Chris Pratt Claps Back at Accatns That His Church Hat Gay People: "Nothg Could Be Further From the Tth"

Contents:

• CHRIS PRATT ATTENDS AN ANTI-GAY CHURCH WH A HISTORY OF CHILD MOLTATN AND EX-GAY THERAPY
• CHRIS PRATT CLAPS BACK AT ACCATNS THAT HIS CHURCH HAT GAY PEOPLE: “NOTHG COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TTH”
• CHRIS PRATT DEFENDS CHURCH AMID ANTI-LGBTQ CLAIMS: “NOTHG COULD BE FURTHER OM THE TTH”THE ACTOR THEN WENT ON ELLEN, WHERE THE TOPIC DIDN’T E UP AT ALL.BY YOHANA DTAFEBARY 12, 2019BY AXELLE/BER-GRIFF/GETTY IMAG.SAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVECHRIS PRATT IS PHG BACK AGAST CLAIMS THAT HIS CHURCH, A FAVORE AMONG BOLDFACE HOLLYWOOD NAM, IS ANTI-GAY. ON THURSDAY, ACTRS ELLEN PAGE BROUGHT THE ISSUE TO THE FORE WHILE REMARKG UPON THE ACTOR’S LATE SHOW APPEARANCE, WHICH HE DISCSED HIS CHRISTIAN FAH WH HOST STEPHEN COLBERT. “OH. K. UM. BUT HIS CHURCH IS FAMOLY ANTI LGBTQ SO MAYBE ADDRS THAT TOO?” PAGE WROTE ON TWTER, HIGHLIGHTG THE HILLSONG NGREGATN (WHICH ALSO UNTS STARS LIKE JT BIEBER AND HAILEY BALDW AMONG S MEMBERS). SHE FOLLOWED THAT UP WH ANOTHER TWEET, SAYG STARS SHOULDN’T BE SURPRISED WHEN THEY’RE LLED OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA. “BEG ANTI LGBTQ IS WRONG, THERE AREN’T TWO SIS,” SHE ADD. “THE DAMAGE IS SEVERE.”ON MONDAY, PRATT RPOND TO PAGE WH A MSAGE ON HIS INSTAGRAM STORY (WRG BIG BLOCKS OF TEXT OVER A PHOTO OF A SHEEP; SURE!), SAYG CLAIMS THAT HILLSONG IS ANTI-L.G.B.T.Q. ARE FALSE. “IT HAS RECENTLY BEEN SUGGTED THAT I BELONG TO A CHURCH WHICH ‘HAT A CERTA GROUP OF PEOPLE’ AND IS ‘FAMOLY ANTI-LGBTQ,’” HE WROTE. “NOTHG ULD BE FURTHER OM THE TTH. I GO TO A CHURCH THAT OPENS THEIR DOORS TO ABSOLUTELY EVERYONE. DPE WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT DIVORCE MY CHURCH MUNY WAS THERE FOR ME EVERY STEP OF THE WAY, NEVER JUDGG, JT GRACEFULLY ACPANYG ME ON MY WALK. THEY HELPED ME TREMENDOLY OFFERG LOVE AND SUPPORT. IT IS WHAT I HAVE SEEN THEM DO FOR OTHERS ON UNTLS OCSNS REGARDLS OF SEXUAL ORIENTATN, RACE OR GENR.”IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT HILLSONG HAS ALSO BEEN ACCED OF PROMOTG NVERSN THERAPY AND ALIENATG GAY MEMBERS, ADDN TO OPPOSG SAME-SEX MARRIAGE.PRATT NTUED ON HIS YOUTH-PASTOR FLOW, QUOTG A BIBLE VERSE AND SAYG THAT HE IS ULTIMATELY NOT A SPOKMAN FOR THE CHURCH. “MY VALU FE WHO I AM,” HE SAID. “I AM A MAN WHO BELIEV THAT EVERYONE IS ENTLED TO LOVE WHO THEY WANT EE OM THE JUDGMENT OF THEIR FELLOW MAN.”THE ACTOR, WHO’S CURRENTLY PROMOTG THE UNRPERFORMG LEGO MOVIE 2, ALSO SAT DOWN FOR AN TERVIEW WH ELLEN DEGENER ON MONDAY, WHERE THE TOPIC OF HIS CHURCH DIDN’T E UP AT ALL. INSTEAD, SHE