Speaking to both the failing creativity of the industry and the inherent biases of Hollywood heathens, an alum from “The Office” called out his entertainment peers after a recent example of how a “Bible-reading preacher” predictably turned out to be “a horrific villain.”
The list of successful celebrities who openly promote faith is notably short including the likes of Chris Pratt, Mark Wahlberg, Denzel Washington, Mel Gibson and Jim Caviezel. Even rarer are those with notoriety taking shots at their peers for their portrayal of Christians in media, which is precisely what actor Rainn Wilson did Saturday after watching the HBO series “The Last of Us.”
Taking to Twitter, the actor known for playing Dwight Schrute wrote, “I do think there is an anti-Christian bias in Hollywood. As soon as the David character in ‘The Last of Us’ started reading from the Bible I knew that he was going to be a horrific villain. Could there be a Bible-reading preacher on a show who is actually loving and kind?”
I do think there is an anti-Christian bias in Hollywood. As soon as the David character in “The Last of Us”
started reading from the Bible I knew that he was going to be a horrific villain. Could there be a Bible-reading preacher on a show who is actually loving and kind?— RainnWilson (@rainnwilson) March 11, 2023
Wilson’s comment referenced a character from the post-apocalyptic video game adaptation that leads a group of cannibals and uses Bible quotes to justify their behavior.
Earning over 40,000 likes following more than five million views at the time of this post, many backed up the opinion, including the president of the non-profit LIBRE Initiative, Daniel Garza, who works toward helping members of the Hispanic community achieve the American dream.
“Defamation of Christianity has become the most unoriginal and tired cliches in movie/TV series storylines. It’s prevalence is much more than a bias against an entire people, it is meant to undermine faith and position the secular-minded as only ones with altruistic intentions,” he wrote and added, “Devoted Christians are rarely represented by Hollywood and never as hero in the story. For Latinos it’s worse. [There’s approximately] 16-17 million Latino Evangelicals in USA — I’m talking millions — Outside of faith films, you won’t see this common archetype represented in Hollywood – ever.”
Devoted Christians are rarely represented by Hollywood and never as hero in the story
For Latinos it’s worse. Theres approx 16-17 million Latino Evangelicals in USA
I’m talking millions
Outside of faith films, you wont see this common archetype represented in Hollywood – ever
— Daniel Garza (@danielggarza) March 13, 2023
Voices from Christian entertainment noted that this was far from a new phenomenon as New Christendom Press CEO Eric Conn harkened back to author Jane Austen, “Goes back to Mr. Collins in Austen’s ‘Pride & Prejudice.’ The preacher man is nearly always portrayed in a negative light. Also true of Hollywood today.”
Likewise, Christian musician Sean Feucht said, “We’ve all known this for a long long time Rainn.”
Goes back to Mr. Collins in Austen’s “Pride & Prejudice.” The preacher man is nearly always portrayed in a negative light. Also true of Hollywood today. https://t.co/kUxsIfm6Pc
— Eric Conn (@Eric_Conn) March 12, 2023
We’ve all known this for a long long time Rainn https://t.co/zFxUjl3bmB
— Sean Feucht (@seanfeucht) March 11, 2023
Like the so-called Asbury Revival which took place in February, where students who had gathered to worship continued to do so for days on end, inspiring similar gatherings across the country and drawing as many as 5,000 to the Asbury University campus in Kentucky, Wilson has taken to promoting the need for a “healing transformation on both a personal and global level” in his upcoming book, “Soul Boom: Why We Need a Spiritual Revolution.”
As the description reads, “Existing political and economic systems are not enough to bring the change that the world needs,” and, “He feels that, culturally, we’ve discounted spirituality–faith and the sacred–and we need profound healing and a unifying understanding of the world that the great spiritual traditions provide.”
Worth noting, the actor does not appear to be coming from the political right with his argument as he has previously drawn attention to climate change activism by briefly changing his name on social media to “Rainnfall Heat Wave Extreme Winter Wilson.”
The Office star goes full climate nutjob, changes his name to raise awareness https://t.co/Op5djrS7yX pic.twitter.com/814xUJDK9a
— Conservative News (@BIZPACReview) November 13, 2022
“This is not a joke,” he said at the time, “I’m as serious as the melting Arctic, which amplifies global risks, including extreme weather events around the globe.”
Meanwhile, as some called out scant few examples of characters in movies that fit the “loving and kind” description, others determined that those films would not get made in the same way if they were done today.
Written by an atheist as well @garywhitta. I find it’s often non Christian writers that create the best spiritual characters.
— Aaron Cheater (@AaronCheater) March 12, 2023
This is a great movie. Also, this movie would never be made in Hollywood today.
— Janine Curran (@janinereturns) March 13, 2023
Bigotry is cool as long as it’s art.
— 😉😘🎉 Just A (@TheycallmejustA) March 12, 2023
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