The Religion and Political Views of Jessica Simpson

Jessica Simpson was born in Abilene, Texas and grew up in Dallas, Texas.

Simpson was raised a Southern Baptist and her father was a Baptist minister until he switched careers to manage his daughters' entertainment empire. In fact, Simpson could probably credit her success to her childhood faith. She began singing in her local church and was eventually picked up by the Christian record label, Proclaim Records.[1]

During her rise to stardom, Simpson seemed to be holding strong to her Christian roots, wearing a "promise ring" and insisting that she had retained her virginity until her first marriage to boy band singer Nick Lachey.[2] She even said things like:

God is love and God is my beauty and I am so compassionate about my relationship with God and it makes me who I am right now. It makes me stand up tall and proud and the world cannot take me down, because I know I can take pride in my love for God and I believe everybody else around me can have that as well.[3]

Of course, Simpson's revealing attire, sexual performances, and highly scrutinized behavior caused many a Christian to cry hypocrite. Eventually Simpson caved and admitted that she isn't the Christian she used to be, saying:

Me and my family got out of that [Christianity] and came to LA… To see all forms of meditation and prayer made me less judgmental.[4]

At least she's honest.

Predictable politics

Let's be honest, the girl who wondered out loud, on national television mind you, if Chicken of the Sea-brand tuna was, in fact, chicken, probably doesn't grasp political nuance. But her religion–and more to the point–her religious manager/father almost automatically designate her as a Republican.

As deep into the Bush-era as 2006, Simpson was a "huge fan" of George W. Bush, years after most rational people realized the scope and magnitude of the mistake that was G.W. Her father said in an official statement:

Jessica loves the heck out of him.[5]

However, in 2010, Simpson expressed deep admiration for MIchelle Obama at the White House Correspondents Dinner, saying:

Everything she does she exudes confidence. I'm really just here to celebrate her.[6]

It's hard to know what to make of that. It's certainly not the kind of thing you'd hear from the throngs of anybody-but-Obama former Bush-supporting Republicans that seem to be multiplying like jack-rabbits these days. Maybe she switched teams about the same time she gave up on Christianity.