Celebrities and Religion

4 weeks ago 05th Dec 16:00

Michael Jackson reportedly converted to Islam, changing his name to Mikaeel in a ceremony at a friend's house.

Michael was raised as a Jehovah's Witness but was convinced to change his faith by producer Phillip Bubal and songwriter David Wharnsby.

Singer Yousef Islam - formerly known as Cat Stevens before he also converted to the religion - attended the star's declaration of belief, known as the shahada.

Jacko is not the only celebrity to embrace a new religion though, it seems like they are all at it!

Tom Cruise famously converted to the controversial Scientology faith in 1990. The actor claims that the religion, specifically the L. Ron Hubbard Study Tech, helped him overcome dyslexia.

Cruise has promoted various programmes that introduce people to Scientology and has campaigned for it to be fully recognised as a religion in Europe.

Pirates of the Caribbean star Orlando Bloom converted to Buddhism in a ceremony in 2004.

He reportedly turned to Buddhism as the philosophies behind it are very current and are a way of finding some sort of peace, but also because it helped keep him from the self-destructive path he was always in danger of carving out for himself.

Bloom stresses that his Nichiren practice is very practical: "The philosophy that I’ve embraced isn’t about sitting under a tree and studying my navel, it’s about studying what is going on in my daily life and using that as fuel to go and live a bigger life."

Let's hope these celebrities stick with their faith, a religion is for life after all!

FemaleFirst - Jessica Watson