Chuck Norris on the ‘Christmas Cure for Our Epidemic of Loneliness’
By Movieguide® Staff
Actor and martial artist Chuck Norris recently addressed one of the largest epidemics that faces our world today, loneliness.
The WALKER TEXAS RANGER star said that the world forsakes the “true remedies” for loneliness.
“[Loneliness] is a disease that has morphed into a culture war because humans ignore and contest its symptoms and power, and then battle its true remedies. Let me explain,” he wrote in a recent blog post. “Most people have struggled with loneliness, at least at some point in their lives. But for a hundred million Americans and billions around the world, the situation is often much more dire.”
Norris said that while loneliness affects everyone at some point, in America it is especially rampant.
“In 2019, NPR reported that ‘more than three in five Americans are lonely, with more and more people reporting feeling like they are left out, poorly understood and lacking companionship,’ according to a national survey,” he said, noting that the study points to social media use as part of the problem. “NPR reported that ‘Social media use was tied to loneliness as well, with 73% of very heavy social media users considered lonely, as compared with 52% of light users. But feelings of isolation were prevalent across generations. Gen Z – people who were 18 to 22 years old when surveyed – had the highest average loneliness. …’”
But is there a cure?
According to Norris, there is a cure, but it is not found in the things of this world.
“I’m sure many of you have your prescriptions. My wife, Gena, and I believe the answer lies at the heart and purpose of Christmas, with all respect to those who believe contrary or otherwise,” he said.
“There’s no doubt that most of us have tried to fill that hole in our hearts with the worldly stuff of this life, and that includes me. For too many years, I bit the hook of the Hollywood lifestyle. It gave flickers of temporary highs and happiness but no permanent remedy to the longings of the soul,” he said.
Even something as happy and unifying as Christmas cannot solve our problem of loneliness.
“Try as we might, and most of us do, we can’t find contentment under a Christmas tree either. Not even the great St. Nick can gift us the holy grail to satisfy our longings for a relationship,” he said. “In fact, overexposure to wrong remedies for loneliness can multiply its intensity and be physically crippling, even deadly.”
However, Norris suggests that our loneliness points to our need for something, or someone greater than what this world has to offer.
“We believe loneliness doesn’t have to be detrimental. In the end, maybe it’s nothing more than a road sign intent on leading us to a larger picture about ourselves and others. In that respect, it’s like homesickness. It can drive us to a destination,” he said. “Gena and I believe the two primary relationships that can fill our loneliness cup are with God and others. Both are critical, you can’t have one without the other. The former empowers us for the latter, which is why our relationship with God should be our greatest priority. We properly love others because He first loved us.”
“The Christmas season reminds us of this relational reality. It holds the cure for loneliness. It is the pot of gold at the end of the loneliness rainbow,” he said. “The Gospel writer Matthew, who documented Jesus’ life and ministry, cited the prophet Isaiah, who said that the Messiah would be born 2,000 years ago and be called ‘Immanuel,’ which means in Hebrew ‘God with us.’ God with skin on.”
Not only does a relationship with Jesus bring us comfort, it also restores our soul, Norris said.
“Jesus is the very image and reflection of the Invisible God. We are made in the image of God, but He is the image of God. He showed us perfectly who God is and what He’s like,” he said. “He also came to restore our relationship with God. He calls us into a living, breathing relationship with Himself, with a promise to never leave us or forsake us. He calls us His friends. That is the reason He told us that the greatest commandment was to ‘love God and love others.’ In other words, it’s our relationships with God and others that are the primary duty, purpose and connection of our human life. That is why they are also the cure for loneliness.
“From our house to yours, we wish you a very soul-filling Merry Christmas and the most-prosperous 2023!”
Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
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Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
