Denzel Washington is honest about his beliefs.

In his first-person piece for Esquire, published Tuesday, Nov. 19, Washington, 69, recalled an eventful first visit to the Pentecostal West Angeles church in Los Angeles, which was suggested by actor and director Robert Townsend in the 1980s. “The biggest moment of my life was when I was filled with the Holy Spirit,” he wrote of the encounter.

The actor believes that his professional colleagues discourage being open about one’s religion, noting that his faith is stronger now than it was as a youngster.

“I now understand what I said about God when I was a child, reciting things in church with everyone else.” God is real. God is love. God is the only way. God is the true path. God blesses. It is my responsibility to hoist God up, to glorify Him, and to ensure that everyone with whom I interact for the remainder of my life realizes that He is accountable for me,” Washington said in his article. “When you see me, you see the best I could accomplish with the resources my Lord and Savior have given me. I am unafraid. I don’t care what others think. You can’t talk about fear and win an Oscar. You cannot speak in such a manner while attending a party. You cannot say that in this town.”

“I am free now. In this community, it remains unspoken. It is not talked about. It is not talked about. It is not fashionable. It is not sexy. However, that doesn’t mean that people in Hollywood don’t have faith,” he clarified.

Washington, who has been promoting his new film Gladiator II in recent weeks, stated in the essay that he does not “have a lot of actor friends” aside from longtime family friends such as Samuel L. Jackson and that his experience with Hollywood as an institution is not entirely accurate.

“There is no such thing as Hollywood anyway.” What exactly does that mean? To me, it alludes to a boulevard known as Hollywood Boulevard,” he wrote. “It’s not like we all get together and debate our beliefs. So, I’m not sure how many other performers have faith. I didn’t conduct a survey. How would I figure it out? I mean, I haven’t been to any church actor meetings.”