Russell Brand: rape and sexual abuse allegations, grifting and general dodginess - discussion

[scalyboy]

he be bring out his own religion by the end of the year.. as god will talk to him directly as the savoir of mankind

he just laying the groundwork for not launch

A prophet spurned by the ignorant populace, except for a few elect disciples who recognise his greatness. Rejected, persecuted, a pure, spotless victim.

Beard. Intense staring eyes. Messianic complex. Probably ponged a bit after those 40 days in the wilderness with no shower, bath, sink or any form of personal hygiene facilities.

“Forgive these young women who have come forward with very hurtful allegations, for they know not what they do”

Suffering Christ!

 

[PR1Berske]

 

[DotCommunist]

'Survivalist Bear Grylls recently shared some of his views on Christianity, saying he believes that the modern Western church is a far cry from what Jesus would want it to be.
“I think Jesus would really struggle with 99% of churches nowadays,” said Grylls in an interview with The Christian Post. “Our job in life is to stay close to Christ and drop the religious, drop the fluff, drop the church if you need to because that means so many different things to different people anyway. Keep the bit of church which is about community and friends and honesty and faith and love. All the masks, performances, music and worship bands and all of that sort of stuff—I don’t think Christ would recognize a lot of that.”'

Just say you hate modern methodism and its offshoots bear, just join one of them weird cofe sects where you get all the smells and bells of Catholicism but don't have to listen to the pope. Its what the man clearly wants.

 

[Santino]

'Survivalist Bear Grylls recently shared some of his views on Christianity, saying he believes that the modern Western church is a far cry from what Jesus would want it to be.
“I think Jesus would really struggle with 99% of churches nowadays,” said Grylls in an interview with The Christian Post. “Our job in life is to stay close to Christ and drop the religious, drop the fluff, drop the church if you need to because that means so many different things to different people anyway. Keep the bit of church which is about community and friends and honesty and faith and love. All the masks, performances, music and worship bands and all of that sort of stuff—I don’t think Christ would recognize a lot of that.”'

Just say you hate modern methodism and its offshoots bear, just join one of them weird cofe sects where you get all the smells and bells of Catholicism but don't have to listen to the pope. Its what the man clearly wants.

Did he mean 'masques' not 'masks'?

 

[imposs1904]

this reminds me of when the swp tried to ban its members from watching father ted, due to its anti irish bigotry.

You're shitting us?

 

[discokermit]

You're shitting us?

nope.

you should have seen some of the faces when caroline aherne performed at marxism as the character sister mary immaculate. all the catholics were pissing themselves laughing but there were a lot of very uncomfortable people in the audience.

 

[imposs1904]

nope.

you should have seen some of the faces when caroline aherne performed at marxism as the character sister mary immaculate. all the catholics were pissing themselves laughing but there were a lot of very uncomfortable people in the audience.

No doubt that full timer that passed down the party line on Father Ted is feeling all smug now that Linehan has revealed himself to be a bit of a wanker 30 years later.

'See, I told you he was a wrong 'un.'

 

[Puddy_Tat]

from teh tweeter, someone has commented on something about brand allegedly being baptised in the river thames

"Just when you thought the amount of shit in the Thames had peaked."

 

[Lurdan]

In one of his pre-baptism teaser videos Brand did mention going on an Alpha course as part of his exploration of different Christian organisations so Bear Grylls' involvement is not very surprising. Today's Times:

Bear Grylls, Russell Brand and the celebrity Alpha course circle - Times (archived)

Is it simply, as Jesus was quoted in his time, a case of Grylls paying his own Christian conversion forward — “I will make you fishers of men”? Or has Brand found in Grylls his way to one of the best-connected networks of born-again Christians, operating out of the Holy Trinity Brompton church, down the road from Harrods in Knightsbridge, for which another Biblical verse seems apt: “Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find.” (...)

At HTB, there is none of the ascetic sneering at wealth of more austere churches. Instead, as one observer put it, “dewy-eyed converts enthuse about Jesus Christ as if he were a particularly glamorous guest on the party circuit”, a social ladder in parallel to Jacob’s ladder. Grylls also presented an interesting view of Jesus in an article for GQ magazine as a kind of Galilee raver. “The Jesus I read about in the Bible was fun, free and wild,” Grylls wrote. “He loved a party and he always hung out with the non-religious folk. The only people he ever got angry with were the overly religious types.”

