Actor Alan Ritchson, an outspoken Christian, recently delivered a message about those who criticize him for playing in secular projects like his hit show “Reacher.”
Ritchson released a YouTube video stating he loves playing Reacher and telling the story, noting his character offers an interesting opportunity to explore ethics and values.
“I love playing a character who creates a kind of moral ambiguity that we should struggle against as we consider whether or not what he’s doing is good all the time or morally right,” Ritchson said. “I think that kind of thing is fun and fascinating, and I think escaping to that world as an audience, hopefully it’s as enjoyable for you as it is for me to help bring it to life.”
“Supposed Christians especially criticize me for playing Reacher,” Ritchson said. “As if the only TV that should exist is seeing people silently folding their hands in the pew of a church.”
He added, “I mean, what kind of stories are we supposed to tell?”
Ritchson pointed to the many complex stories told in the Bible—journeys replete with characters who are anything but perfect.
In the Old and New Testaments, the actor said one can easily see “a thousand years of an infinitely holy God holding tension with human beings as He tells the story of who He is, reveals who He is through an imperfect people.”
And Ritchson wasn’t done there.
He added that the Bible is filled with “miracles and magic,” with the Lord being totally unafraid to “tell the story of who He is through less than morally ambiguous characters, through pure evil sometimes.”
In the end, he said it’s “laughable” to critique him for not solely playing saintly characters.
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Reprinted with permission from faithwire.com. Copyright © 2024 The Christian Broadcasting Network Inc. All rights reserved.
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