The famous actor grew up in a conservative Baptist family, but at some point he turned to apostasy (fall away from faith). In an interview he said:
“There’s a point where you’re un-tethered from the beliefs of your childhood. That point came for me when it was finally clear my religion didn’t work for me.”
This is a common pathway for people who turn away from faith. Their conclusion portrays a misunderstanding of the gospel, of faith and of God. They believe that the aforementioned concepts are religion. But religion is merely a man-made system and not to be confused with a saving relationship with God.
So they become angry with the religious establishment, and project that anger on God. Here is how Brad Pitt does not understand God:
“I didn’t understand this idea of a God who says, ‘You have to acknowledge me. You have to say that I’m the best, and then I’ll give you eternal happiness. If you won’t, then you don’t get it!’ It seemed to be about ego. I can’t see God operating from ego, so it made no sense to me.”
Clearly, Brad Pitt does not understand the gospel. He thinks that he has to do something like satisfying God’s “ego” to get salvation. There is no mention in there about the suffering and death of Jesus in the place of sinners. He conveniently left that part out, because surely he heard it hundreds of times in church while he was growing up.
Does the God who actually dies for his creation sound like the egotistical god portrayed by Pitt? Among His last words, Jesus said: Father, forgive them because they do not know what they are doing.
The ultimate act of love and unselfishness toward humanity is what illustrates the character of the biblical God.
But we must remember that God’s attributes of love and mercy cannot be separated from his divine wrath toward unrighteousness.
Ah, but it is this aspect that irks people like Brad Pitt. They would love a god without the standards of holiness and therefore without consequence to sin. But this is not the God revealed in the Bible.
The biblical God became shame and died for humanity in order to save believers. But at the same time the evil born in the fall of creation must be punished, otherwise God would not be consistent in his attributes.
And yes Brad Pitt, God is the best.
Delight in Truth 
I wasn’t aware of Mr. Pitt’s Christian roots, Delight.
His ideas certainly seem upside down, backwards, or sideways; take your pick. The subject of God’s wrath came up the other day on an evolution/creation forum to which I belong. One may discuss God’s love all one wants and most of those folks still don’t believe. Most of them seem to know the Gospel message that Brad Pitt must have heard many times. They are the ones who brought up the subject of God’s wrath and some got really wound up.
I’m with you my friend. God is the best.
Mr. Chris
Looking at Brad Pitt objections, I don’t think he ever heard The Gospel…. or maybe he heard the minimized version of the gospel, sort of “God loves you and he died for you ” ….
The Gospel is simple, but it is not simplistic. And most Christians these days never heard it.
Amen!!!….very well said. I believe that two of the main reasons that keeps famous people from coming/remaining in faith is PRIDE and LOVE OF LIVING IN SIN (not willing to accept the standards of morality that are being taught in the bible). As such, the easiest way out is to say that there is no God and that the bible is full of contradictions. However, the words in the bible are being fulfilled in front of our eyes…the bible says that in the last days people will b lovers of themselves, arrogant, full of pride, mockers….and this was written over 1900 years ago….well, the gospel is foolishness for those who dont know the lord….andrew/tibi
Could not agree more with you Tibi. Pride and loving sin keep these wealthy and famous from undergoing the transformation urged by the Holy Spirit…
I agree with Andrew. And i was thinking about an other reason. Sometimes people run away from the church because they don’t see that much similarities between their church and the one presented in the New Testament. Some churches are kind of dead churches and you don’t get to see that much faith in there.
It seems that this article misworded what Brad Pitt is saying. The thing is, that most Christian churches do not follow what they preach. The new testament does speak about the guidelines of what the church is suppose to do, and churches today are not doing it. But I also do feel that many common christian churches today do act like God is egoistical. Brad Pitt is right to me, Christians don’t follow the bible so they make up things, and they cause people to lose faith and fall away. They act like you just have to jump up and down, say “oh Jesus I love you” ! Faith is for us, not exactly for God . God does not need us to be jumping up and down for him, noooo its not biblical nor necessary so I think Brad is on the right track.
Mary, I think you overly generalize in your assertions.
Do all churches NOT follow what the NT says? Or do you really mean, some churches?
Do all Christians NOT follow the Bible, or just some?
Using your line of reasoning I should never go to the gym because there are obese people working-out there. It is the same with churches. People attend churches and they may not be in the best spiritual shape, it is a fact of life. That does not give you right reason to say that Mr PItt is on the right track. Not at all.