Jim Carrey

Everybody is Wrong About Jim Carrey’s Faith

Jim Carrey

His beliefs are unique and we shouldn’t put him in a box

Jim Carrey is one of the most brilliant physical comedians ever. He also is known for his dramatic work in movies like “The Majestic” and “The Truman Show.” A Hollywood icon. Yet he has been incorrectly labeled about his faith and used as an object for others to express their own piety.
Everybody is Wrong About Jim Carrey’s Faith[/tweetthis]

Jim Carrey was raised a Catholic. He later switched to Presbyterian and attended church in early 1990s. He has been connected to Kabbala, Scientology, Christianity, and Transcendentalism.

But Jim Carrey has been opaque about his religious beliefs. Recently he has spoken about God and faith. In particular, he focused on forgiveness. Demonstrated by a speech he gave at HomeBoy Industries, a rehabilitation program for convicted felons. The speech has been seen 184,000 times.

He mentioned God, but his message was about forgiving oneself in order to be able to have a full life. He does not preach nor mention a particular denomination while giving the speech. He also talked about God in a short video he made about painting. He mentions searching for God and how it influences his art.

This led to several groups claiming that he was clearly demonstrating a deep faith in Christianity. But let’s not get carried away. He has mentioned Jesus as an inspirational figure, but he has also used Buddha and the works of Eckhart Tolle, a famous New Age philosophy as significant figures in his personal and spiritual journey. “I’m a Buddhist, I’m a Muslim, I’m a Christian. I’m whatever you want me to be. It all comes down to the same thing.”

The focus on God does not automatically mean he is religious. As WRN has reported more and more individuals are claiming that they spiritual rather than religious. The dichotomy is an organization and a personal system. We can’t say that Jim Carrey has not been shy about his views on the world. During a speech, he stated that “the meaning of life is to love oneself and be visible no matter what the risk, be honest.” He also been honest about religion, vocally attacking the Catholic Church for their views on homosexuality. One wonders how he could be considered a “far right Christian” when he dismisses a central tenet of their religious doctrine.

If Jim Carrey’s faith had to be labeled, which would miss the point, it would be Deism. Deism is a belief in a higher power who does not intervene in the universe. It believes in the afterlife and a moral code, but there is no particular path beyond an individual commitment to be a good person. Jim Carrey, who has had battled with depression and ending his use of Prozac, is exemplifying this by talking about a higher power, but not the rules that dictate how someone would worship.

It empowers groups to claim to have an A-list celebrity as a member. It creates visibility and appeals to a particular faith. But an individual’s faith is a deeply personal issue. We should not put labels on someone because it is convenient. It disregards their understanding and does not properly acknowledge an understanding. Respect for an individual is what Jim Carrey speaks about. Shouldn’t we listen a little better?

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