Sept/Oct 2004

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I'm a big fan of Mandy Moore's music and A Walk to Remember. I always thought she was a Christian, but now I wonder. What's the deal with Mandy?

It's rarely a good idea to hold strong hopes that famous people will act the way we think they should. The problem? We don't know them or their faith. All we know is the "public image" of the real person.

So what do we know about Mandy? She has talked openly about her Catholic faith, and she's made public commitments not to appear nude in movies or be photographed in revealing clothing. But, Mandy also says she really enjoys cussing—especially saying the "F" word (which she said over and over on a TV episode of The Osbournes).

Several of her movies, like her music, have been wholesome and positive. She's played Christians in films, but also played teens who drink heavily and have premarital sex. In Saved!, she plays a very un-Christlike, hypocritical Christian girl. This is far different from A Walk to Remember where she played Jamie, the devout daughter of a pastor.

But Mandy is not Jamie. She's a real person. And we really don't know what her relationship with God is like. Should we be disappointed by Mandy's choices? Sure. Based on what she's said about her faith, it's OK to question some of the choices she's made.

Even when we do have to point out what someone is doing wrong, we don't have to have a judgmental attitude toward them—we all mess up (Romans 14:4). My advice: If she's involved in stuff that bothers you, stay away from it. But say an occasional prayer for her. Ask God to help her to understand his truth and make wise choices in her personal life and career.