AND PRATT HAD A SOFTBALL CHAT, NTUG DEGENER’S UNOFFICIAL PLEDGE TO MAKE HER UCH A SAFE SPACE FOR CELEBRI UNRGOG NTROVERSY. THEY SHOT THE BREEZE ABOUT HIS MOVIE, HIS SON, AND HOW FEELS TO LOSE OUT THE CHRIS WARS TO CHRIS HEMSWORTH, WHO WAS NAMED SEXIT CHRIS HOLLYWOOD BY PEOPLE.MORE GREAT STORI OM VANY FAIR— THE WORST-KEPT SECRET OF TMP’S PRINCY— IS SILIN VALLEY SUFFOTG THE MEDIA? JILL ABRAMSON WEIGHS — BERNIE SANRS’S PLAN TO EAT THE RICH— THE 25 MOST FLUENTIAL MOVIE SCEN OF THE PAST 25 YEARS— BROAD CY AND THE PIVOT TO LENNIAL RAGELOOKG FOR MORE? SIGN UP FOR OUR DAILY HOLLYWOOD NEWSLETTER AND NEVER MISS A STORY.BAFTAS 2019: SEE ALL THE RED CARPET LOOKS1 / 44CHEVRONCHEVRONBY DAVID FISHER/BAFTA/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK.RACHEL WEISZMOST POPULARAND JT LIKE THAT: MICHAEL PATRICK KG KNOWS WHEN THE AUDIENCE TURNED ON CHE DIAZBY CHRIS MURPHYSARA RAMIREZ ISSU STHG RPONSE TO ANTI–CHE DIAZ PROFILEBY SAVANNAH WALSHHOW MADONNA TURNED THE LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN SET INTO A THREE-RG CIRCBY ER CARLSONYOHANA DTA
• GAY EX-HILLSONG MEMBERS SPEAK OUT AGAST CHRIS PRATT’S CHURCH: ‘THEY DON’T BELIEVE US AS HUMAN BEGS’HUMAN RIGHTSCHRIS PRATT FEND HIS EVANGELIL CHURCH AGAST ELLEN PAGE’S ‘ANTI-LGBTQ’ ACCATN, BUT FORMER HILLSONG SUPPORTERS SAY THEY FELT ‘SHUNNED.’JOSEPH LONGOUPDATED FEB. 18, 2019 7:47PM EST / PUBLISHED FEB. 15, 2019 10:21PM EST PHOTO ILLTRATN BY LYNE LUCIEN/THE DAILY BEASTON A NOVEMBER 2017 NIGHT DOWNTOWN LOS ANGEL, SELENA GOMEZ TEARFULLY REUNTED HER JOURNEY TO BEG “A CHILD OF GOD” ONT OF A ROOM FULL OF FELLOW EVANGELIL CHRISTIANS. SHE READ ALOUD A SELF-ADDRSED LETTER, SHARG THE DAY SHE SAT A CHURCH SERVICE WH A IEND AND FELT THE END TO A OF “FALLG AND TRYG, HURTG AND QUTNG.” CLIFFORD JABS SAT THE DIENCE AT THE MICROSOFT THEATER WH A CLOSE IEND OF HIS OWN. HE’D TRAVELED OM NEW YORK TO ATTEND HILLSONG CHURCH’S ANNUAL NFERENCE, AS A RELIG NFIRMATN OF SORTS. HE’D STARTED ATTENDG HILLSONG SERVIC NEW YORK LS THAN A YEAR AGO. THE MORN MIC AND LIVELY PASTORS SATISFIED HIS SPIRUAL YEARNGS A WAY HE HADN’T FELT SCE CHILDHOOD.LISTENG TO ONE OF HIS FAVORE SGERS SPEAK, JABS, WHO IS GAY, HAD A SUDN REALIZATN. “I’M NOT HEARG ANYTHG ABOUT THE LGBTQ POPULATN,” HE SAID, QUICKLY PICKG UP HIS PHONE TO GOOGLE “HILLSONG CHURCH LGBTQ.” SCROLLG THROUGH THE ONSLGHT OF NEGATIVE PRS, HE SAT SHOCKED AND WAED FOR SOMEONE ON STAGE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE LGBTQ MUNY. NO ONE DID. “IN THE ABSENCE OF NOTHG BEG SAID, ADDN TO THE HISTORY, I REALIZED THAT THIS CHURCH WAS NOT FOR ME,” HE RELLED. JABS IS JT ONE OF SEVERAL FORMER HILLSONG CHURCHGOERS AND MIC FANS REVISG