Christian Actor Alan Ritchson Shames Christ by Getting Naked For ‘Reacher’ Role
Last year we wrote about Actor Alan Ritchson, a professing Christian currently starring in the lead role of the hit Amazon show ‘Reacher,’ after he clapped back at critics questioning his decision to take such a ‘morally ambiguous’ role of a man who kills villains with ease and aplomb. Ritchson straw manned their position and brushed off their concerns, sharing on his Christian-based YouTube channel
InstaChurch that these roles are actually a ministry opportunity for him, and that:
It’s funny to me how a lot of people, supposed Christians especially, criticize me for playing Reacher, as if the only TV that should exist is seeing people silently folding their hands in the pew of a church. I mean, what kinds of stories are we supposed to tell?
If you look at scripture, what do you find? You 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.
…I think it’s laughable when people criticize me for playing characters that are not like saintly, you know? That’s not my job, and I don’t think God cares about only telling those kinds of stories. I think we can start conversations and we can reach people through these mediums in a way that I think God enjoys.”
Misrepresentations aside, Ritchson fails to understand that people are not criticizing him for the character’s ambiguities but for the actions the actor engages in.
No one is saying that ‘the only TV that should exist is seeing people silently folding their hands in the pew of a church,’ but we are saying that if the alternative is watching filthy content for the sake of entertainment, then put that hand folding on every channel.
John Piper once said* “I have a high tolerance for violence, high tolerance for bad language, and zero tolerance for nudity. There is a reason for these differences. The violence is make-believe. They don’t really mean those bad words. But that lady is really naked, and I am really watching. And somewhere she has a brokenhearted father.”
According to IMDB, Reacher is 18+/ TV-MA in most countries and features a ton of cursing, foul language, graphic sex scenes, and visible nudity that Ritchson himself participates in. Warning: content advisory.
Ritchson has been a professing Christian for many years, growing up in a Christian household, so he can’t be surprised when believers ask why an actor who has a wife and kid is undressing another woman, seeing her naked, and then simulating sex with her on camera while hiding behind excuses like “It’s just my job.”
Three seasons in, ‘Reacher’ is such a big hit that it became the most-watched returning season ever on Prime Video, being renewed for a fourth season before the third season even aired. Over the first five episodes of this season, it garnered 54.6 million viewers, making it one of Amazon’s top-5 watched shows of all time.
For this reason, as the star of the show, Ritchson has all the leverage. He has an incredible amount of power and sway in the production, and yet in the newest season, he’s again seen naked on screen, showing his bare backside for the world to see, with other partial nudity from his cast mates for good measure.
This is disgraceful, shameful behavior for any Christian to participate in, and at this point, the only thing left to conclude is that he’s doing it because he wants to, or doesn’t care, which is a terrifying mindset for any professing believer to be in.
*We feel a way about Piper, but that quote is excellent.
About Author
A lot of actors like Ritchson, Matthew McConaughey, et al profess Christ, but they think that either their faith stops at the workplace, or that they have to lower themselves to the morality of society in order to reach people for Christ. Both are wrong and a sign of either an immature Christian or someone that’s never been born again.
I find the concept of “using my platform for Christ” amusing. At what point in the show does Reacher share the Gospel of Christ with someone? Is it before or after the sex/murder?
I’m glad that Jon Piper has a personal zero tolerance for nudity and collecting sea shells on the beach. The thot of Jon Piper nude made me belch up my breakfast and there is more sea shells for me to find on the beach. Happy Calvinating Jon.
Best check yourself to see if you really are in the faith (2 Cor. 13:5) – the things you are posting indicate you’re failing the test.
What’s wrong with collecting sea shells on the beach?
Good to see your English progressing. With some more work you will have mastered the intermediate level!
And you of course are the self appointed judge of who is saved and who is not.
Fruit is a Biblical evidence of regeneration – your fruit is rotten.
“role of a man who kills villains with ease”
I’ve never watched this show, but I see no problem with that part as described there. That this is seen as evil is why the world is so messed up. Like Trump deporting Venezuelans gang members rather than executing them. Like deporting illegal alien rapists back to their country of origin to rape people there rather than executing them. God’s justice is death against such vile creatures. Satan’s concept of justice is to shuffle them around to somewhere else, like the US government does with these subhumans, and like the Roman Papist Church does with its child molesting priests shuffling them to a different diocese.
And JD Hall shamed Christ by embezzling money from his former church, attacking his wife while on a drug-fueled rampage, bullying a teenage boy to suicide and blatantly lying about a transgender activist in order to drum up support.
Worst of all, he never repented or asked forgiveness for any of it. In fact, he still denies all of it and claims he is the innocent victim; aided in proclaiming such by his loyal eunuch David Morrill.
DD needs to check his fruit since she or he is the designated fruit inspector.
We’re specifically called by Jesus to righteously judge between good and evil (Matthew 7:1-6, John 7:24). Your comment about John Piper and his admonition to not watch nudity and sex , calvinism, etc indicates your own fruit picking, pride and self righteous attitude. You call yourself a Christian and yet bring ill repute on the Lord in front of the world by your ill-thought out comments and judgemental attitude. Yes, your fruit is rotten, and the Bible said to rebuke you (1 Tim 5:20).
DD modern day Pharisee.