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Celebrities on Jesus

Famous People Speak on Jesus

Celebrities on Jesus



I have no further use for America. I wouldn't go back there if Jesus Christ was President.

Charlie Chaplin (1889-1977) English comic actor and filmmaker
Reaction to his being refused an American re-entry permit in 1952 by Attorney General James McGranery.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/dna/place-lancashire/plain/A2754191



Looking for Jesus in history is . . . as trying to invent a yard stick that will measure infinity, or a clock that will tick through eternity. … History is too fragile and indeterminant a structure to contain Jesus; like - using the imagery of one of His own parables - the old wineskins into which new wine cannot be put, or like the worn cloth which cannot be patched with new. How shabby, how patched and repatched, how thread-bare and faded this fabric of history is, compared with the ever-renewed, gleaming and glistening garnment of truth!

Malcolm Muggeridge (1903-1990) English journalist and broadcaster
Jesus: The Man Who Lives (London: Collins 1975), p. 21 ff.


The coming of Jesus into the world is the most stupendous event in human history. . . . As it is, belonging to a civilization which began with the birth of Jesus some two thousand years ago, and reaching the conclusion—to me inescapable—that whatever is truly admirable in the achievements of the succeeding centuries, in art and literature, in music and architecture, in the quest for knowledge and in the pursuit of justice and brotherliness in human relations, derives from that same event, I cannot but see it as towering sublimely above all others.

Malcolm Muggeridge (1903-1990) English journalist and broadcaster
Jesus: The Man Who Lives (London: Collins 1975), p. 7.


There is no question but that if Jesus Christ, or a great prophet from another religion, were to come back today, he would find it virtually impossible to convince anyone of his credentials despite the fact that the vast evangelical machine on American television is predicated on His imminent return among us sinners.

Peter Ustinov (1921-2004) English-German actor and humourist
The Independent (February 25, 1989)


If Jesus had been killed twenty years ago, Catholic school children would be wearing little electric chairs around their necks instead of crosses.


Lenny Bruce (1925-1966) American satirist
Quoted by Richard Dawkins in The God Delusion, (London: Bantam Press 2006), p. 251.


I would like to ask Him if He was indeed virgin born, because the answer to that question would define history.

Larry King (1933-) American television and radio host
Quoted by Raymond F. Cannata,  Joshua D. Reitano in Rooted: the Apostles’ Creed (Murfreesboro, Tenn.: Doulos Resources, 2013), p. 36.


No honey, I'm not the King. Christ is the King. I'm just a singer.

Elvis Presley (1935-1977) American singer
Response to a woman in Las Vegas as recorded by gospel singer J.D. Sumner and reported by Steve Beard in ‘Elvis Presley's spiritual quest’ in Risen Magazine. See http://www.tithing-russkelly.com/elvis/id15.html




I was walking through the woods, thinking about Christ. If he was a carpenter, I wondered what he charged for bookshelves.
Woody Allen (1935-) American actor, director and comedian
From Love and Death (1975)


His friendships with women were revolutionary for that time. The more I study the teachings of Jesus, the more convinced I become that a foundational aspect of his teaching is the equality of women and men in God’s eyes, deserving of equal treatment. Look at the many women who followed him, sustained him. Look at the women who were shunned by all others but who Jesus touched and kissed and loved.

Jane Fonda (1937-) American actress
http://janefonda.com/about-my-faith/




lt The trouble with the British is that they are not interested in ideas. If Jesus came back today and offered to speak for an hour on British television, they would say, What! Another talking head?

John Cleese (1939-) English comedian
http://www.tv.com/people/john-cleese/




My views on Christianity are directly influenced by The Passover Plot by Hugh J. Schonfield. The premise is that Jesus' message had been garbled by his disciples and twisted for a variety of self-serving reasons by those who followed, to the point where it has lost validity … I believe in God, but not as one thing, not as an old man in the sky. I believe that what people call God is something in all of us. I believe that what Jesus and Mohammed and Buddha and all the rest said was right. It's just that the translations have gone wrong.

John Lennon (1940-1980) English singer and songwriter
Press Conference at Astor Towers Hotel, August 11 1966. http://holysm0ke.tripod.com/sorry.html




Jesus is the ultimate message … [he] came on this planet and died a very horrific death so that you and I can get rid of our guilt. We can always be guilty, but we can leave it behind us. For me the essence of Christianity is that Jesus came so that we can reach God. … Jesus came to die for us and all we have to do is receive him.

