Christians in the entertainment industry often feel intimidated about sharing their faith, Oscar-winning actor Matthew McConaughey recently said on “The Joe Rogan Experience.”
“We’re making people persona non grata because of something they do that is right now deemed wrong, or it’s the hot point in a hot topic right now,” he said. “You can’t erase someone’s entire existence. Where the heck does some forgiveness go?”
When Rogan asked McConaughey about specific moments of discrimination he faced, he said he “hasn’t had any difficulties” but did share that he has watched his peers publicly holding back on the idea of faith in a higher power and expressing their faith with others.
“I have had moments where I was on stage receiving an award in front of my peers in Hollywood, and there were people in the crowd that I have prayed with before dinners, many times,” McConaughey said. “And when I thank God, I saw some of those people go to clap, but then notice that, ‘This could be a bad thing on my resume’ and then sit back on their hands.”
READ: Actor talks about being Chrsitian in Hollywood
He has even seen people read the room and choose not to clap during acceptance speeches where there is any mention of faith, fearing that if they do it will hurt them in the future. Although these moments caught his attention, he didn’t judge his fellow actors and colleagues for it.
During McConaughey’s memorable 2014 acceptance speech when he won best actor award for “Dallas Buyers Club,” he said God has “graced my life with opportunities that I know are not of my hand or any other human hand. He has shown me that it’s a scientific fact that gratitude reciprocates. In the words of the late (British actor) Charlie Laughton, ‘When you got God, you got a friend and that friend is you.’”
McConaughey was raised Methodist. His name is biblical, and his parents were intentional about it. This is one reason why they never shortened his name to “Matt,” the actor said.
“[My mother] said, ‘Your name is Matthew, I named you after the Bible. It is not Matt, do not ever answer to Matt in your life.’ It was like, ‘yes, ma’am’, so that’s one of the things when people go ‘Matt’, I say ‘Matthew, please’,” he said.
–Alan Goforth | MV
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Christians must be courageous because without courage. You cannot stand up to those who reject the Lord. And how can you hope to win them if you’re a coward? If people understood true we understood how much God loves them. It wants to bless them in stop all this foolishness immediately. I’ll be honest with you. I have been a Christian for 60 years and it was only in November of 23. That god actually really showed me the reward of my efforts and it was so huge.