Christians

Jenna Elfman: b. 1971, California State, USA. (aka: Jennifer Maria Butala Elfman). American television and film actress. She is married to the musician Bodhi Elfman. Raised in the Roman Catholic Church, she is now a member of the Church of Scientology.

Jeri Ryan: b. 1968, Munich, Germany. (aka: Jeri Lynn Zimmerman) American film and television actress. Roman Catholic Church.

Kate Mulgrew: b. 1955, Iowa State, USA. (aka: Katherine Kiernan Maria Mulgrew) American film and television actress. Roman Catholic Church.

Dakota Fanning: b. 1994, Georgia State, USA. (aka: Hannah Dakota Fanning) American film actress. Southern Baptist.

Elle Fanning: b. 1998, Georgia State, USA. (aka: Mary Elle Fanning) American film actress. Southern Baptist.

Christians

At some time during their lives, the following people have publicly identified themselves as Christian. Inclusion in this list does not indicate approval or disapproval of the person, of their orthodoxy or lack of it, or of their actions. Some of those listed may surprise or even shock you. Readers are encouraged to suggest persons who should be included on this list.  This is a recurring segment in this blog.

Vassilios Tzaferis: (b. 1936, Samos, Greece - d. 2015) biblical archeologist, university lecturer, museum curator, author, historical agency executive, specialist in the history of monasticism during the Byzantine period.  As an ordained Greek Orthodox deacon, he served in Nazareth. After renouncing his monastic vows, he married and fathered several children.

Roger S. Boraas: (b. 1926 - d. 2014) Ordained Lutheran minister,  United States Navy World War II veteran, university chaplain and professor, associate editor of the Harper's Bible Dictionary.

Marcus Borg: (b. 1942, Minnesota State, USA - d. 2015) University professor, author, Lutheran canon theologian. He was a member of the controversial Jesus Seminar which voted on the authenticity of the sayings and miracles of Jesus, rejecting many.  He was married to Marianne Wells Borg, an episcopal priest.

Robert Binn: (fl. 1840; aka Rob of the Reek) Binn lived on Croag Phadraig (Irish: Patrick's Stack), which is considered to be Ireland's Holy Mount because St. Patrick spent 40 days in prayer and fasting there in the fifth century. Patrick is said to have ended the pagan practice of human sacrifice which had been performed on the mountain for centuries. The word "reek" is Hiberno-English for "rick" or "stack," possibly referring to the rectangular bed of stones which mark where Patrick slept.
Those who were physically unable to climb the hill paid Robert Binn a fee to climb to the three holy stations and say prayers for their sick or dead loved ones.

Helen Hayes: (b. 1900, Washington, District of Columbia, USA - d. 1993; aka: Helen Hayes Brown McArthur; "the First Lady of American theater") Helen Hayes won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, a Tony, and a Presidential Medal of Freedom. She was the mother of actor James McArthur. Roman Catholic.

Christians

At some time during their lives, the following people have publicly identified themselves as Christian.   Inclusion in this list does not indicate approval or disapproval of the person, of their orthodoxy or lack of it, or of their actions.  Some of those listed may surprise you.  Readers are encouraged to suggest persons who should be included on this list.  This is a recurring segment in this blog.

Bob Newhart: ((b. 1929, Illinois, USA; aka: George Robert Newhart) Stand-up comedian, television and film actor. Roman Catholic.

Virginia Quinn Newhart: Wife of Bob Newhart. Roman Catholic.

Chloe Grace Moretz: (b. 1997, Georgia, USA) Child film actress most known for her controversial roles in Kick-Ass (2010) and Carrie (2013).  She says that her family is “very Christian.”  I am not sure what she means by that and whether or not she, herself, is a Christian.. 

Reginald Howard White: (b. 1961, Tennessee, USA – d. 2004; aka: “the Minister of Defense”) College and professional football player and a member of the Hall of Fame at both levels. Ordained Baptist minister and evangelist.  His views on race and homosexuality became very controversial.  Late in his life, he learned Hebrew and studied under Nehemia Gordon, a Karaite Jew, who is based in Jerusalem.  White's profound interest in Torah led many to believe that he became a Jew, but he never renounced his Christian faith.

Daniel Meyer: (b. 1957) World’s only Christian sword swallower. Clown, juggler, stilt walker, fire eater, glass eater. 

Who is Ricardo Montalban?

In1993, actor Ricardo Montalban received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Screen Actors Guild.  Here is part of what he said about the progression of an actor’s career.

“Who is Ricardo Montalban?
Get me Ricardo Montalban,
Get me a Ricardo Montalban type.
Get me a young Ricardo Montalban.
Who is Ricardo Montalban?”

First class actor that Montalban was, he will be remembered in two hundred years only by film academics.  Film greats such as John Barrymore,  Louise Brooks, and Claude Rains are now almost entirely forgotten.  The memory of other celebrities such as Ceelo Green, Kim Kardashian, and even Honey Boo Boo will be even shorter.

Being politically and historically important are no guarantee of being remembered.  How many know the stories of Boudicca, Queen of the Iceni tribe, or of the Trung Sisters?

Important religious leaders, even the founders of religions, fare no better.  How many non-Bahais can name the founder of that religion?   Who was Father Divine, or Anton Sandor LaVey, or Sidney Rigdon, or George Gurdjieff, or Elizabeth Claire Prophet, or Adoniram Judson, or Aleister Crowley, or Aimee Semple McPherson?

Entire cultures have been forgotten.  Until the ruins of their capital city were discovered in Turkey in 1871, no one believed that the Hittite Empire mentioned in the Bible really existed.

Jesus of Nazareth was a simple carpenter from a dusty little backwater town.  If you say His name almost anywhere in the world you may not find any of His followers, but you can be sure that someone will at least have heard His name.

Controversial New Mel Gibson Film

Actor-director-film producer Mel Gibson (born 1956 in New York as Mel Colm-Cille Gerard Gibson) has become quite controversial in the last few years.  He recently added to the controversy when he announced his plans to produce, and possibly star in, a film based on the life of Judas Maccabeus.

Judah the Hammer)

יהודה המכבי

Judas (aka: Judah Maccabee, Y'hudhah HamMakabi, Judah the Hammer) was born in Modiin, Judea (now Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut, 35 km (22 miles) southeast of Tel Aviv and 30 km (19 miles) west of Jerusalem).  He was a son of Mattathias, a Jewish priest who defied an edict by the Seleucid ruler Antiochus IV Epiphanes who had declared Jewish worship to be illegal.  Mattathius started a revolt and then died in 166 BC/BCE.  His son Judah assumed leadership of the revolt and became legendary for his military prowess.  His nickname, "the Hammer," probably refers to his use of rapid hammer-strike guerilla tactics in battle.  The Jewish feast of Hanukkah ("dedication") commemorate the day in 165 BC/BCE when Judah removed Antiochus' pagan statues from the temple in Jerusalem and restored Jewish worship.  


The Jewish Anti-Defamation League  has said, "As a hero of the Jewish people and a universal hero in the struggle for religious liberty, Judah Maccabee deserves better."


Why would the ADL be so upset?  Because Mel Gibson has been accused of adultery, alcoholism, racism, and anti-Semitism.  During his 2006 arrest for driving under the influence of alcohol he yelled racist and anti-Semitic remarks, loudly and repeatedly.


Gibson is a traditionalist Roman Catholic and is described as politically ultraconservative.  In my opinion, he is a man who truly believes in Roman Catholicism but who has failed to make his life match his beliefs.