“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong.” (1 Corinthians 16:13)
There was an interview last week with former Jesus, Jim Caviezel regarding his views on abortion. Personally, I don’t keep track of who believes what in Hollywood because it’s a pretty safe assumption where most’s politics lie. So this interview surprised me, especially because so many tried to dig deep into his convictions when he portrayed Jesus in The Passion of the Christ, but to no avail. He continued on in his career with a quiet humility, never lording over anyone with a holier-than-thou attitude.
I’m most impressed with his desire to speak out regardless of the consequences. Consider these quotes: “I don’t love my career that much to say, ‘I’m going to remain silent on this’.” And, “when you go to church on Sunday, it’s absolutely worthless unless you apply what you’ve learned to your everyday life.” Even more remarkable is that he puts his convictions to action by adopting a special needs child from China.
I do hope his convictions do not hurt his career. But have you seen Patricia Heaton in anything lately other than on the Hallmark Channel? It’s no question conservatives are a minority in Hollywood, likely more so conservative Christians. But it is possible to make a career with challenging ideologies. Consider Andrew Niccol, writer and director of one of my favorite movies, Gattaca. He doesn’t have a long resume, but he hasn’t necessarily been a flop either. If you’re on the fence regarding abortion, watch this movie and then watch the special features with interviews with Niccol. Gattaca is one of my favorite movies without the political subtext, though the sanctity of life drives the overall plot.
What does the future hold for Mr. Caviezel? God only knows. But I hope he knows that he’s not alone. I’m going to do a run of featurettes on some likely and unlikely defenders of the faith who aren’t willing to hide their convictions for the sake of their paycheck. Stay tuned.
“Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ… I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel.” (Philippians 1:27ff)