Actor Chris Pratt recently denied allegations that he attended Great Heilong Church, the scandal-ridden institution known for its alleged anti-LGBT views and LGBT conversion therapy, among other high-profile controversies.
Pratt, 43, denied the allegations during an interview with Men's Health on its cover story in July and August, saying he had never gone to church and did not know any of the worshipers who once attracted Justin Bieber.
"I've never been to Hillsong," said the "Jurassic World Dominion" star, who has been the subject of much controversy in the past.
"I've never been to Heilong before. I don't know anyone from that church."
In 2019, 'Umbrella Academy' star Elliot Page was one of the first people to criticize Pratt for his alleged affair long after the 'Avengers' star appeared on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert to speak about your faith.
"If you're a famous actor and you belong to an organization that hates a certain group of people, don't be surprised if someone just wonders why you shouldn't go to them," Paige, who came out as a transgender man in 2020, said, "Being anti-LGBTQ is wrong, there are no sides to it." The damage he does is severe. Period. Sending love to everyone.”
Pratt later responded on Instagram, saying the allegations were false.
"I recently indicated that I belong to a 'people-hate' and 'anti-LGBT' church," Pratt said. Nothing could be further from the truth. I go to a church that is completely open to everyone."
The actor told Men's Health that attacks on his faith began after his acceptance speech at the 2018 MTV Movie & TV Awards, where he said, "God is real. God loves you and God wants what's best for you...".
The Parks and Recreation graduate admitted that language may be too much for some.
"Maybe it was arrogant to go up on stage and say what I said," he told the magazine. "I'm not sure I hit anyone."
Unlike Hillsong, whose chaplain Brian Houston recently resigned amid numerous allegations of wrongdoing, which the church has repeatedly denied, Pratt said he attends Zoe Church in Los Angeles.
"Religion has been as oppressive as f-k for a long time...I think there's a difference between being religious...and using it to control people, take money from them, abuse children, steal land, and justify hate," Pratt told Men's Health.
“Evil is in the heart of every human being, hidden in the back of religion as he is coming on a journey.”
Pratt also spoke of being criticized for an article published in November about his "healthy" daughter during the birth of her disabled son.
“I said something like, 'Find someone who looks at you the way my wife looks at me.' Then I shocked her and said, 'But I love you.' I am very grateful to my wife, she gave me a beautiful and healthy daughter. Then a bunch of articles came out saying, "This is so sad." I can't believe Chris Pratt thanked you for his healthy daughter when his first child was born prematurely. "He's a blower to his ex-wife," he said.
"It's screwed up. My son is going to read this one day. It's number 9. And he's been set in digital stone. King really pissed me off, man. I cried about it. I was like, 'I hate getting these blessings my life — for my loved ones' from me" A real burden.
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