page (@EllenPage) February 9, 2019
If lgbtq+ people are expressing their pain, their trauma, their experiences…maybe just try and listen? Open your heart, stop being defensive and have compassion. It’s a beautiful and life changing feeling, empathy.
Much love truly to all.— Ellen Page (@EllenPage) February 9, 2019
Story courtesy of the Washington Blade.