A Moral Quest: Celebrities
Seek Spirituality
By Natalie Paul, 10.11.06
Religion is turning heads and hearts as many spiritually-seeking celebrities search for something to believe in.
"Artists in general are in search for something new, something different, something challenging,” said Charlie Kim, a youth leader of Filipino Christian Church in Virginia Beach, VA.
This search, he says, stems from the artistic element in celebrities' search for self-worth.
"At the same time they want to know who they really are,” he said.
Kim believes the artists’ search also derives from their personality. He said personality tends to be an iimportant factor in their search for faith, and plays a large role in the lives of most celebrity entertainers.
“It really has to do with their human temperaments, and just wanting to go deeper than what’s usual,” Kim said.
Lynda Hanna, a film and theatre student at Regent University of Virginia Beach, VA described what she thinks may be the reason behind the sudden Hollywood faith fixation.
“Just because you’re a movie star, doesn’t mean you don’t have spiritual needs,” Hanna said. “Everyone’s searching for something that’s real and there’s not a whole lot a people you can trust in the industry.
Hanna believes celebrities, like everyone else, are aware of their need for inner peace.
"I think they’re aware that there is something more besides what’s around them,” she said.
Many celebrities search out religions such as Buddhism, Scientology and most recently Kabbalah. Hanna believes celebrities choose these religions because they demand a lesser role.
"Most [religions] are about finding peace and finding you,” she said.
The success of light-hearted religious themed movies is an indicator of people's common need for spirituality.
Blockbuster hits such as “The Passion of the Christ”, “Woman Thou Art Loosed”, “Laurel Canyon” and “The Anniversary Party” are among the religious movies whose success suggest American interest in
spirituality.
Twentieth Century Fox has invested in the current faith movement by creating Fox Faith Movies. Fox Faith creates movies targeting a Christian audience. The New Age movement is seeking to capitalize in
the interest of faith-films with a Spiritual Cinema Circle website dedicated to the release of mind, body and spirit nourishing films.