Cliff Richard (1940-) English singer
Interview with Hanno Gerwin, chief editor of the Evangelische Rundfunkdienst Baden 2014 gerwin.de/en/interview_engl.php?id=81




You and I are invited to make the same journey, out of the darkness of an unbelieving world into the promised land of eternal peace and full union with God. On the exodus Moses merely foreshadowed the one true mediator between God and man - Jesus. He is our leader and intimate companion on the way; he provides all we need for the journey, leads us to still waters to revive us, and when we labour too much or carry too many burdens, says 'Come to me, I will give you rest'. He is the light that illumines the path, and should we stray off it, he will leave the others and search till he finds us.

Delia Smith (1941-) English cookery writer and broadcaster
Smith, A Feast for Advent (Oxford: The Bible Reading Fellowship 1991), p. 47.


lt Jesus tapped me on the shoulder and said, Bob, why are you resisting me? I said, I'm not resisting you! He said, You gonna follow me? I said, I've never thought about that before! He said, When you're not following me, you're resisting me.

Bob Dylan (1941-) American singer
Said on stage at Syracuse, New York, May 1980 and quoted in Q Magazine (London, Jan. 1990).


I'm gonna make a gospel record and tell Jesus I cannot bear these burdens alone.


Aretha Franklin (1942-) American singer
Conversation with Mahalia Jackson reported by Mark Bego in Aretha Franklin: The Queen of Soul (Cambridge, Mass: Da Capo Press 2010), p. 103.


John's time and effort were, in the main, spent on pretty honorable stuff. As for the other side, well, nobody's perfect, nobody's Jesus. And look what they did to him.

Paul McCartney (1942-) English singer/songwriter
Interview with Joan Goodman for Playboy Magazine, December 1984.
http://www.beatlesinterviews.org/dbpm.int2.html




I’m not a Bible-basher. I don’t go out there and say, ‘You must go to church.’ I just tell people how it is and how my Christian faith has pulled me through life. Jesus wants you to be happy.

Syd Little (1944-) English comedian
Interview with New Life (February 2014) at http://www.newlife.co.uk/show.php?id=689




He [a Theatre Chaplain] explained all about Jesus, and how his death on the cross could not only enable me to be forgiven but actually start again. I knew it was for me.

Bobby Ball (1944-) English comedian
Explaining the background to his conversion in 1986 on http://www.cieweb.org.uk/cannon&ball.html




Jesus, take me!

Bob Marley (1945-1981) Jamaican reggae singer/songwriter
Marley’s deathbed cry to Jesus after he converted to Christanity, decribed by Christine Thomasos in her Christian Post article, February 6, 2012 (Marley was baptised into Christianity into the Ethiopian Orthodox Church in November 1980).
http://www.christianpost.com/news/bob-marley-died-a-christian-not-rastafarian-claims-archbishop-68800/.




The story of Jesus is very fascinating. It still has such a tremendous power, even after 2,000 years!

Björn Ulvaeus (1945-) Swedish singer/songwriter, and co-founder of Abba
Speech on humanism, July 24 2006 http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Bj%C3%B6rn_Ulvaeus.




I thought to myself, ‘Why do I believe that and not believe in life after death?’ That got me thinking about the most famous person who they say had a life after death, Jesus. … I knew that somebody called Paul actually existed, I knew that he wrote letters, and that they are there for everyone to see … By the end of the letter … I was reading about a way of being and a way of life that I had been looking for all those years.

David Suchet (1946-) English actor
Interview given  to Vicki Power and published: in the Daily Express December 10, 2012.
http://www.express.co.uk/news/showbiz/363810/David-Suchet-reveals-how-he-found-faith




There were no bolts of lightning, claps of thunder or puffs of smoke. But as I climbed into bed, I felt something that I could only describe as being 'made brand new'. It was as if He was saying 'follow me and I will take you forward', and my life from that moment transformed.

Rosemary Conley (1946-) English diet and fitness expert
Testimony given in Leicester, England on September 22, 2012, published online in Christian Today, September 26, 2012, at http://www.christiantoday.com/article/rosemary.conley.shares.faith.with.city.of.leicester/ 30703.htm




He was the perfect Lamb of God. The moment He died on the cross, when He called out, "It is finished", the curtain in the Temple that divided the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies was torn in half, from top to bottom. Jesus has paid the penalty for sin and all those who repent and believe in Him can come into the presence of God as a cleansed and forgiven worshipper.

Helen Shapiro (1946 -) English singer and actress
Shapiro, 'Walking back to happiness' posted online at http://www.mannamusic.co.uk/walkingback/walkingback.htm




And some people say Jesus wasn't Jewish. Of COURSE he was Jewish! 30 years old, single, lives with his parents, come on! He works in his father's business, his mom thought he was God's gift, he's Jewish! Give it up!

