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Rainn Wilson, the star of "The Office," insisted on Thursday that Texas' Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico was "achingly close" to Jesus' "brand of Christianity" compared to his conservative opponents. On his "Soul Boom" podcast, Wilson and New York Times journalist Ezra Klein called out what they believed was hypocrisy from Texas GOP Senate candidate Ken Paxton and his supporters, who repeatedly attacked Talarico despite their "aggressively professed Christianity." Klein remarked, "Whenever I watch these attacks, I think, ‘You all would have hated Jesus Christ.’" He added that they would have found Jesus to be the most annoying for worrying about outsiders and outcasts.
Wilson joked, "'Grow a pair, Jesus,'" while emphasizing that they were not against Christians as a whole. He described many Christians as the most "caring" and "compassionate" people he has met. Klein highlighted that the animosity directed at Talarico stemmed from his brand of Christianity, which they believed closely aligned with Jesus' teachings. They also criticized contemporary Christianity for focusing on issues of sexuality rather than addressing societal greed.
Talarico has frequently touted his religious background but has faced criticism for his progressive views, including support for abortion and transgender rights. He recently condemned a Texas bill that required schools to teach Bible stories as historical fact, arguing that it amounted to pushing propaganda on children. In response to Talarico's claims, Christian author Frank Turek pushed back, stating that describing Talarico's Christianity as "achingly close" to Jesus's teachings reveals a distorted interpretation of Jesus's message.