Jim Carey: How I Interpret the Bible
- Posted by: Todd
- Posted on: Wed, February 21, 2007
- Viewed 54
- (9) comments so far
Q: Are you a religious guy?
A: I’m a spiritual guy, not a religious guy. I believe in taking truth from whatever source you find it, and if it fits like a pair of old shoes and you feel like you’ve known it for your whole life when you hear it, then it’s the truth. Organizations ... they become corrupt sooner or later and have to protect themselves to convince people to believe in them.
Q: Some would say such a smorgasbord approach dilutes the truth.
A: Not me. When it comes to Jesus, you know, he said a lot of incredibly impactful, wonderful things that were amazing and completely misunderstood for the most part. Somebody might not understand “nobody gets to heaven but through me.” They might take it literally. I believe it means “by loving like I love and forgiving like I forgive.”
Q: Not everyone would peg you as a spiritual seeker.
A: I love it. I was down in Malibu one day, getting some ice cream, and I ran into a bunch of kids from Pepperdine who were studying theology. And we just got into this deep debate about all these things from the Bible, like original sin. It’s fascinating.
Q: Does the spirituality provide some refuge from the pressures of Hollywood?
A: It’s been incredibly helpful. I used to think that the parts I did or the fame would define me and someday complete me. After a while, I understood that those things could be crossed off the list of things that will do that. I wish everybody fame and fortune so they can cross it off the list and move on to something else.
Jim Carey. It seems like people either love his movies or hate them (kind of like Adam Sandler). But what does Jim think about Jesus and the Bible? A recent interview reveals some interesting thoughts from Carey. Sounds like he's really interested in things 'spiritual'; but has some very intriguing thoughts about how to interpret the Bible...
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RevJeff on Wed, February 21, 2007
Maybe some of our “Celebrity pastors” should adopt Jim’s philosophy… “Cross it off their list and move onto something else”
Is it FRIDAY?
Daniel on Wed, February 21, 2007
Obviously Jim doesn’t count as a Christian in the orthodox sense, but his movies seem to have a lot positive things in them. Out of all the influences coming out of Hollywood, I think Carey’s one to not be worried about (Sandler, on the other hand, has issues with authority and structure).
My two cents.
-Daniel-
Pastor Al on Wed, February 21, 2007
RevJim and Daniel - good points.
My2Cents - Cary Talented - Sandler - Not!
Randy Ehle on Wed, February 21, 2007
While I enjoy listening to people when they start off talking about the Bible with, “I believe it means…”, I certainly wouldn’t build a theology off those statements! (What’s scary is the number of Bible study groups I’ve been a part of that almost focus on what “I believe it means”.) And while I think Jesus would agree with Carrey that “loving like I love and forgiving like I forgive” are important, I also think he (Jesus) meant it when he said, “no one comes to the Father but by me”; and I believe I am correct in stating that the Greek preposition translated “by” or “through” carries the meaning of agency or means; in other words, you have to go through Jesus to get to the Father…pretty much a literal understanding of the English translation that Carrey doesn’t seem to care for.
Interacting with people who like to discuss “spiritual things” - including the Bible - can be very enjoyable. It can also distract us from our task of making disciples if we allow ourselves to get bogged down. Some people are more interested in the discussion than in the truth. Carrey’s definition of truth, by the way, is quite interesting, in a dizzying sort of way: “I believe in taking truth from whatever source you find it, and if it fits like a pair of old shoes and you feel like you’ve known it for your whole life when you hear it, then it’s the truth.” So if I’m supposed to “take truth” from somewhere, but I don’t know it’s the truth until I try it on for size and feel and comfort and familiarity…well, how do I know if it was true in the first place? And isn’t there some truth that actually feels new and prickly and tight (kind of like that new pair of dress shoes that I bought, that didn’t feel comfortable until I’d worn them for a while)?
Peter Hamm on Thu, February 22, 2007
“I’m a spiritual guy, not a religious guy. I believe in taking truth from whatever source you find it, and if it fits like a pair of old shoes and you feel like you’ve known it for your whole life when you hear it, then it’s the truth. “
What an AWESOME description of what so many pre-believers, and even some believers, use as criteria for accepting truth and doctrine. We can learn from this guy. Not how and what to believe, but why people do. He may be closer than you think in his journey, ya never know…
Dan Moore on Thu, February 22, 2007
The fact that Jim Carey is willing to talk about spiritul things and the Bible is a wonderful opportunity for those Christians who have access to him. I know some of the things he says seem contrary and Randy you pegged it. Jim is still influenced by the way the world thinks about religion and spirituality. Peter gives the right word for Jim - “pre-believer” - which makes this a wonderful insight into evangelism. May God move Jim to discover the real truth - Jesus Christ.
drbob on Thu, February 22, 2007
Keep seeking, Jim; and we’ll be praying you find the Truth!
Jan on Fri, February 23, 2007
Jim is like a lot of people out there, open to “spiritual things”, seeking experiences, but picking and choosing truth according to what feels good and very wary of organized religon.
I think he typifies our missional challenge.
Dave on Fri, February 23, 2007
Carrey’s thought’s regarding truth are the epitome of relativism. “Try it on, if it feels good, it’s truth,” apparently regardless of whether or not it bears any relationship to anything objective. I see nothing pre-Christian in a “Truth is whatever feels comfortable to me” belief system. But it does reflect a common way of thinking and “typifies our missional challenge” as Jan put it.
Carrey’s 4th response does provide some hope.
Dave
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