THEIR EXPERIENC—MOSTLY NEGATIVE—THIS WEEK ON SOCIAL MEDIA THE WAKE OF ELLEN PAGE CRICIZG CHRIS PRATT’S ASSOCIATN WH THE “ANTI-LGBTQ” CHURCH. PRATT ATTENDS LOS ANGEL’ ZOE CHURCH, A BRANCH OF THE SOCIAL-MEDIA SAVVY HILLSONG FAY EVANGELIL CHURCH TREE. ZOE CHURCH HAS NOT OFFICIALLY E OUT AGAST THE LGBTQ MUNY, THOUGH S PASTOR PRODUCED A FILM THAT EQUATED HOMOSEXUALY WH “SEXUAL BROKENNS.” PRATT FEND HIS PARISH ON INSTAGRAM AGAST PAGE’S CLAIMS, CG THEIR SUPPORT AFTER HIS DIVORCE OM ACTRS ANNA FARIS. “IT IS WHAT I HAVE SEEN THEM DO FOR OTHERS ON UNTLS OCSNS REGARDLS OF SEXUAL ORIENTATN, RACE OR GENR,” HE WROTE.HOWEVER, AS THE DAILY BEAST PREVLY REPORTED, PARENT CHURCH HILLSONG HAS A LENGTHY HISTORY OF GAY NVERSN THERAPY, AND REFG LEARSHIP ROL TO LGBTQ PEOPLE. A REPRENTATIVE FOR HILLSONG CLED TO MENT ON THE CHURCH’S CURRENT LGBTQ BELIEFS, STEAD REFERRG TO GLOBAL SENR PASTOR BRIAN HOTON’S 2015 BLOG TLED, “DO I LOVE GAY PEOPLE?” FOLLOWG BACKLASH AFTER THE FIRG OF JOSH CANFIELD, A GAY MAN WHO SERVED AS HILLSONG’S NYC CHOIR DIRECTOR, OVER HIS SEXUALY, HOTON WROTE, “HILLSONG CHURCH WEL ALL PEOPLE BUT DO NOT AFFIRM ALL LIFTYL. PUT CLEARLY, WE DO NOT AFFIRM A GAY LIFTYLE AND BEE OF THIS WE DO NOT KNOWGLY HAVE ACTIVELY GAY PEOPLE POSNS OF LEARSHIP, EHER PAID OR UNPAID.” THE NEWS ME AS A SHOCK TO MANY WHO DIDN’T EXPECT HOMOPHOBIA WH THE MORN, HIGH-TECH CHURCH. BUT SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WRER CLARKISHA KENT ALREADY KNEW WHERE THEY STOOD ON HER MUNY. SHE’D DONE HER REARCH A FEW YEARS EARLIER. “I DIDN’T KNOW, BEG A YOUNG QUEER, WHAT THEIR ACTUAL MSAG WERE,” SAID KENT, WHO BEGAN HER VTIGATN AS A UNIVERSY OF CHIGO UNRGRAD 2012. “HILLSONG IS A VERY GOOD STUDY ON HOW TO PACKAGE BIGOTRY.”WHILE NEVER AN OFFICIAL MEMBER OF THE HILLSONG CHURCH, KENT WAS A VOTED FAN OF HILLSONG UNED, ONE OF THREE BANDS THAT PRISE THE CHURCH’S MIC BRANCH. SHE FIRST HEARD THE BAND AT THE NONNOMATNAL 2009 ACQUIRE THE FIRE CHRISTIAN YOUTH NFERENCE NASHVILLE. ATTENDG WH HER BAPTIST TEEN MISTRY GROUP, KENT WAS ENRAPTURED BY HILLSONG UNED’S MOODY, GUAR-DRIVEN TAKE ON CHRISTIAN SONGS AND STAGE “SET UP LIKE A EAK’ BEYONCé NCERT.” THEY BEME PART OF HER DAILY PLAYLIST AS A TEEN. BUT AFTER HEADG OFF TO THE UNIVERSY OF CHIGO, KENT ME OUT AS BISEXUAL AND STARTED REARCHG HILLSONG’S STANCE ON LGBTQ ISSU. SHE QUICKLY LOST FAH A BAND THAT ONCE MA HER FEEL ACCEPTED. “THEY’RE NOT GOG TO PUT ANTI-GAY THEIR LOVE SONGS. THEY’RE SMART FOR THAT, BUT WE GOT TO BE SMARTER,” KENT, WHOSE TWTER THREAD CRIQUG HILLSONG AND PRATT WENT VIRAL EARLIER THIS WEEK, EXPLAED. EVER SCE HILLSONG NYC’S SENR PASTOR CARL LENTZ JOED JT BIEBER’S ENTOURAGE 2017, MEDIA OUTLETS