Succession star Brian Cox slams Bible as ‘one of the worst books ever’

The Scottish actor, best known as media mogul Logan Roy, argued that the religious text is filled with ‘propaganda and lies’

Succession star Brian Cox has slammed the Bible as “one of the worst books ever”, arguing that the religious text is a collection of “propaganda and lies”.

The Scottish actor, 77, is best known for his role as sweary media mogul Logan Roy in the acclaimed HBO drama.

During a recent appearance on podcast The Starting Line, the avowed athiest took the opportunity to discuss his views on religious belief.

Asked whether he felt organised religion had impeded human progress, Cox responded: “Oh considerably, yes - I think religion does hold us back because it’s belief systems, which are outside ourselves.”

He went on to argue that religion has “led us into all kinds of horror”, pointing to the Holocaust and the wars in Ukraine and Gaza. "The same things are being repeated again and again in belief systems, which do not serve," he said.

Cox also argued that organised religion is patriarchal, saying: “I mean, the propaganda goes right way back – the Bible is one of the worst books ever, for me, from my point of view. Because it starts with the idea that Adam’s rib – you know that [from] Adam’s rib, this woman was created, and they’ll believe it ‘cause they’re stupid enough!”

Brian Cox attending the ‘Succession’ season 4 premiere in New York in 2023 (Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)

While the actor accepted that people may need spiritual guidance, he argued that Bible stories are not the solution.

“They need it, but they don’t need to be told lies, they need some kind of truth, and that is not the truth,” said Cox. “It is not the truth, it’s a mythology.”

On a personal note, Cox said that he’d found his own answers to life’s biggest questions through acting, claiming that theatre is the “one true church” because it “is the church of humanity”.

Last month, Cox spoke to The Independent for an in-depth profile.

During the interview, Cox lamented the soaring cost of taking a family to the theatre.

“I’ve got sons,” he said. “I go, ‘No, I can’t afford to pay $110 each (about £90) for one night at the theatre. For all of us! For five of us!”

He added: “That’s the thing about the theatre. It’s a great place, but only for people who work in it. Otherwise, you can feel alien.

“That why I – in terms of the opposite sex – have always been involved with actresses. It’s not because of the obvious thing – that it’s easy, because you meet them and are working with them. It’s because they understand the displacement. They have a deeper understanding that anything we create together is created on a very tectonic foundation.”