Religion
Related: About this forumMatthew McConaughey’s God Moment
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/03/03/matthew-mcconaughey-s-god-moment.htmlWilliam OConnor
03.03.14
When Matthew McConaughey thanked God above family and loved ones at the Oscars last night, he delighted Conservatives and made the Hollywood liberal glitterati shift uncomfortably in their seats. But he may well be Divinely on trend.
There was one person who Matthew McConaughey wanted to thank after collecting his Best Actor Oscar last night, above wife, children, parentsand, most shockingly for a Hollywood starhis agent.
First off, said McConaughey, who won the award for his role in Dallas Buyers Club, I want to thank God, because thats who I look up to. He has graced my life with opportunities that I know are not of my hand or of any other human hand. He has shown me that its a scientific fact that gratitude reciprocates When youve got God, youve got a friend, and that friend is you.
When an athlete, of any race, thanks God after an impressive feat, nobody takes note. In politics, the phrase God Bless America routinely caps speeches by politicians of both parties. And yet, despite Gods ubiquity in American public life, it came as a surprise to many when a white actor spent a chunk of his speech on God.
more at link
Goblinmonger
(22,340 posts)I thought his speech as a whole was bizarre but couldn't care less about him thanking god.
More importantly, I thought it odd he didn't take the opportunity to increase awareness for those with AIDS and HIV since that's the role that got him the hardware. But let's make this all about god.
tridim
(45,358 posts)He is not one of my favorite human beings.
I've heard him admit that he has a big ego, "because I'm an actor". That's super, dude.
trotsky
(49,533 posts)But whatever floats the guy's boat. I'd tend to think that education, talent, dedication would play a bigger role in winning an acting award, but I guess god gets the credit.
hrmjustin
(71,265 posts)trotsky
(49,533 posts)But whatever.
John1956PA
(2,654 posts)If I am wrong about this, I ask someone to please correct me.
I thought his Academy Award Best Actor speech was uneven. As it happens, I caught his previous two best actor speeches, i. e., his Screen Actors Guild Speech and his Golden Globes speech. I thought his Screen Actors Guild speech was a bit scattered and that he showed anxiety. Maybe he did not think that he would win and he was unprepared. I thought his Golden Globe Speech was polished, but I thought he missed a bit with the sailing reference. Although I think his Academy Award speech was a bit disjointed, I think it was a bit creative of him to throw out the notion that one's hero can be an idealized improved version of oneself.
As a non-believer, I could have done without the religion reference. Also, as you point out, he could have made reference to the work of those who are dedicated to discovering medical cures and to those who are dedicated to assisting patients.
yeoman6987
(14,449 posts)I didn't think it was odd that he didn't mention AIDS/HIV. I don't recall Cate Blanchett thanking Mrs. Madoff or those like her. I don't recall the director of Gravity thanking the Astronauts. Why does Matthew have to thank the AIDS patients? Just seems rather strange to expect such a thing.
Goblinmonger
(22,340 posts)And I don't expect him to thank AIDS patients but he won an Oscar for his role in a movie about the plight of AIDS patients. He could have taken 10 seconds out of his ego rant to acknowledge the current plight of AIDS patients.
yeoman6987
(14,449 posts)I am gay and just thought it was a great movie that spoke for itself. I thought Matthew's speech was great probably because I have a crush on him and hate to see him criticized. Sorry for making a fool of myself.
Goblinmonger
(22,340 posts)I have yet to see this film but will. Wasn't trying to indicate you were being a fool, just that those words sounded like a slam on liberals. From all I have heard of the film, it does sound like a powerful voice. Just seems like a nice national audience for him to get the message out (may have been plenty of people watching the Oscars that haven't seen the film and know nothing about it).
Overall I just thought his speech was kind of bizarre and unfocused but that's the general view I get of him anyway (not in a negative way--know and love plenty of actors and musicians that are the same way).
unblock
(52,243 posts)he thanked god, his family, and his own future self.
pretty wrapped up in his own world, this one is.
maybe he slipped in a reference to others, but he certainly didn't make any of them his focus. he certainly didn't give much of a thought to those whose suffering constituted the subject matter for the film....
cbayer
(146,218 posts)I recently heard him interviewed several times and I don't recall him mentioning god once.
As you (and the article) point out, I think the biggest hole in his thanks was to the people this story was about and all those we lost during the AIDS crisis.
Not surprised that he is so wrapped up in himself, but had no idea that he was that religious.
I would like to know more about his religious side, particularly since the christian right seems to be high-fiving all over the place thinking they have a convert to their ideology.
Do they?
Feral Child
(2,086 posts)I have enormous respect for him as an actor. I have to admit I get pouty when great actors (Duvall, et al) embrace the Dark Side. Conservatism, I mean.
I haven't seen this movie yet (available on PPV, but there were others I wanted to see first.)
His work in "True Detective" is riveting.