ROUTELY VER THE INSTAGRAM-IENDLY EVANGELIL CHURCH BUT ONLY OCSNALLY EXPLORE THEIR NOT-SO-PICTURQUE PAST. IN AUGT 2018, THE CUT OUTLED THE MANY CELEBRY NNECTNS TO EVANGELIL PASTORS OM THE KARDASHIANS AND VO CHURCH’S RICH WILKERSON TO CHRIS PRATT AND ZOE CHURCH’S CHAD VEACH.IN THE PIECE, WRER LEA CEASRE—WHO INTIFI AS STRAIGHT—RE-EXAMED HER TIME ATTENDG HILLSONG NYC FOUR YEARS EARLIER. “I THOUGHT I HAD MOVED ON WH MY LIFE. THIS WASN’T A HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE MY LIFE,” CEASRE SAID. “NO ONE HAD OPENLY E OUT TO ME THERE, BUT I HAD SOME IENDS WHO WANTED TO JO THAT WERE GAY. IT WAS THIS WEIRD THG WHERE I ULDN’T VE THEM OR TALK ABOUT .”CEASRE, TIRED OF READG LARGELY POSIVE, CELEBRY-FOCED ARTICL ON THE CHURCH, WROTE A PERSONAL SAY FOR THE OUTLE SEPTEMBER 2018 ABOUT LEAVG BEHD THE “RETROGRA VALU” OF HILLSONG. SHE LLED THE EXPERIENCE LARGELY POSIVE, APPRECIATG THE NGREGATN’S RACIAL DIVERSY AND MUNY SERVICE. BUT SHE ULDN’T STOMACH THE “SHADY AND DISGENUO” FOC ON CELEBRY WHILE BEG “SHUNNED” FOR QUTNG THEIR FOC ON TRADNAL MARRIAGE. HER PARTURE WASN’T WHOUT RAMIFITNS. “IT WAS ME LEAVG THAT REALLY END OUR IENDSHIP,” SHE SAID OF THE IEND WHO FIRST BROUGHT HER TO HILLSONG. “I DIDN’T GET THE SENSE HE WAS GOG TO E AROUND TO ANYTHG I WAS GOG TO SAY.”CEASRE’S ARTICLE EXPERIENCED A RURGENCE ON TWTER THIS WEEK, AND SHE’S FIELDG MSAG OM CURRENT AND FORMER HILLSONG PARISHNERS OFFERG SIAR EXPERIENC. SHE NO LONGER FEELS ALONE HER RISTANCE TO HILLSONG BUT IS TRATED THAT PRATT AND OTHER CELEBRI WON’T NDIDLY DISCS THE CHURCH’S HOMOPHOBIA. IT’S A SENTIMENT ECHOED BY JABS, WHO LEFT THE 2017 HILLSONG CONFERENCE NVCED HE WOULDN’T RETURN TO THE CHURCH. HE DON’T HOLD ANY RENTMENT TOWARD GOMEZ—WHO PENNED A LETTER TO THE LGBT MUNY FOR BILLBOARD 2017—OR PRATT’S ASSOCIATNS WH THE CHURCH. HE JT WANTS THEM TO ADDRS S NOT-SO-SECRETIVE HISTORY. REPRENTATIV FOR PRATT, GOMEZ AND ZOE CHURCH DID NOT RETURN REQUTS FOR MENT. “THIS CHURCH HAS A PROBLEM WH ME. IT’S OK IF THEY HAVE A DIFFERENT TYPE OF VIEW,” HE SAID. “WE’RE GIVG THEM A CHANCE TO TELL WHAT THEY BELIEVE, AND BY THEM NOT TAKG THAT CHANCE, ’S BASILLY THEM TELLG THEY DON’T BELIEVE AS HUMAN BEGS AND WHO WE ARE.” JOSEPH LONGO

CHRIS PRATT ATTENDS AN ANTI-GAY CHURCH WH A HISTORY OF CHILD MOLTATN AND EX-GAY THERAPY

”As prevly reported, two Hillsong Church executiv received backlash 2015 after makg homophobic ments and llg homosexualy a s.

CHRIS PRATT CLAPS BACK AT ACCATNS THAT HIS CHURCH HAT GAY PEOPLE: “NOTHG COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TTH”

In that post, Hoton stat the church "wel ALL people" but do not "affirm all liftyl, " cludg the "gay liftyle.

