Let’s take a break from debt ceiling drama and Philadelphia’s new archbishop for something both important and attractive: The Hollywood goddess Gwyneth Paltrow’s decision to raise children, Apple (7) and Moses (5), Jewish after discovering on an NBC show that her father was descended from famous Polish rabbis. (Paltrow’s husband, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, is Christian, evidently, but has made no public statement on the topic I can find.)
It’s great when Judaism and Christianity get coverage in Us Weekly and People magazine, I guess, but when a celebrity who once said, “I don’t believe in religion. I believe in spirituality. Religion is the cause of all the problems in the world” decides to raise her children in a religion, I have to wonder what she means by “religion.” On the one hand, it must be something very powerful and influential indeed to cause all the problems in the world. On the other had I get the impression it’s also something like a handbag or other accessory that can be added or removed at will, or that it’s something you can dress your child in. (In Paltrow’s defense, her religion quote is probably taken completely out of context.)
Then again, in the contemporary world, religion is one choice among many others–and there’s no point in being a grouch about it when someone picks one. I guess relgious people should be happy that Paltrow thinks Judaism worth passing on. It just seems like an odd decision to make based on a TV show…
P.S. In other news: Matt Damon shaved his head!
