Why I Could Never be a Hollywood Actor

. . . Aside from no acting talent. It must be near impossible to be an actor of faith these days. There are but a handful of outwardly/outspoken Christians in Hollywood and many who are find themselves struggling to find quality work.



Wingnut and I have been big fans of the CBS drama, Person of Interest, staring Jim Caviezel. Mr. Caviezel has been an outspoken Catholic since before his days as Jesus in The Passion of the Christ. He's spoken out against ESCR-- going so far as to lend himself to a commercial during the 2006 elections in support of Senator Jim Talent and his opposition of ESCR. Caviezel has also been strongly and publicly pro-life. As an outward sign of this, he and his wife have adopted two special needs children.  He's been the refreshing face of Catholicism in the mainstream entertainment industry.

Unfortunately, at some point in Hollywood values are eventually compromised if you want to continue finding work as an actor. It was so disappointing watching last night's episode of POI in which a married lesbian couple was featured. Apparently this was a storyline Mr. Caviezel could not oppose. Certainly I'm not expecting perfection from Jim Caviezel, but gay marriage is such a big issue right now and as we are being pushed against our will to not only recognize it, but to accept it. It's entertainment such as this that may become the lynch pin that brings the downfall of traditional marriage and the end of true religious freedom. It's just too bad.

Comments

Katie said…
Pete loves that show too. We watched on Friday and were disappointed too.
momto5minnies said…
This is probably why I hardly watch any TV anymore. It's so discouraging. The family is completely being attacked in today's world. I'm tired of being called traditional or conservative. It's GOD's will and I truly believe so many evils are the result of the breakdown of true families.
Anonymous said…
I'm a devout Catholic too, but I feel the response to this episode was off base. Something can be portrayed in the media and we don't have to agree with it. We could show space travel and someone could say "I think that's too great a risk. Those people could die and leave behind loved ones". The fact of the matter is gay people can get married, and they are married. I actually quite enjoyed this episode, for the exact reason of the message it sent. The message it sent to me was 'We are all God's children, and we are all created equal'. If I had been standing in Mr. Caviezel's shoes when reading that script, I would have had no issue, though I can't speak to his thoughts. As a child I was taught to always love and treat others with dignity and respect, even if you don't agree with their lifestyle or beliefs.

NYC is as diverse as it gets. It's almost unrealistic to not show some gay people lol. But joking aside, other episodes have featured drug addicts, criminals, and former murderers being protected by Mr. Reese, because he stands up for the innocent. He doesn't let other people play executioner no mater what. As a Catholic, you don't have to agree with gay people getting married, but that certainly doesn't mean they should die.

If you watch with kids, (who honestly I think it will go over most kid's heads. That stuff did with me until I was like 11), use it as a teaching tool. Growing up I would mysteries with my parents and the motive would be the two characters having an affair. My parents didn't turn off always. They pointed out the behavior as an example of what not to emulate. I would tell my children 'The Catholic church teaches that only men and women should get married, but that everyone deserves life.'
Anonymous said…
Jim's probably a Catholic that's not also a bigot. Why is that so surprising? I love it how people use "God" and the blatant mistranslation of the Bible over and over to justify prejudice and bigotry.
Unknown said…
I know this is an old post, but I noticed that you don't have a concern with the heterosexual couple who tried to kill each other than work it out. But the one lesbian couple featured in the show constitutes an "attacking" marriage comment? In my few decades of being on this earth I have found more hate from people who evoke God's will than love. Stop being disappointed about an issue that will not affect or interfere with your personal life.
Unknown said…
I know this is an old post, but I noticed that you don't have a concern with the heterosexual couple who tried to kill each other than work it out. But the one lesbian couple featured in the show constitutes an "attacking" marriage comment? In my few decades of being on this earth I have found more hate from people who evoke God's will than love. Stop being disappointed about an issue that will not affect or interfere with your personal life.
Maurisa said…
Shea,

I feel you have missed the point of my post. My point was, I could not personally be part of an industry which required me to leave my faith at the door. Mr. Caviezel has spoken on many occasions about the jobs he has turned down because they asked him to compromise his beliefs.

I'm not familiar with the other episode you mentioned or how it played out. We have stopped watching the show since last year. But, if you knew anything about me or about what I write about you would know I regularly write about marriage. Just recently I wrote about the 4 main pillars of marriage and how each of them have been pillaged in a way which makes marriage completely unrecognizable today. I'm not here just to bash gays. I have friends who have been involved in adulterous relationships and I am disappointed. I have friends who use contraception or have had abortions and I am disappointed. I have gay friends and family who believe they have the right to same sex marriage and I am disappointed. Disappointment is not judgment, condemnation or hate. I'm just as disappointed when one of my children lies to me.

If I am not allowed to be disappointed about an issue that will not affect or interfere with my personal life, who are you to be disappointed in me? My post, my personal beliefs do not affect or interfere with your personal life either.

It is a tenant of the Christian faith to love/care for our neighbor. If I followed your admonition and stopped caring about issues which did not affect me, I would be disregarding my own faith. If my neighbor beats his dog, by your rule, I should not be disappointed in him, as it does not affect my personal life. Seems ridiculous, no?