CHRIS PRATT DEFENDS CHURCH AMID ANTI-LGBTQ CLAIMS: “NOTHG COULD BE FURTHER OM THE TTH”THE ACTOR THEN WENT ON ELLEN, WHERE THE TOPIC DIDN’T E UP AT ALL.BY YOHANA DTAFEBARY 12, 2019BY AXELLE/BER-GRIFF/GETTY IMAG.SAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVECHRIS PRATT IS PHG BACK AGAST CLAIMS THAT HIS CHURCH, A FAVORE AMONG BOLDFACE HOLLYWOOD NAM, IS ANTI-GAY. ON THURSDAY, ACTRS ELLEN PAGE BROUGHT THE ISSUE TO THE FORE WHILE REMARKG UPON THE ACTOR’S LATE SHOW APPEARANCE, WHICH HE DISCSED HIS CHRISTIAN FAH WH HOST STEPHEN COLBERT. “OH. K. UM. BUT HIS CHURCH IS FAMOLY ANTI LGBTQ SO MAYBE ADDRS THAT TOO?” PAGE WROTE ON TWTER, HIGHLIGHTG THE HILLSONG NGREGATN (WHICH ALSO UNTS STARS LIKE JT BIEBER AND HAILEY BALDW AMONG S MEMBERS). SHE FOLLOWED THAT UP WH ANOTHER TWEET, SAYG STARS SHOULDN’T BE SURPRISED WHEN THEY’RE LLED OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA. “BEG ANTI LGBTQ IS WRONG, THERE AREN’T TWO SIS,” SHE ADD. “THE DAMAGE IS SEVERE.”ON MONDAY, PRATT RPOND TO PAGE WH A MSAGE ON HIS INSTAGRAM STORY (WRG BIG BLOCKS OF TEXT OVER A PHOTO OF A SHEEP; SURE!), SAYG CLAIMS THAT HILLSONG IS ANTI-L.G.B.T.Q. ARE FALSE. “IT HAS RECENTLY BEEN SUGGTED THAT I BELONG TO A CHURCH WHICH ‘HAT A CERTA GROUP OF PEOPLE’ AND IS ‘FAMOLY ANTI-LGBTQ,’” HE WROTE. “NOTHG ULD BE FURTHER OM THE TTH. I GO TO A CHURCH THAT OPENS THEIR DOORS TO ABSOLUTELY EVERYONE. DPE WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT DIVORCE MY CHURCH MUNY WAS THERE FOR ME EVERY STEP OF THE WAY, NEVER JUDGG, JT GRACEFULLY ACPANYG ME ON MY WALK. THEY HELPED ME TREMENDOLY OFFERG LOVE AND SUPPORT. IT IS WHAT I HAVE SEEN THEM DO FOR OTHERS ON UNTLS OCSNS REGARDLS OF SEXUAL ORIENTATN, RACE OR GENR.”IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT HILLSONG HAS ALSO BEEN ACCED OF PROMOTG NVERSN THERAPY AND ALIENATG GAY MEMBERS, ADDN TO OPPOSG SAME-SEX MARRIAGE.PRATT NTUED ON HIS YOUTH-PASTOR FLOW, QUOTG A BIBLE VERSE AND SAYG THAT HE IS ULTIMATELY NOT A SPOKMAN FOR THE CHURCH. “MY VALU FE WHO I AM,” HE SAID. “I AM A MAN WHO BELIEV THAT EVERYONE IS ENTLED TO LOVE WHO THEY WANT EE OM THE JUDGMENT OF THEIR FELLOW MAN.”THE ACTOR, WHO’S CURRENTLY PROMOTG THE UNRPERFORMG LEGO MOVIE 2, ALSO SAT DOWN FOR AN TERVIEW WH ELLEN DEGENER ON MONDAY, WHERE THE TOPIC OF HIS CHURCH DIDN’T E UP AT ALL. INSTEAD, SHE AND PRATT HAD A SOFTBALL CHAT, NTUG DEGENER’S UNOFFICIAL PLEDGE TO MAKE HER UCH A SAFE SPACE FOR CELEBRI UNRGOG NTROVERSY. THEY SHOT THE BREEZE ABOUT HIS MOVIE, HIS SON, AND HOW FEELS TO LOSE OUT THE CHRIS WARS TO CHRIS HEMSWORTH, WHO WAS NAMED SEXIT CHRIS HOLLYWOOD BY PEOPLE.MORE GREAT STORI OM VANY FAIR— THE WORST-KEPT SECRET OF TMP’S PRINCY— IS SILIN VALLEY SUFFOTG THE MEDIA? JILL ABRAMSON WEIGHS — BERNIE SANRS’S PLAN TO EAT THE RICH— THE 25 MOST FLUENTIAL MOVIE SCEN OF THE PAST 25 YEARS— BROAD CY