Robin Williams (1951-) Amercan comic actor
From Robin Williams: Live on Broadway (2002) http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Robin_Williams




When you look at the reasons behind why Christ came, why he was crucified, he died for all mankind and he suffered for all mankind … Christ spoke of faith, hope, love and forgiveness. And these are things I think we need to be reminded of again. He forgave as he was tortured and killed. And we could do with a little of that behavior.

Mel Gibson (1956-)American actor and producer
Interview with Bill O’Reilly on The O’Reilly Factor, Fox News Channel, Jan. 14, 2003.
Quoted in http://jayreding.com/archives/2002/09/23/mel-gibsons-ipassioni/comment-page-1/




To a Christian, Easter Sunday means everything, when we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. That gives us a life with God for eternity, and that's more than anybody ever deserves, and that's just very, very meaningful and powerful to me personally and to millions of other Christians out there.


Bernhard Langer (1957-) German golfer and twice Masters champion
Interview with Ronald Townsend, April 10, 2004 in Augusta, Georgia,
http://www.asapsports.com/show_interview.php?id=5202




Jesus said to love the children and be like children: be youthful and be innocent and be pure and honourable. He was talking to his apostles. They were fighting over who was the greatest among themselves and he said, ‘Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest among you.’

Michael Jackson (1958-2009) American singer and dancer
Interview with The News of the World, May 1 1996. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GP8dJ2CaQsk


I am a Christian, but at times I feel very removed from Christianity. The Jesus Christ that I believe in was the man who turned over the tables in the temple and threw the money-changers out.

Bono (1960-) Irish singer-songwriter and founder of U2
Interview in Rolling Stone magazine1987
Cathleen Falsani reports in http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/3009777/




Jesus isn’t lettin’ you off the hook. The Scriptures don’t let you off the hook so easily. When people say, you know, ‘Good teacher,’ ‘prophet,’ ‘really nice guy’ … this is not how Jesus thought of himself.

Bono (1960-) Irish singer-songwriter
Radio interview with Focus on the Family, June 25, 2013.
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/06/25/famed-rock-star-opens-up-i-believe-that-jesus-was-the-son-of-god/




I loved Jesus. He was my hero. More than pop stars. More than footballers. More than God. God was by definition omnipotent and perfect. Jesus was a man. He had to work at it. He had temptation but defeated sin. He had integrity and courage. But He was my hero because He was kind. And He was kind to everyone. He didn’t bow to peer pressure or tyranny or cruelty. He didn’t care who you were. He loved you. What a guy. I wanted to be just like Him.

Ricky Gervais (1961-) English comedian
Why I’m an Atheist posted Dec 19, 2010
http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2010/12/19/a-holiday-message-from-ricky-gervais-why-im-an-atheist/




I’m gonna go see Jesus … I want to see Jesus.

Whitney Houston (1963-2012)
Statement to a friend on February 10 2012 after performing Yes, Jesus Loves Me in Hollywood http://hollywoodforjesus.com/




If Jesus was here, do you think Jesus would show me any love? Do you think Jesus would love me? I'm a Muslim, but do you think Jesus would love me ... I think Jesus would have a drink with me and discuss ... why you acting like that? Now, he would be cool. He would talk to me.


Mike Tyson (1966-) American boxer
Interview, May 1, 2002 http://boxing.about.com/od/records/a/tyson_timeline_5.htm




I was at the deepest point of my life and in deep depression. I needed help, I asked for it and I found it with Jesus Christ. I have found a new peace within which has let me chill out a lot.

Shane Lynch (1976-) Irish singer/songwriter and member of Boyzone
Interview with James Ellis (Metro News October 17 2009) at http://metro.co.uk/2009/10/27/shane-lynch-635648/


God is very much still a part of my life. . . . I still believe that Jesus is the son of God. .... Speaking in tongues is as normal to me as ‘Pass the salt’. A lot of religions use meditation or chanting as a subliminal prayer language, and speaking in tongues isn’t that different—it’s a secret, direct language to God. If I felt intuitively that I had to pray for some situation, but I didn’t rationally understand it, I just let my spirit pray for it.

Katy Perry (1984-) American singer
‘Sex, God & Katy Perry’ in Rolling Stone magazine, August 2010. http://blog.christianitytoday.com/ctentertainment/2010/08/katy-perry-im-still-a-christia.html




I’m a Christian, I believe in God, I believe that Jesus died on a cross for my sins. I believe that I have a relationship and I’m able to talk to him and really, he’s the reason I’m here, so I definitely have to remember that. As soon as I start forgetting, I’ve got to click back and be like, you know, this is why I’m here.

Justin Bieber (1994-) Canadian singer
Interview with Associated Press, January 2010. See http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/01/justin-bieber-talks-relat_n_777239.html


 
 
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