'I was a paid hypocrite': Former Two and a Half Men Child Star Opens Up About His Embrace of Christianity

Nearly a year after leaving the hit CBS sitcom Two and a Half Men, actor Angus T Jones, known as on the show as Jake Harper, Charlie Sheen's nephew, has traded the bright lights of Hollywood sets for church pews.

Jones, 20, who in 2010 became the highest paid child actor in television history at 17 netting $300,000 per episode, left the show last year at the end of the tenth season after he made controversial comments that he had embraced Christianity and found the role he was playing didn't jive well with his religious values. He made negative remarks about the series and said he wanted to exit.

Now sporting a beard and long hair, Jones, who lives in Colorado where he attends the University of Colorado in Boulder, has embraced Christianity, and he visits churches across the country, speaking about God and his faith.

'It was difficult for me to be on the show and be part of something that was making light of topics in our world where there are really problems for a lot of people,' Jones told Houston,Texas, television station KHOU. “I was a paid hypocrite because I wasn’t OK with it and I was still doing it.”

When he left the show, Jones walked away from a popular role that made him a rich teenger. At the time, he was making $350,000 per episode, or $8.4 million a season. His net worth is estimated at $15 million, according to CelebrityNetworth.com.

Jones was in Houston over the weekend where he spoke at World Harvest Outreach, a Seventh-Day Adventist congregation. He read from the Bible and also told parishioners why he embraced Christianity.

“I really want to come into the light because I know that is where the healing is and I’ve seen God do amazing things,” said Jones.

Stephen Baldwin Defends Two and a Half Men Star

Angus T. Jones received some criticism after speaking out against his "Two and a Half Men" television show recently, but fellow Christian actor Stephen Baldwin is defending the 19-year-old's stance.

Jones later apologized for showing "a lack of appreciation of the extraordinary opportunity" he has been blessed with. However Baldwin, 46, said he understood what the young actor was going through when he decided to speak out against his own series.

"It just sounds like Angus is having an authentic experience with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It's a serious thing," Baldwin said in a recent interview with "Good Morning America." "A real, true walk of Christianity is very difficult, quite radical. It seems to me he was a young man when he started and now he's kind of come into his own and he's connected with his pastor."

Although Jones apologized for his comments, Baldwin said he thinks Jones was genuine about his initial remarks concerning "Two and a Half Men."

"I think he knows exactly what he's doing. Again, he meant to probably have it come out differently," Baldwin said. "He didn't want to offend [show creator] Chuck Lorre or any of the people from the show or be disrespectful, but I think he authentically means what he says where he finds now if you hold up the content of his show to the Bible, what he's saying is, 'Now there's a conflict for me.'"

Angus T. Jones Apologizes for 'Two and a Half Men' Slam

"I apologize if my remarks reflect me showing indifference to and disrespect of my colleagues and a lack of appreciation of the extraordinary opportunity of which I have been blessed," the actor says.

Two and a Half Men star Angus T. Jones has issued a statement regarding his recent comments against the show, in which he called the comedy "filth" and begged viewers to "please stop watching."

"I apologize if my remarks reflect me showing indifference to and disrespect of my colleagues and a lack of appreciation of the extraordinary opportunity of which I have been blessed," he said in a statement Tuesday. "I never intended that."

Jones, 19, also praised the cast and crew of the show as well as CBS and producer Warner Bros. Television.

"Without qualification, I am grateful to and have the highest regard and respect for all of the wonderful people on Two and Half Men with whom I have worked and over the past 10 years who have become an extension of my family," he added.

Jones made headlines Monday after a YouTube video went viral in which he discussed his newfound Christian faith in great detail.

In the clip, published by Forerunner and featuring the organization’s controversial leader Christopher Hudson, Jones suggested that Two and a Half Men was promoting the word of Satan.

"A lot of people don't like to think about how deceptive the enemy is," said Jones. "There's no playing around when it comes to eternity ... People will see us and be like, 'I can be a Christian and be on a show like Two and a Half Men.' You can't. You cannot be a true God-fearing person and be on a television show like that. I know I can't."

In his speech, Jones also said: “If you watch Two and a Half Men, please stop watching Two and a Half Men. I'm on Two and a Half Men and I don't want to be on it. Please stop watching it and filling your head with filth. People say it’s just entertainment. Do some research on the effects of television and your brain, and I promise you, you’ll have a decision to make when it comes to television, especially with what you watch."

Two & a Half Men Star: "Don't Watch the Show"

'Two and a Half Men's young star, Angus T. Jones -- the half man in the show's title -- has blasted the series as "filth" and suggested that people should stop watching.

"Jake from Two and a Half Men means nothing. He is a non-existent character," Jones says in a video for the Forerunner Chronicles, a Christian group. "If you watch Two and a Half Men, please stop watching Two and a Half Men. I'm on Two and a Half Men and I don't want to be on it. Please stop watching it and filling your head with filth. People say it’s just entertainment. Do some research on the effects of television and your brain, and I promise you you’ll have a decision to make when it comes to television, especially with what you watch."

Jones continues that the show is part of the plan of "the enemy" [Satan]. "If I am doing any harm, I don't want to be here," he says. "I don't want to be contributing to the enemy's plan. … You cannot be a true God-fearing person and be on a television show like that. I know I can't. I'm not OK with what I'm learning, what the Bible says and being on that television show."

Jones, 19, gave a testimony in October at the Voice of Prophecy in Los Angeles, where he attends services.

Jones earns about $350,000 per episode; in May he received a salary bump -- along with co-stars Jon Cryer and Ashton Kutcher -- when Men was renewed for a 10th season.

Jones' comments mark the latest brouhaha for the veteran sitcom, which in addition to the Sheen debacle also saw former showrunner Lee Aronsohn step down after he came under fire for comments he made to The Hollywood Reporter about female-driven shows at a Toronto screenwriting conference.

Jones' Men comments begin at 7:30 in the video.