Succession star Brian Cox opens up about views on Christianity, says ‘The Bible’ is one of the worst books ever

Brian Cox calls religion as "mythology" on the Rich Leigh podcast, `The Starting Line Podcast'. (Photo: Pablo Cuadra/Getty Images)

The atheist ‘Braveheart’ and ‘Manhunter’ star, Brian Cox slammed ‘The Bible’ as one of the worst books ever.

The actor who plays Logan Roy in the hit HBO series, thats garnered Emmy, Golden Globe awards and more, took to an interview on ‘The Starting Line Podcast’ with Rich Leigh to say that “Religion does hold us back because it's belief systems which are outside ourselves”, when asked if religion limits humanity’s advancement. “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.”

During the broiled conversation, the controversy-prone actor also raised eyebrows on his views on religion, saying, “it holds us back” as humans. He also went on to criticise how religion has an impact on gender inequality. Citing from the holy parable of Adam and Eve. “We have to honor (women), and we have to give them their place and we’re resistant to that because it’s Adam and Eve. I mean, the propaganda goes right way back,” said the actor.

While having vehemently opposed ideologies on the holy faith and religion, Cox acknowledged that some may find the need to turn to religion in hopes of finding spiritual guidance. “They need it, but they don’t need to be told lies,” Cox said. “They need some kind of truth, and that is not the truth. … It’s a mythology.”

Continuing on his rant about religion, he also went on to argue that religion has “led us into all kinds of horror”. Showing fingers to the holocaust and the wars in Ukraine and Gaza. "The same things are being repeated again and again in belief systems, which do not serve," he said.

Cox further went on to talk about the conflict in the Middle East, referring to Israel and Hamas, stating that he doesn’t seem optimistic at all.

“It’s all about this notion of God, the idea that there’s a God that takes care of us all. There’s no such thing,” Cox said on Sunday.

The Emmy award winner will next star in ‘The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim’ in December, late this year.