Kirk Cameron was once one of Hollywood’s babies, the spunky, handsome teenager who starred in the 1980s hit “Growing Pains,” and whose picture was taped inside many a schoolgirl’s locker.
But now, Hollywood scolds and even mocks Cameron who, at 41, is a vocal evangelical Christian, and, in the view of many of his fellow celebrities, kind of a jerk.
Cameron’s more recent acting and directing projects almost always carry a deeply Christian message, and he knows he is now the darling of only a certain segment of America. He even seems to take some pride in the fact.
He has always been a bit mean-spirited about his faith. Getting Julie McCullough fired from ‘Growing Pains’ was ridiculous. But he seems to have matured.
Though educators who work on social studies curricula say most American public school children are taught of the Pilgrim’s religious motivation, Cameron complains of a nationwide campaign to strip Christianity from U.S. history. He refers to public schools as “government schools,” and deplores an “all-out assault on the Christian heritage of our country.”
I might be inclined to dismiss this as a tall tale or overstatement of the impact of secularist ideology, if I hadn’t had this conversation with my daughter’s teacher a number of years ago: It was a routine parent/teacher meeting in November, and the classroom was decorated with construction paper turkeys and pilgrim hats. I asked, “What do you tell the children about Thanksgiving, other than that the pilgrims crossed the ocean for a turkey dinner?” She understood my point, and said, “We’re not allowed to talk about their religious reasons.” I’m pretty sure there’s no law saying she wasn’t “allowed” to talk about that, but I wasn’t surprised to her her say she thought there was such a prohibition.
Pax Christi!
Chuck Bradshaw
Hulls Cove, Maine
#1 Brian, I agree. He’s always come across as immature and arrogant, particularly in his pre-Christian days. For that reason, I could never take him seriously as a committed Christian activist. I can’t shake the feeling that it’s self-serving and a convenient niche for him and his career.
Let’s face it, if even a closet atheist talked the right talk and walked the right walk, there are tens of millions of evangelicals willing to jump on his or her bandwagon (and buy the products). Look at how many sheisters they’ve supported and funded over the years!
And the Pilgrims? Really? Why don’t I think it’s likely he’ll cover the “other side” of that group? LOL.
I can’t take seriously anyone so committed to the biblically questionable, fear-mongering theology that spawned the Left Behind series.
Ian+, Ah, but no one took Pike or Spong seriously, either, for all the “right” theology reasons and look at the EcUSA today. So reject message and the messenger and all will be well, right? Or should that be Righter?