Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has caught some attention over the past month after speaking out about his views against Christianity, but now it would seem even members of his estranged family have something to say about his comments.
Rodgers sat down with girlfriend Danica Patrick last month for a candid interview on her Pretty Intense podcast and discussed some of his issues with Christianity growing up, including finding it difficult to connect with the religious community and questioning some of the viewpoints and values. He also said he enjoyed learning from friends over the years who had different religious beliefs.
“I had some good friendships along the way that helped me figure out what exactly I wanted to believe in,” Rodgers said. “Ultimately, it was that rules and regulations and binary systems don’t really resonate with me.”
But according to what a family insider told People.com, Rodgers’ comments did not sit well with members of his family and knocks their tumultuous relationship back to “square one.”
“They were dismayed,” the unnamed insider told People.com. “The family is very dedicated to their Christian faith.
“To them, his comments are basically a slap in the face to the fundamentals of who they are. It’s basically him turning his back on everything they have taught him.”
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Family Feels ‘Aaron Has Really Turned His Back’ on Them
Rodgers said he has enjoyed his journey to a “different type of spirituality,” but he also spoke to some of the earliest moments where he started questioning things, including in high school when things started to seem “black and white” with his family’s church.
“I don’t know how you can believe in a God who wants to condemn most of the planet to a fiery hell,” Rodgers said. “I mean, what type of loving, sensitive, omnipresent, omnipotent being wants to condemn most of his beautiful creation to a fiery hell at the end of all of this?”
Such beliefs, according to the family insider, are part of the reason for Rodgers’ estrangement from his family, which has been ongoing for the past several years. The NFL quarterback has kept most of the personal details about their feud to himself, but his family hasn’t been so quiet about the matter.
“His comments are very hurtful to the family,” the insider told People.com, adding that the family “still loves Aaron very much” but disagrees with him about fundamental things. “They have these times where things start to thaw out, but then something like this happens, and then it’s back to square one. It’s sad.”
Another Source Defends Rodgers’ End of Things
In a separate article, People.com also quoted another source close to the Rodgers family who insisted their complicated relationship doesn’t mean they don’t care about one another.
“He loves them very much, and he wants nothing but good things for them all,” the source told People.com. “The fact that he doesn’t talk to them doesn’t mean that he hates them. They just have a very problematic relationship that sometimes can be toxic. For the good of everyone, there’s some distance there.”
“If they needed him, if anything went wrong or if there were an emergency, he’d be the first one to help them,” the source continued. “He loves them.”
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Aaron Rodgers’ Comments on Religion Continue Family Feud