EDIT: I Wiki'd him and there's no real hint at a conservative bent. He's done some animal work and is involved with a youth organization, the "just keep livin Foundation".
https://www.jklivinfoundation.org/what-we-do/service/
I looked at the web page and saw no proselitizing at all. It looks like a typical liberal self-awareness/self-help organization.
Some actors are quirky. Russel Crowe is a marvelous actor who recently announced he wants to become a Fundy.
I have to admit, the only one that I won't watch is Crazy Mel.
cbayer
(146,218 posts)He may be a liberal/progressive christian type, or maybe not even a christian.
Interesting that he took this opportunity to "come out".
Feral Child
(2,086 posts)Especially since he didn't give the traditional nod to the crew (hearsay upstream, I didn't watch the Awards.)
Your note that he didn't self-identify as Christian is a point I missed. I can be a little hair-triggered on religion.
I still look forward to more work from him.
cbayer
(146,218 posts)And that was it.
So it's really hard to know.
Feral Child
(2,086 posts)(King's X on my prior judgment)
and hopefully he just forgot to bring his speech...
unblock
(52,243 posts)the entire speech struck me as quite self-indulgent and narcissistic, and this sounds like it fits in with this.
he thanked god, his family, and his own future self (and/or maybe his own past self for admiring his present self, or something like that). all seems rather self-absorbed.
and this quote, so his selling point of believing in god is that he gets to be his own best friend? most people sell god based on the feeling of connections with other people, the universe, etc., but, wow, i get to be friends with myself? wow.
cbayer
(146,218 posts)been pretty silent since he said it.
I just found it odd that he took this opportunity to "come out" after having been pretty silent about his religious beliefs in the past.
He had to have done this with some purpose in mind, but I have no idea what it was.
In interviews, he generally comes across as rather self-effacing and modest.
hrmjustin
(71,265 posts)Warren Stupidity
(48,181 posts)If he didn't Tebow, this is meaningless.
hrmjustin
(71,265 posts)WolverineDG
(22,298 posts)but to me, it seems they stopped listening once he said "God." The rest of his speech was all "me me me," like the rambling about his hero (his future self, 10 years from now). And no thanking the director, crew, agent, etc. Wow, for someone who's waited a while to collect an Oscar, he flat-footed that.
Contrast his speech with the incredibly gracious one by Lupita Nyong'o, who recognized that something that has brought her much success & joy is based on the suffering of another, the slave known only as "Patsy." Jared Leto also recognized victims of AIDS, & mentioned Venezuela & Ukraine. I didn't get much out of Cate Blanchett's speech, other than I wanted her to just shut up after rambling on & on & on.
cbayer
(146,218 posts)She was so inspirational in the film and it clearly stems in part from her own person.
Frankly, she put everyone to shame.
goldent
(1,582 posts)It would be the same thing if it were politics, social issues, sports, etc.
MindMover
(5,016 posts)MellowDem
(5,018 posts)And for keeping Kim Jun Un in power"
"Thank you god for seeing fit to give me all these opportunities to make movies while the infant whose head was beat in by a drug-addled parent none"
"Ramen Matthew, few appreciate all aspects of what I do, like you do"
mountain grammy
(26,622 posts)and friends died. The acting was excellent, but, hell, it was just a role. Good actor, but geez, what an idiot. He looked and sounded like a yahoo up there.. God just likes me better than ya'll,
LostOne4Ever
(9,289 posts)I would guess that 80-90% of hollywood is theistic. I would also guess about 80-90% of hollywood is self absorbed.
So that means hes just like 64-81% of all hollywood celebrities.
If we are going to be snarky about his win, I think a bigger problem is that he now has a best actors oscar while the late Peter O'toole didn't win so much as best supporting actor. Same goes with Leo Dicaprio, Johnny Depp, and many more.
jeepnstein
(2,631 posts)It's nice to see someone willing to put their priorities out there for the world to see. My wife's observation as more to the point; "He'll never work in that town again."
yeoman6987
(14,449 posts)You really think that they are going to drop him from Magic Mike? from True Detective? I would hope that Hollywood is not that ridiculous. Many people have thanked God and have lived to tell about it. It was only a speech.
cbayer
(146,218 posts)If anything, I think this may increase his appeal to some.
He has never come across as a proselytizer or zealot. I think he might have just wanted to make a point, and will return to being a quiet theist.
And he was pretty vague about his broader religion, which makes me curious.
Goblinmonger
(22,340 posts)Seems pretty presumptuous of you.
tularetom
(23,664 posts)Oh, and by the way, me.
I didn't see the speech, that's what my wife said.
And she used to like him.
cbayer
(146,218 posts)He had a point to make and the "me" part could be seen as a statement about how he strives to be a better person, someone he could admire in 10 years, but always has more work to do.
That a Hollywood film megastar is egocentric is hardly a surprise.
Did your wife like him as a person and now doesn't like him as a person? As an actor?
