Top 10 Celebrities You Didn't Know Were Religious

Beck is a second-generation Scientologist who only first publicly acknowledged his affiliation with the religion in 2005. There are many controversies associated with Scientology – including the accusation that it’s a cult – so Beck usually keeps to himself when it comes to his faith. While the musician himself didn’t give the most eloquent and coherent of answers to the Sunday Tribune with regards to Scientology’s philosophy, he did give Vulture a simple and seemingly humble response a few years later. Basically, for Beck, Scientology is just this thing that he does, and, like anything, it has its fair share of crazies, regulars, and everything in between.

“Religious” isn’t the first word that jumps to mind when you think of former professional boxer and heavyweight champion Mike Tyson. That’s probably because of his reputation as a fierce fighter and his past problems with the law. Be that as it may, Tyson reportedly converted to Islam in the 1990s while serving jail time for rape, and he hasn’t looked back: today, Tyson maintains that “Allah doesn’t need me; [he] need[s] Allah.” In the time since he’s joined the faith, Tyson has adopted the name Malik Abdul Aziz, traveled to Mecca and sobered up, maintaining that he sees his Islam more as a discipline than simply a religion.

Though he was raised as an Anglican, Orlando Bloom has been dedicated to his Buddhist faith since the age of 19. A full member of the United Kingdom branch of Soka Gakkai International since 2004, a group devoted to “peace, education, and cultural exchange,” Bloom has said he credits Buddhism with keeping him “anchored” and giving him a “sense of self” – something that probably comes in handy in Hollywood. Bloom has explained that his chosen religion helps him on a day-to-day basis. He’s said that Buddhism is “about studying what is going on in [his] daily life and using that as fuel to go and live a bigger life.” Seems like it’s working for him!

The man once known as Marky Mark used to have a reputation as a bad boy, but today Mark Wahlberg says that his faith is one of the most important aspects of his life. In fact, he’s credited religion with helping him get back on track after his life took some dark turns. Raised Irish Catholic in Boston, this rapper-turned-movie star says that he prays and attends church regularly – if not every day – but does not wish to push his religion on anyone else. So is Wahlberg praying for his next movie to be a hit? No, he says he’s simply focusing on being “good” in all the things he does.

He’ll rock out with the best of ‘em as lead singer of The Killers. But aside from being a rock star, Brandon Flowers is a devout Mormon and family man. Flowers says when he was 6-years-old, his father quit drinking as part of his newfound Mormon faith. That change affected Flowers deeply, and although he also struggled with alcohol abuse when he first got involved in the rock and roll scene, he too devoted himself more fully to his Mormonism when he started his family. Now that he’s sober, Flowers has become a notable face for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, aiming to clear up common misconceptions about his faith.

With his flamboyant outfits and sexually charged lyrics, Prince was a larger-than-life personality in the music world. What many fans may not have realized, however, is that when he wasn’t shredding his guitar, he was quietly adhering to his faith as a Jehovah’s Witness. After joining the faith in the early 2000s, Brother Nelson embraced his chosen religion, engaging in charitable activities, philanthropy and even going door-to-door to discuss his beliefs. According to his fellow parishioners, the outrageous rock star they’d see on stage was a far cry from the shy man who attended church wearing understated clothing. But, maybe most important of all for such a gifted musician, Prince credited God with inspiring his talent.

Dave Chappelle is known as a comedic genius who challenges societal norms and isn’t afraid of offending. But since 1998, he’s also led a faith-based life as a convert to Islam. Chappelle’s religion is a topic he doesn’t often discuss in public, however; and he’s got a good reason for that: he doesn’t want people to link any problems they might have with him with Islam. This is especially important to him. because he believes Islam is “beautiful if you learn it the right way.” For Chappelle, his religion is basically a guidebook for how he lives his life in a well-balanced way. And fortunately, he’s been able to keep his sense of humor as well.

Tiger Woods was raised a Buddhist and practiced the religion for most of his childhood. However, during his infidelity scandal in 2009, Woods brought awareness to his faith when he mentioned it in his very public apology; he said that he’d strayed from Buddhism and lost track of why it was an important part of his life. But, core tenets of the faith are respect and personal responsibility, so Woods said he was making a spiritual commitment to revisit his once-devout faith. In the past, Woods has explained that Buddhism, to him, is a way of life. And, at least as a youth, he practiced it with the same discipline he devoted to the sport of golf.

Today, the king of shock rock is not only an avid golfer and a teetotaler; he’s also a born-again Christian. Though the image that made him famous is more demonic than heavenly, and he once struggled through drug and alcohol abuse, Cooper grew up in a Christian household; his father was a preacher and he himself was active in his church as a child. He says he revisited his faith in the ‘80s after he realized that all the partying and materialism he had experienced wasn’t what he wanted from life. So he quit drinking, went back to church, and now says he’s more satisfied in his life. Before we unveil our tip pick, here are a few honorable mentions: - Chris Tucker - Norm Macdonald

You know him best as a witty late night talk show host, or perhaps the pompous blowhard he used to play on TV. But did you also know that Stephen Colbert is deeply religious? Raised Roman Catholic by devout parents, Colbert was taught that challenging the church does not make you any less Catholic. That might explain his willingness to poke fun at religion – to a point. Both a Sunday school teacher and an ordained minister, Colbert has credited his faith with helping him deal with tragedies in his life, like when his father and two brothers were killed in a plane crash when he was a child. But, perhaps most importantly, he’s stressed the value of humor in faith. Do you agree with our list? Which religious celebrities caught you by surprise? For more enlightening Top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.