AND THE PIVOT TO LENNIAL RAGELOOKG FOR MORE? SIGN UP FOR OUR DAILY HOLLYWOOD NEWSLETTER AND NEVER MISS A STORY.BAFTAS 2019: SEE ALL THE RED CARPET LOOKS1 / 44CHEVRONCHEVRONBY DAVID FISHER/BAFTA/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK.RACHEL WEISZMOST POPULARAND JT LIKE THAT: MICHAEL PATRICK KG KNOWS WHEN THE AUDIENCE TURNED ON CHE DIAZBY CHRIS MURPHYSARA RAMIREZ ISSU STHG RPONSE TO ANTI–CHE DIAZ PROFILEBY SAVANNAH WALSHHOW MADONNA TURNED THE LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN SET INTO A THREE-RG CIRCBY ER CARLSONYOHANA DTA

Image source, Getty ImagImage ptn, Chris Pratt has fend his church amid accatnsChris Pratt says the church he attends is not "anti-LGBTQ" after Ellen Page said was, who is openly gay, replied to a tweet that said Pratt was gog to discs his "spirual si" on a US talk said "but his church is famoly anti-LGBTQ so maybe addrs that too? Allegatns that Chris Pratt is ‘homophobic’ are spreadg on Twter aga after Marvel jt nfirmed that the character he plays Guardians of the Galaxy is bisexual. The actor nied the claims, and the mours that he is ‘homophobic’ appear to be false.

It is unknown whether the directors will rporate his bisexualy to the movi where Star-Lord is played by actor Chris Pratt ‘homophobic’ allegatns rurfaceFollowg the news that Chris Pratt’s character is now bisexual the Guardians of the Galaxy ics, allegatns that he is ‘homophobic’ are rurfacg on Twter.

”Photo by Axelle/Ber-Griff/FilmMagicDpe the actor nyg he attend a ‘homophobic’ church, the allegatns still ntue to spread on Twter, and people have been reactg to the news that Chris Pratt’s character Star-Lord is bisexual. One Twter er said: “What a joke knowg Chris Pratt is homophobic. ”“Star-Lord has always been bi but this is pretty ironic nsirg Chris Pratt is homophobic, ” said another.

GAY EX-HILLSONG MEMBERS SPEAK OUT AGAST CHRIS PRATT’S CHURCH: ‘THEY DON’T BELIEVE US AS HUMAN BEGS’HUMAN RIGHTSCHRIS PRATT FEND HIS EVANGELIL CHURCH AGAST ELLEN PAGE’S ‘ANTI-LGBTQ’ ACCATN, BUT FORMER HILLSONG SUPPORTERS SAY THEY FELT ‘SHUNNED.’JOSEPH LONGOUPDATED FEB. 18, 2019 7:47PM EST / PUBLISHED FEB. 15, 2019 10:21PM EST PHOTO ILLTRATN BY LYNE LUCIEN/THE DAILY BEASTON A NOVEMBER 2017 NIGHT DOWNTOWN LOS ANGEL, SELENA GOMEZ TEARFULLY REUNTED HER JOURNEY TO BEG “A CHILD OF GOD” ONT OF A ROOM FULL OF FELLOW EVANGELIL CHRISTIANS. SHE READ ALOUD A SELF-ADDRSED LETTER, SHARG THE DAY SHE SAT A CHURCH SERVICE WH A IEND AND FELT THE END TO A OF “FALLG AND TRYG, HURTG AND QUTNG.” CLIFFORD JABS SAT THE DIENCE AT THE MICROSOFT THEATER WH A CLOSE IEND OF HIS OWN. HE’D TRAVELED OM NEW YORK TO ATTEND HILLSONG CHURCH’S ANNUAL NFERENCE, AS A RELIG NFIRMATN OF SORTS. HE’D STARTED ATTENDG HILLSONG SERVIC NEW YORK LS THAN A YEAR AGO. THE MORN MIC AND LIVELY PASTORS SATISFIED HIS SPIRUAL YEARNGS