Actor Jim Caviezel, perhaps best known for his starring role as Jesus in the Mel Gibson production, “Passion of the Christ,” has championed another worthy cause.
The actor stars in the new film “Sound of Freedom,” which hit theaters July 4, in which he plays a former federal agent who left his job to combat child trafficking.
Caviezel to Fox News Digital about what he sees as shortcomings in modern-day Christianity while promoting the film, which also stars Mira Sorvino and Bill Camp.
“The problem is that modern-day Christianity has become so weak and useless,” Caviezel said. “I mean, modern-day Christians are more afraid of the devil than they are of God. God could destroy the devil without a glance, but he looks to us to make a decision.”
Caviezel went on to say that too many Americans “don’t want” God in our religion and universities, which he believes has led to a “moral decay” across society.
“So, you have moral depravity. I mean, moral decay everywhere, falling apart,” he added. “Laws don’t mean anything anymore. We don’t have a First Amendment…There’s no such thing as free speech anymore. You’re absolutely destroyed everywhere, and the media throws out everybody’s a racist.”
“Sound of Freedom” is a film inspired by the real-life experiences of former federal agent Tim Ballard, who dedicated himself to rescuing children from the clutches of human trafficking. In an interview with Fox News Digital, Ballard expressed his astonishment at the opportunity to depict the harrowing realities he witnessed firsthand while actively dealing with the horrors involved.
“It’s a feeling of gratitude, really, that someone thought to come to us and thought the story was worthy. It has to be someone who believes, who’s a cause driven person, because this isn’t the kind of movie you say, ‘Hey, entertainment value.’ You know, these are people with heart,” said Ballard.
“They feel deeply about this movie because it really is cause-based,” he added.
Several actors passed up the lead role, but Caviezel was “amazing,” said co-star and producer Eduardo Verastegui.
“They passed. And I believe things happen for a reason,” he said. “Thank God that they passed, because Jim Caviezel is amazing. This guy is not only an amazing actor, but he’s passionate about this.”
Caviezel says he’s often depicted as “controversial,” but he speaks his mind and isn’t afraid to do so.
“Why is it controversial – what I say or speak on?” he said. “I guess not all controversial people are evil, but that’s how you’re trained now.” He also said the movies he chooses to do must have a “moral redemption.”
“The purpose God gave me in this business, I wanted to bring his light,” he told Fox. “And it doesn’t mean I’m always his light into an industry. And I wanted to do that, but it doesn’t mean that I’m not going to play the devil in movies. Just there’s got to be some sort of moral redemption.”
“But the math is so wrong now,” Caviezel added, while explaining what roles he will take on. “It just seems [the devil’s] evil is winning right now.”