Interesting old urban thread about the Alpha Course,
Jon Ronson's 2000 article Part 1, Part 2,
'Alpha and the gay issue: a lesson in homophobia?' (PDF) about it's 'polite' form of conservative homophobia.

 

[CH1]

In one of his pre-baptism teaser videos Brand did mention going on an Alpha course as part of his exploration of different Christian organisations so Bear Grylls' involvement is not very surprising. Today's Times:

Bear Grylls, Russell Brand and the celebrity Alpha course circle - Times (archived)





Interesting old urban thread about the Alpha Course,
Jon Ronson's 2000 article Part 1, Part 2,
'Alpha and the gay issue: a lesson in homophobia?' (PDF) about it's 'polite' form of conservative homophobia.

I have a particular antipathy towards the Alpha Course. In a discussion you can disagree with them and they will change the subject and offer you a cup of tea.
And if you are gay they will give you a cup of tea whilst explaining you are going to hell. This is a fundamentalist literalist ideology which is trying to rake over the C of E.
The whole thing about Russell Brand and conversion is that this is part of his personality. But to the Alpha Course people sudden conversion is what makes one Christian.
He thinks he had been born again - but time will tell if he moves on to the next thing.

 

[Orang Utan]

View attachment 423473

I don’t know what he’s doing there but I think it might be blasphemous

 

[editor]

Here's the money shot you've all been waiting for

 

[ddraig]

*puke

 

[pbsmooth]

 

[T & P]

Marina Hyde in the Guardian today:

‘I know, it’s incredible: Thames Water is no longer responsible for the biggest piece of shit in the river.’

So Russell Brand was baptised in the Thames, and all his sins were washed away. Cheaper than a lawyer, I suppose | Marina Hyde

His journey to Christianity was very moving, and infinitely more spiritual than his trip to the police station to deny criminal allegations, says Guardian columnist Marina Hyde

www.theguardian.com

 

[CH1]

Marina Hyde in the Guardian today:

‘I know, it’s incredible: Thames Water is no longer responsible for the biggest piece of shit in the river.’

So Russell Brand was baptised in the Thames, and all his sins were washed away. Cheaper than a lawyer, I suppose | Marina Hyde

His journey to Christianity was very moving, and infinitely more spiritual than his trip to the police station to deny criminal allegations, says Guardian columnist Marina Hyde

www.theguardian.com

There are letter in response today: So Russell Brand has repented? I’ll believe it when I see it | Letters

Actually I would have thought that that Calvinist Christianity was a perfect fit for a conspiracist.
"Plandemic" - "It was all part of God's plan to have his only begotten son crucified for us - someone had to pay for the sins of the world" etc etc

There is of course a long-term danger for the fundamentalist Christians in this. If Russell Brand does not turn out to be St Francis of Assis, but rather a mere celebrity in the manner of Justin Bieber as "converted" by Hillsong
It could be "undermining" for the Alpha Course brigade

Hillsong: The Celebrity Megachurch's Bombshell Scandals and Controversies Through the Years

Hillsong Church became a celebrity magnet, with attendees including Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez and more. Find out about all of the church's biggest controversies so far.

people.com

 

[Santino]

To be scrupulously fair to Christians, they have to take people at their word to a degree. No one is irredeemable. If they're lying, then that's on them.

 

[Wilf]

To be scrupulously fair to Christians, they have to take people at their word to a degree. No one is irredeemable. If they're lying, then that's on them.

Yeah, but confessing your sins?

 

[andysays]

Yeah, but confessing your sins?

I don't know what the deal is within whatever weirdo sect Brand was baptised by, but within Catholicism, baptism washes away all your sins, assuming you are sincere about it.

And you can only be baptised once, so when I was confirmed recently, I had already been baptised as an infant, so had, in effect, to confess all my sins from the intervening 59 years, whereas the other members of my RCIA group who hadn't previously been baptised did that, which meant they didn't have to make a confession.

