Brian Cox, the actor known for his roles in “Succession” and “Braveheart,” recently has been under fire for distastefully criticizing the Bible in an interview on “The Starting Line Podcast.” Cox, 77, expressed his views on religion and the Bible, calling the latter “one of the worst books ever” due to its “patriarchal and control-oriented” nature.
In the interview, published Sunday, Cox discussed the impact of religion on society and the need to honor women and recognize their place. He argued that the Bible’s narrative, starting with the creation of Eve from Adam’s rib, promotes a mythology that people are “stupid enough” to believe.
“They’re not dealing with who we are. We’re dealing with, ‘Oh if God says this and God does that,’ and you go, ‘Well what is God?’ We’ve created that idea of God, and we’ve created it as a control issue, and it’s also a patriarchal issue.”
Later in the interview, Cox expressed more skepticism about religious teachings, stating that while people may need guidance, they should not be misled with falsehoods. He described religious stories as mythological rather than truthful.
“They need it, but they don’t need to be told lies,” he said. “They need some kind of truth, and that is not the truth … It’s a mythology.”
Watch the full interview here: