One of America’s most popular actors and comedians says he has been reading through the Bible for the first time in his life and has been deeply moved by its timeless wisdom.
Tim Allen who is best known for his roles in Home Improvement, the Toy Story franchise and the Santa Clause films, made the comments in a post on X that has been viewed more than two million times and received more than 100,000 ‘likes.’
“Never took the time in all my years to ever read and really read the Bible. Currently almost through the Jerusalem Bible Old Testament and almost done with the Prophets. Next up to the New Testament. So far, amazing and not at all what I was expecting,” he wrote.
Many of his social media followers applauded his decision to finally read God’s Word for himself.
Comments included: “God bless you Tim & your journey.” “You have blessed our family with joy and laughter for decades. Now, we pray that you and yours would be blessed a 1000-fold with the joy and strength found in the Word of God as He leads you closer to Him.” And in reference to a line from Tim Allen’s Buzz Lightyear character: “To Corinthians … And Beyond!”
Pastor Greg Laurie wrote: “That’s fantastic, Tim! The Bible is God’s very word to each of us. The message of the Bible is really how we can come into a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. I hope you will read John 3:16 where Jesus says: For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son and whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
It’s not the first time the 71-year-old has discussed his faith. He credits God for rescuing him from the depths of addiction in the 1970s when he spent two years in prison on a drug conviction.
During an interview in 2011, he revealed that he began to question God and faith after his father was fatally struck by a drunk driver when he was just 11-years-old. Allen said he was, for years, a regular churchgoer, but admitted he didn’t “like the idea of God” and was “constantly a cynic” on matters of faith.
He ultimately came around and eventually began to see God as what he called The Builder. “I always do ask The Builder, What did You want me to do?‘ he admitted at the time.
Tim Allen said in 2022 he wanted faith to be central to the Disney series The Santa Clauses, a spin-off of the 1990s movie The Santa Clause in which he famously portrayed Santa.
He expressed concern at the time that the original plot line featured some themes he didn’t like and wanted the Christian story to have a greater role in the series:
“It originally had a lot of otherworldly characters and ghosts and goblins. I said: No, this is Christ-mas. It’s Christ-mas. It literally is a religious holiday. We don’t have to blow trumpets, but I do want you to acknowledge it — that’s what this is about. If you want to get into Santa Claus, you’re gonna have to go back to history, and it’s all about religion.”
The actor said the fifth and sixth episodes of the series included religious elements and it was “really wonderful” that the show implemented religious themes into the two episodes. He added that the series planned to explore the true story of St. Nicholas who was the inspiration for Santa Claus.
“The heart of Christmas is about giving. Getting is what we’ve gotten used to. But the whole thing is about what it’s like to give. To give as a father to his children. It is so [magical],” he reflected.
Photo: DFree / Shutterstock.com
