Jim Carrey Preaches Grace of Jesus to Former Inmates: 'Suffering Leads to Salvation' (Video)
Comedian and Hollywood actor Jim Carrey preached the hope of Jesus to former inmates and said that he's learned that suffering leads to salvation.
The "Ace Ventura" star attended a Homeboy Industries event in downtown Los Angeles, California, last month where he addressed former gang members, men and women who were previously incarcerated, who through the program are now striving to redirect their lives and become contributing members of society.
Carrey was introduced by Homeboy Industries founder Father Gregory Boyle.
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In his emotional speech, Carrey said: "I want to speak to the fact that I believe that this room is filled with God, and that you are heroes to me and I admire you. You've made a decision to transcend and to leave darkness behind, and it takes a champion to make that decision.
"I really wanna speak to the fact that I've had some challenges myself and ultimately I believe that suffering leads to salvation. In fact, it's the only way. We have to somehow accept — and not deny — feel our suffering, feel our losses, and then we make one of two decisions," he added.
Carrey said all people need to choose between two "gates." He described one of the gates as resentment, which leads to vengeance, self-harm, and harm to others. The other gate is forgiveness, which "leads to grace."
"Your being here indicates that you've made that decision already. You've made the decision to walk through the gate of forgiveness, of grace, just as Christ did on the Cross. He suffered terribly and He was broken by it to the point of doubt and feeling of absolute abandonment, that's all that He felt," Carrey explained.