But in either case, if there isn't a sincere repentance and the intention to try to avoid sin in future, it's all an empty meaningless exercise.

 

[CH1]

I don't know what the deal is within whatever weirdo sect Brand was baptised by, but within Catholicism, baptism washes away all your sins, assuming you are sincere about it.

And you can only be baptised once, so when I was confirmed recently, I had already been baptised as an infant, so had, in effect, to confess all my sins from the intervening 59 years, whereas the other members of my RCIA group who hadn't previously been baptised did that, which meant they didn't have to make a confession.

But in either case, if there isn't a sincere repentance and the intention to try to avoid sin in future, it's all an empty meaningless exercise.

You are correct. This was a BIG issue in North Africa during the Roman persecutions.
In North Africa church leaders were told to hand in their scriptures for burning - and they would be let off the lions etc.
After the persecutions ended the local bishops resumed their work - but a major faction split off demanding that apostacising church leaders be sacked (or "deposed" as they called it then).
This was debated several times by church councils - and St Augustine of Hippo got involved. He formulated the doctrine that the sacraments are not invalidated because of the unworthiness of the priest.

So essentially it seems that in Catholic doctrine (also applying to most of the C of E, Methodist, URC etc) baptism as an infant deals with "original sin".
I'm not sure about adult baptism - for a liberal Baptist view try Steve Chalke?
Also be interesting to know if Baptists re-baptise. They may do this - saying that they do not accept infant baptism is valid.

 

[Shippou-Sensei]

Also be interesting to know if Baptists re-baptise. They may do this - saying that they do not accept infant baptism is valid.

It like painting. Two coats is better but you need to wait ages for it to dry in-between.

 

[pinkmonkey]

Conspirituality podcast did an episode on Russell Brand. Apparently every bit of his behaviour is text book red flag guru/wellness/cult leader behaviour, this latest bit, well I guess that’s another box ticked in the dodgy guru playbook.

 

[Wilf]

I don't know what the deal is within whatever weirdo sect Brand was baptised by, but within Catholicism, baptism washes away all your sins, assuming you are sincere about it.

And you can only be baptised once, so when I was confirmed recently, I had already been baptised as an infant, so had, in effect, to confess all my sins from the intervening 59 years, whereas the other members of my RCIA group who hadn't previously been baptised did that, which meant they didn't have to make a confession.

But in either case, if there isn't a sincere repentance and the intention to try to avoid sin in future, it's all an empty meaningless exercise.

Aye, that's the bit I was aiming at.

 

[Pickman's model]

He thinks he had been born again - but time will tell if he moves on to the next thing.

born again? twice too often

 

[Pickman's model]

To be scrupulously fair to Christians, they have to take people at their word to a degree.

no they don't

 

[Jimmy Don't]

it's all an empty meaningless exercise.

CFY

 

[pinkmonkey]

Conspirituality podcast did an episode on Russell Brand. Apparently every bit of his behaviour is text book red flag guru/wellness/cult leader behaviour, this latest bit, well I guess that’s another box ticked in the dodgy guru playbook.

They've done an update, it's paywalled but can be accessed with a free trial



'Russell Brand has accepted Jesus into his heart and been baptized in the spirit. But does his conversion to Christianity make sense along the New Age rebel to right-wing, conspiracy-theorist radicalization pipeline? Is Brand seeking absolution for his sins, or recognizing that most of his audience are Christians “oppressed” by authoritarian libs?


Julian explores how the “enlightened outsider” uses pseudoscience to justify spiritual beliefs that are actually connective tissue between conspiracism, New Age metaphysics, and faux Christian victimhood.'

 

[Jeff Robinson]

Here's Brand 14 years ago with 'P Diddy' (aka Sean Combs). They're off to Vegas together on Combs' private jet. Combs brags in the video that he will be fronting up the money for the 'whores'. Brand responds that he prefers to call them 'damsels'.



Combs is now under federal investigation and facing multiple civil lawsuits for rape, sexual assault and sex trafficking spanning decades and in the last few days a video has surfaced of him beating his ex-girlfriend.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

tbf Diddy has come out and said he is truly and deeply sorry that the video has surfaced.

 

[cesare]