A WAY HE HADN’T FELT SCE CHILDHOOD.LISTENG TO ONE OF HIS FAVORE SGERS SPEAK, JABS, WHO IS GAY, HAD A SUDN REALIZATN. “I’M NOT HEARG ANYTHG ABOUT THE LGBTQ POPULATN,” HE SAID, QUICKLY PICKG UP HIS PHONE TO GOOGLE “HILLSONG CHURCH LGBTQ.” SCROLLG THROUGH THE ONSLGHT OF NEGATIVE PRS, HE SAT SHOCKED AND WAED FOR SOMEONE ON STAGE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE LGBTQ MUNY. NO ONE DID. “IN THE ABSENCE OF NOTHG BEG SAID, ADDN TO THE HISTORY, I REALIZED THAT THIS CHURCH WAS NOT FOR ME,” HE RELLED. JABS IS JT ONE OF SEVERAL FORMER HILLSONG CHURCHGOERS AND MIC FANS REVISG THEIR EXPERIENC—MOSTLY NEGATIVE—THIS WEEK ON SOCIAL MEDIA THE WAKE OF ELLEN PAGE CRICIZG CHRIS PRATT’S ASSOCIATN WH THE “ANTI-LGBTQ” CHURCH. PRATT ATTENDS LOS ANGEL’ ZOE CHURCH, A BRANCH OF THE SOCIAL-MEDIA SAVVY HILLSONG FAY EVANGELIL CHURCH TREE. ZOE CHURCH HAS NOT OFFICIALLY E OUT AGAST THE LGBTQ MUNY, THOUGH S PASTOR PRODUCED A FILM THAT EQUATED HOMOSEXUALY WH “SEXUAL BROKENNS.” PRATT FEND HIS PARISH ON INSTAGRAM AGAST PAGE’S CLAIMS, CG THEIR SUPPORT AFTER HIS DIVORCE OM ACTRS ANNA FARIS. “IT IS WHAT I HAVE SEEN THEM DO FOR OTHERS ON UNTLS OCSNS REGARDLS OF SEXUAL ORIENTATN, RACE OR GENR,” HE WROTE.HOWEVER, AS THE DAILY BEAST PREVLY REPORTED, PARENT CHURCH HILLSONG HAS A LENGTHY HISTORY OF GAY NVERSN THERAPY, AND REFG LEARSHIP ROL TO LGBTQ PEOPLE. A REPRENTATIVE FOR HILLSONG CLED TO MENT ON THE CHURCH’S CURRENT LGBTQ BELIEFS, STEAD REFERRG TO GLOBAL SENR PASTOR BRIAN HOTON’S 2015 BLOG TLED, “DO I LOVE GAY PEOPLE?” FOLLOWG BACKLASH AFTER THE FIRG OF JOSH CANFIELD, A GAY MAN WHO SERVED AS HILLSONG’S NYC CHOIR DIRECTOR, OVER HIS SEXUALY, HOTON WROTE, “HILLSONG CHURCH WEL ALL PEOPLE BUT DO NOT AFFIRM ALL LIFTYL. PUT CLEARLY, WE DO NOT AFFIRM A GAY LIFTYLE AND BEE OF THIS WE DO NOT KNOWGLY HAVE ACTIVELY GAY PEOPLE POSNS OF LEARSHIP, EHER PAID OR UNPAID.” THE NEWS ME AS A SHOCK TO MANY WHO DIDN’T EXPECT HOMOPHOBIA WH THE MORN, HIGH-TECH CHURCH. BUT SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WRER CLARKISHA KENT ALREADY KNEW WHERE THEY STOOD ON HER MUNY. SHE’D DONE HER REARCH A FEW YEARS EARLIER. “I DIDN’T KNOW, BEG A YOUNG QUEER, WHAT THEIR ACTUAL MSAG WERE,” SAID KENT, WHO BEGAN HER VTIGATN AS A UNIVERSY OF CHIGO UNRGRAD 2012. “HILLSONG IS A VERY GOOD STUDY ON HOW TO PACKAGE BIGOTRY.”WHILE NEVER AN OFFICIAL MEMBER OF THE HILLSONG CHURCH, KENT WAS A VOTED FAN OF HILLSONG UNED, ONE OF THREE BANDS THAT PRISE THE CHURCH’S MIC BRANCH. SHE FIRST HEARD THE BAND AT THE NONNOMATNAL 2009 ACQUIRE THE FIRE CHRISTIAN YOUTH NFERENCE NASHVILLE. ATTENDG WH HER BAPTIST TEEN MISTRY GROUP, KENT WAS ENRAPTURED BY HILLSONG UNED’S MOODY, GUAR-DRIVEN TAKE ON CHRISTIAN SONGS AND STAGE “SET UP LIKE A EAK’ BEYONCé NCERT.” THEY BEME PART OF HER DAILY PLAYLIST AS A TEEN. BUT AFTER HEADG OFF TO THE UNIVERSY OF CHIGO, KENT