My daughters were involved in the Nutcracker performances at the Kennedy Center for several years. I used to spend several hours a week waiting for them with other parents. I struck up a friendship with a man, who I knew was gay, and we used to have long conversations about family and traditions. I enjoyed spending my waiting hours talking with him. He was interesting and insightful. Then one evening it came up in our conversation I was a practicing Catholic. From that night on, the man refused to speak to me and would visibly avoid me. So tell me, Shea, who was the more judgmental?

Anyway, I could wax poetic about how I'm not a hateful bigot. In the end, you don't really know me, so it doesn't matter in the least what I say.
Merci said…
It's just pushed in our faces constantly! The right is suppose to be intolerant but just let a lib know you don't believe in being gay and watch the intolerance come out
Anonymous said…
The bible IS NOT "mistranslated" as it was given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit. I'm so tired of people saying that! It's called God's commandments and any Christian who DOES follow God's commandments is a bigot and prjudice. No, you're a sinner, plain and simple. Being gay is WRONG and God said it was so if you don't like it take it up with HIM. Is aids a mistranslation too? I think not.

How are people who arent' even Christians and not even spiritual going to tell born again people who ARE spiritual and who DO know God and have a relationship with God that WE don't know the bible and it's mistranslated. No, it's YOU who doesn't know the bible and are misinterpreting things. You're not spiritual, the bible is spiritual, you're carnal. therefore you just DON'T get it. All you non-believers need to shut your mouths cause you DON'T know what you're talking about.

Not trying to be mean but I'm fully fed up with this crap. I'm not a bigot because I follow God's commandments. And I refuse to be painted into a silent corner by gay bullies and their supporters. You don't know God so kindly keep your off base opinions(cause that's all they are) to yourselves.
Anonymous said…
This entire article is so pathetic its hilarious!! Having two lesbians in one episode in the entire show is "attacking" yall, but you're attacking them for even existing. Let us have at least some representation, let us exist.
Maurisa said…
Dear Anonymous,

First of all, this is not an article, but a personal blog post. This my own personal blog in which I express my own thoughts and opinions. Last time I checked, freedom of speech is still a fundamental right in this country.

Secondly, not once did I claim to be attacked. I only discussed why I could not be a Hollywood actor, because in order to get roles, actors often have to leave their beliefs, priciples, and their faith at the door. Obviously, many actors don't really struggle with that. I just know I would.

Thirdly, I have never attacked anyone for existing. Existence/life is still a fundamental right in this country. It's a God given right, and it is our first right. I support your right to exist, I just happen to disagree with how many homosexuals define marriage. My reasons for doing so are religious, and freedom of religion is also a fundamental right in this country.

Lastly, I do not enjoy watching shows with sexual content of any kind--homosexual or heterosexual. That's my personal preference and so I choose not to watch shows with sexual content. If other folks are fine with it, what busniess is it of mine. Obviously, many folks don't have an issue with it, otherwise networks would not air those kinds of shows.
Anonymous said…
Yes, you have a right to your religious beliefs, to free speech and to your opinions and I'll always stand with you and fight to protect that right. However, if you put on a public blog that you stand against same-sex marriage and pass judgement on it, then don't be upset when people call you on it. Freedom of speech does not mean you can say something that offends others and expect them to be silent about it, even if you hide behind your religious beliefs. Frankly, most same-sex couples don't give a whit about whether you agree with their marriage or not. Your religious beliefs are irrelevant to their marriage as their marriage is irrelevant to your religious beliefs. You can still go to church and worship however you want, you can even go to a job, like Jim Caviezel does, where you might be confronted by people who are in a same-sex relationship. You'll survive. Just as you'll survive when confronted by people who are divorced, or live together without being married, or have children out of wedlock or use birth control or a myriad list of other things that everyday people do in spite of your religious beliefs. When we start putting people into "us" and "them" categories, we all lose. I'm a recovering Roman Catholic myself and I used to attend mass fervently several times a week. Then, I really started noticing how judgmental and arbitrary my fellow church members were. They could harp on and on about the half-dozen verses on homosexuality but ignore the well over 100+ verses in the bible that condone and support slavery. I realized that the God I worshiped wasn't so weak that he needed His followers to pass judgement on and demean other human beings. I decided I would let Him do the judging for things that don't concern me in the least. My faith or no faith is my own and has nothing to do with the human beings I meet every day, no matter what their background. They have their own journey. I do believe the repugnance of and outrage at LGBT people is a purely human invention and a very human prejudice.
Literary Mom said…
We stopped watching over halfway through the last season, because the main characters (the only women) developed a lesbian relationship which they culminated in a steamy sex scene. The TV went off when they hopped in bed and we never looked back. I share your same concern about so-called "Christian stars." That's an oxymoron.
Minh said…
I think your former friend did the right thing. I would too if I were him.

No matter how "loving" you appear to be, when politics is involved, you will side with the policy that harms gay couples and their family. Either they have to jump through hoops to get their rights or they have to fight their butts off to be acknowledged of their existence.

Gay people's tear has almost fill an ocean. There is no reason to keep putting up with your belief. You post your issue with gay marriage here while being "nice" with gay people in person.

That is double faced behavior. I loathe it a lot more than outspoken Catholic like Matt Walsh. As vile as he is, his honesty is inside out.

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