Chris Pratt Debunks Religious Rumors That Nearly Got Him Cancelled

Chris Pratt on Religious Controversy

Marvel

Men's Health examined the controversy behind Chris Pratt's comments about religion that, in recent years, people online have used against him in an attempt to cancel him.

After actor Elliot Page called out Pratt for reportedly attending a church that supports hate speech and anti-LGBTQ messages in 2019, Pratt made it clear that he was never associated with that church. He attributed not being more strongly against the church to not wanting to "throw a church under the bus" in that instance:

”What he didn’t say then—and what he tells me now—is: “I never went to Hillsong. I’ve never actually been to Hillsong. I don’t know anyone from that church. Okay. Why not say that at the time? I’m gonna, like, throw a church under the bus? If it’s like the Westboro Baptist Church, that’s different.”

Pratt also noted how he and his wife, Katherine Schwarzenegger, chose a lesser-known Catholic church in Santa Monica, California for their daughter's baptism.

Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn admitted to this situation being infuriating, complimenting Pratt for being "unspeakably kind to people." The director made it clear that Pratt is subject to plenty of made-up facts about him that get pushed through the media on a regular basis:

“It absolutely infuriates me. Chris is unspeakably kind to people; he goes out of his way to help kids. He’s an especially loving father. And there’s a lot of stuff that people have literally just made up about him—about his politics, about who he is, about what he believes of other people, you know?”

Jurassic World director Colin Trevorrow shared Gunn's opinion, saying that he doesn't understand "why we treat each other this way."

In recent days, Pratt commented on the matter, reminiscing on how he was asked to give a speech at the MTV Movie & TV Awards after receiving the network's Generation Award. The producers told him to say something inspiring, so he said the following:

“God is real. God loves you. God wants the best for you. Don’t be a turd.”

Pratt is certain that people only remember the part where he mentioned God, understanding why some people didn't react as well as he might have expected. He didn't see himself becoming "the face of religion" while not being an incredibly religious person, explaining some of the differences he sees in how people use religion for their own benefit:

“Maybe it was hubris. For me to stand up on the stage and say the things that I said, I’m not sure I touched anybody. Religion has been oppressive as fuck for a long time,” he says as we walk over a tiny footbridge, the words spilling out in an emotional tidal wave. “I didn’t know that I would kind of become the face of religion when really I’m not a religious person. 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 on to the back of religion and come along for the ride.”

Developing...