ME OUT AS BISEXUAL AND STARTED REARCHG HILLSONG’S STANCE ON LGBTQ ISSU. SHE QUICKLY LOST FAH A BAND THAT ONCE MA HER FEEL ACCEPTED. “THEY’RE NOT GOG TO PUT ANTI-GAY THEIR LOVE SONGS. THEY’RE SMART FOR THAT, BUT WE GOT TO BE SMARTER,” KENT, WHOSE TWTER THREAD CRIQUG HILLSONG AND PRATT WENT VIRAL EARLIER THIS WEEK, EXPLAED. EVER SCE HILLSONG NYC’S SENR PASTOR CARL LENTZ JOED JT BIEBER’S ENTOURAGE 2017, MEDIA OUTLETS ROUTELY VER THE INSTAGRAM-IENDLY EVANGELIL CHURCH BUT ONLY OCSNALLY EXPLORE THEIR NOT-SO-PICTURQUE PAST. IN AUGT 2018, THE CUT OUTLED THE MANY CELEBRY NNECTNS TO EVANGELIL PASTORS OM THE KARDASHIANS AND VO CHURCH’S RICH WILKERSON TO CHRIS PRATT AND ZOE CHURCH’S CHAD VEACH.IN THE PIECE, WRER LEA CEASRE—WHO INTIFI AS STRAIGHT—RE-EXAMED HER TIME ATTENDG HILLSONG NYC FOUR YEARS EARLIER. “I THOUGHT I HAD MOVED ON WH MY LIFE. THIS WASN’T A HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE MY LIFE,” CEASRE SAID. “NO ONE HAD OPENLY E OUT TO ME THERE, BUT I HAD SOME IENDS WHO WANTED TO JO THAT WERE GAY. IT WAS THIS WEIRD THG WHERE I ULDN’T VE THEM OR TALK ABOUT .”CEASRE, TIRED OF READG LARGELY POSIVE, CELEBRY-FOCED ARTICL ON THE CHURCH, WROTE A PERSONAL SAY FOR THE OUTLE SEPTEMBER 2018 ABOUT LEAVG BEHD THE “RETROGRA VALU” OF HILLSONG. SHE LLED THE EXPERIENCE LARGELY POSIVE, APPRECIATG THE NGREGATN’S RACIAL DIVERSY AND MUNY SERVICE. BUT SHE ULDN’T STOMACH THE “SHADY AND DISGENUO” FOC ON CELEBRY WHILE BEG “SHUNNED” FOR QUTNG THEIR FOC ON TRADNAL MARRIAGE. HER PARTURE WASN’T WHOUT RAMIFITNS. “IT WAS ME LEAVG THAT REALLY END OUR IENDSHIP,” SHE SAID OF THE IEND WHO FIRST BROUGHT HER TO HILLSONG. “I DIDN’T GET THE SENSE HE WAS GOG TO E AROUND TO ANYTHG I WAS GOG TO SAY.”CEASRE’S ARTICLE EXPERIENCED A RURGENCE ON TWTER THIS WEEK, AND SHE’S FIELDG MSAG OM CURRENT AND FORMER HILLSONG PARISHNERS OFFERG SIAR EXPERIENC. SHE NO LONGER FEELS ALONE HER RISTANCE TO HILLSONG BUT IS TRATED THAT PRATT AND OTHER CELEBRI WON’T NDIDLY DISCS THE CHURCH’S HOMOPHOBIA. IT’S A SENTIMENT ECHOED BY JABS, WHO LEFT THE 2017 HILLSONG CONFERENCE NVCED HE WOULDN’T RETURN TO THE CHURCH. HE DON’T HOLD ANY RENTMENT TOWARD GOMEZ—WHO PENNED A LETTER TO THE LGBT MUNY FOR BILLBOARD 2017—OR PRATT’S ASSOCIATNS WH THE CHURCH. HE JT WANTS THEM TO ADDRS S NOT-SO-SECRETIVE HISTORY. REPRENTATIV FOR PRATT, GOMEZ AND ZOE CHURCH DID NOT RETURN REQUTS FOR MENT. “THIS CHURCH HAS A PROBLEM WH ME. IT’S OK IF THEY HAVE A DIFFERENT TYPE OF VIEW,” HE SAID. “WE’RE GIVG THEM A CHANCE TO TELL WHAT THEY BELIEVE, AND BY THEM NOT TAKG THAT CHANCE, ’S BASILLY THEM TELLG THEY DON’T BELIEVE AS HUMAN BEGS AND WHO WE ARE.” JOSEPH LONGO

View Tweet However, others have fend Chris Pratt, argug that the ‘homophobic’ allegatns need to stop as they are pletely false. Attendg church do not make HIM homophobic until HE DOES somethg homophobic.