British actor Jeremy Irons believes that abortion is a sin and he's grateful for the Catholic Church for opposing the practice.
Irons, who recently starred in the blockbuster flick "Justice League" as Batman's butler Alfred Pennyworth, affirmed his belief just as Ireland is set to vote on abortion's legality. The actor's wife of four decades, Sinead Cusack, is actually Irish and they have raised two sons together in the Catholic faith.
In 2016, Irons openly expressed why he thinks abortion is wrong via an interview with The Guardian. He said that while he thinks women have the right to make a choice, he supports the Catholic Church's stand against legalizing the practice.
"Sin is actions that harm us. Lying harms us," the actor said. "Abortion harms a woman—it's a tremendous mental attack, and physical, sometimes. But we seem to get that muddled."
The Oscar winner also reflected on how many Western countries imbibe secular ideologies instead of Christian beliefs. The actor, who's also famous for voicing the villain Scar in "The Lion King" animated film, believes that Westerners are making a big mistake since most societies have been established with a Christian foundation.
"If you take those religious tenets away, then anything goes and it will become terrible – and you usually get into trouble," the actor said.
Feminists, however, strongly disagreed with the actor's statements on abortion. It's not, however, the first time Irons' comments have drawn strong reactions.
In 2013, Irons also drew flack for his comments on same-sex marriage. He stated,"I worry that it means somehow we debase, or we change, what marriage is."
Meanwhile, as the Catholic Church in Ireland ramped up its pro-life campaign, other Irish celebrities like Liam Neeson, Liam Cunningham, Cillian Murphy and Saoirse Ronan have come out as pro-choice. Voters will have their say at the polls on May 25.