While I think the speech was intentionally provocative, I'm not sure why someone would stop liking him because of it.
tularetom
(23,664 posts)I should know better than to speak for her. I'll try to rephrase.
She has always reacted favorably to his work, whereas I've always been sort of, meh.
Neither of us knew anything about him personally. But we both react strongly negatively to any incorporation of the deity into public pronouncements by celebrities, be they athletes, politicians or in this case actors.
It hit her hard enough to come outside, where I was splitting firewood, and mention it to me. So I think it's personal, with her. Whether it affects her opinion of his acting, remains to be seen. She did sour on Mel Gibson awfully quick after the ugly truth came out.
BTW, I have now watched the clip. My reaction is that the "God" part of it seemed contrived and insincere. Remember, it was delivered by an actor.
cbayer
(146,218 posts)and listen while my husband tells others what I think about something. It can be very entertaining.
I also react fairly negatively to public pronouncements about one's personal religious beliefs or lack of beliefs and he caught me completely off guard. The audience seemed taken by surprise as well.
It didn't strike me as insincere, though. It seemed like some kind of coming out or something.
I remain curious as to why he chose to do this, and perhaps he will speak more of it in the future. But maybe not.
Anyway, he was great in this movie and was my personal pick for best actor.
Goblinmonger
(22,340 posts)(at least here) is comparing what he said to what Gibson is. Not even in the same universe.
I don't know if it was contrived but I don't think it had the deep meaning many right-wingers would like to latch on to. It seemed very personal god, not mainstream religion kind of concept. But, in the end, I have no idea what his religious views are. Don't really care, either. Unless he's batshitcrazy like Gibson (and even then I still love the Mad Max films).
Dorian Gray
(13,496 posts)We have no clue, and I think it's pretty silly that right wingers everywhere are singing about this as though he is some sort of warrior for thanking God. Big whoop.
He was fantastic in his role. He thanked God and people in his life. And he wasn't playing naked bongos on stage. Job well done, MM.
Dawson Leery
(19,348 posts)"There is another irony to the morning-after debate over McConaugheys words. It neatly sidesteps the real controversy there should be about a speech in which McConaughey called himself his own hero, failing to mention the real-life person with AIDS whose story he portrayed to win the Oscar. But then he didnt mention AIDS either, or the anti-gay, AIDS-focused bigotry of the mid-1980s era Dallas Buyers Club evokesa bigotry in no small part stoked by religious Conservatives."
Also,
He like many athletes who thank God when things go their way.
What happens when things don't go their way? Where is their God who is supposed to be guiding you to your victory?
JNelson6563
(28,151 posts)What happens when things don't go their way? Where is their God who is supposed to be guiding you to your victory?
skepticscott
(13,029 posts)Elijah and the prophets of Baal (remembered from way back in my Sunday School daze). He had a good time ribbing them with "where's your god today?"
JNelson6563
(28,151 posts)cbayer
(146,218 posts)social issue, perhaps he felt that the movie said what needed to be said (and it did, imo). At any rate, not saying it would hardly qualify him as a person of "low integrity", imo.
I've heard him interviewed several times in the last few weeks, including an excellent interview with Terry Gross.
He never mentioned anything about religion or god and came across as fairly modest and self-effacing. The causes he has supported in the past are causes that I support, as far as I can tell (not a lot of information).
As to his position when things don't go his way? That's a good question, but his life has not always been easy and I wouldn't assume anything about how he might have dealt with that.
trotsky
(49,533 posts)that you have taken criticism of his acceptance speech personally. Why, I have no idea. But it is odd.
Warren Stupidity
(48,181 posts)the disease that has killed millions to provide the backstory for Matthew's moment in the spotlight?
JNelson6563
(28,151 posts)Goblinmonger
(22,340 posts)so that McConaughey would get on Oscar in 2014. God really loves Matthew.
trotsky
(49,533 posts)God certainly works in mysterious ways!
hrmjustin
(71,265 posts)trotsky
(49,533 posts)A-Schwarzenegger
(15,596 posts)Pics, please.
cbayer
(146,218 posts)A-Schwarzenegger
(15,596 posts)contains many worlds.
rug
(82,333 posts)TlalocW
(15,383 posts)Proof that there ISN'T a God?
Or in the very least, He enjoys fucking with us?
TlalocW
cbayer
(146,218 posts)Act_of_Reparation
(9,116 posts)...but come on. He was up against Christian Bale, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Chewitel Ejiofor. McConnaughey is bush league next to those guys.
trotsky
(49,533 posts)"godless" Hollywood elite. So there you go.
Dorian Gray
(13,496 posts)Magic MIKE!
cbayer
(146,218 posts)I had pick McConaughey for best actor. While the others were good, I think his performance was outstanding in this movie.
Have you seen it?
Zen Democrat
(5,901 posts)and his mother was sitting right there. But that didn't actually phase me, what did is that he said his future self is his hero. IOW, he's just gettin' better all the time, Awwright, Awwright, Awwright!