The Counter-Culture Christian

Not to whine or anything, but some Hollywood celebrities are now stating the obvious: Being an openly observant Christian can be tough on a career.

Being a Christian could ruin your career.

So says Patricia Heaton, the two-time Emmy Award-winning actress from the hit TV show Everybody Loves Raymond, and other celebrity-types. Identifying yourself as a Christian can lead to exclusion and fewer work opportunities. Our culture expects one's faith, at least Christian faith, to be a private matter. So anyone who's an openly observant Christian -- well, that just raises a lot of red flags.

When asked about the consequences of being a Christian in Hollywood, Heaton said, "As an actor in this town, it's so hard to maintain a career." Justified or not, Christians are often stereotyped as not as much fun, straight-laced misfits or radical fundamentalists of the non-PC type. Despite the setbacks, Heaton is determined to hold onto her faith even if there's a personal and professional cost. To her, it's worth it.

She isn't the only performer who's discovered that being too closely associated with Jesus can apparently be hazardous to your acting ...