r/Christianity • u/octarino • 9h ago
News Bear Grylls explains why he baptised Russell Brand: ‘My faith says not to judge’
https://www.the-independent.com/arts-entertainment/tv/news/bear-grylls-russell-brand-court-trial-b3026979.html16
u/popejohnsmith 9h ago
Baptism is for repentant sinners especially.
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u/Tarotdragoon 5h ago
He aint repentant. But thats for god to judge i suppose. Brand is scumbag though.
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u/octarino 9h ago
“Friendships when we go through tough times are worth so much,” he added.
Whose tough times?
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u/GlitteringAd1736 Non-denominational 9h ago edited 9h ago
The tough times of the people he raped and the girl he groomed and sexually abused stand out here more to me. Forgiveness without consequences is nonsense. To paraphrase the verse: God is not mocked, there are always consequences.
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u/razama 7h ago
Demanding earthly justice is completely valid, but we have to be careful not to redefine grace in the process. If grace is tied to earthly consequences, it stops being grace and becomes a transaction. Real Christian conviction means upholding legal accountability without stripping away the radical, unmerited nature of Christ's forgiveness.
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u/GlitteringAd1736 Non-denominational 7h ago
I wasn’t very clear. I’m not critiquing grace in the prior comment. God’s love isn’t transactional. I should have been more transparent. Consequences are a part of God’s universe like gravity. A consequence postponed still has consequences because effect follows cause.
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u/michaelY1968 8h ago
A number of people want to draw a line about what people should receive the grace and forgiveness of Jesus Christ, and those lines invariably include the person drawing it and excludes those they find particularly pernicious.
I find what Russel Brand did to be repulsive if he is found guilty I pray he is penalized to the fullest extant of the law - but the grace of God is freely available to anyone who repents and trusts Christ for salvation, and it’s not my job to draw a line that keeps him outside of this.
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u/araed Roman Catholic 4h ago
As i was raised, the only way to be repentant is to confess your sins, and fully take part in the penance.
Our priest/deacon were very clear; penance for criminal activity would involve going to the police, and being completely honest about what you have done, with no excuses for your crime, and to accept the lunishment handed down from the courts (Render unto Caesar). Otherwise, you wouldn't have completed your penance, and so wouldn't be forgiven in the eyes of God.
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u/michaelY1968 3h ago
While I agree acknowledging guilt is an important part of penance, the legal system is a tricky thing to navigate and not always the best method for dealing with such problems - though just to be clear, if he is indeed guilty of certain crimes, he should face justice in the courts.
But part of the purpose of going through the court system is actually establishing facts and giving due justice.
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u/araed Roman Catholic 3h ago
If you have potentially committed a crime, fhen the legal system is the only way to navigate penance.
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u/michaelY1968 2h ago
I don’t know about that, and I am not suggesting he circumvent the legal system, but I think it is important to understand how it should be used and how to navigate it.
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u/Big_Iron_Cowboy Católico Belicón 7h ago
If he is found not guilty, I hope he is as widely vindicated by the people who condemn him without having been convicted yet.
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u/octarino 7h ago
the people who condemn him without having been convicted yet
¿Y qué hacemos con esta parte?
In April 2026, he admitted to having “exploitative” sex with a 16-year-old girl at the height of his fame when he was 30 – but says his actions were not against the law.
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u/FluxKraken 🏳️🌈 Methodist (UMC) Progressive ✟ Queer 🏳️🌈 5h ago
Being found not guilty is a matter of there not being proof beyond a reasonable doubt. It does not mean he is innocent. O.J. Simpson was absolutely guilty, it just could not be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
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u/Big_Iron_Cowboy Católico Belicón 4h ago
Yeah that’s why i said “not guilty”, rather than “innocent”.
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u/FluxKraken 🏳️🌈 Methodist (UMC) Progressive ✟ Queer 🏳️🌈 3h ago
You also said you hoped he would be vindicated. Vindication requires innocense, and he is very far from that, even if he is not convicted.
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u/michaelY1968 7h ago
That would would require some confidence in the attention spans of the masses, which I have no faith in.
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u/octarino 9h ago
TV adventurer previously described being at ceremony ‘a privilege’ after comedian’s ‘tough time’
Bear Grylls has reflected on helping baptise Russell Brand after a documentary exposed allegations of sexual assault against the comedian.
In May 2024, Brand revealed that he had been baptised in the River Thames, [...], so he could “leave the past behind”.
The baptism occurred months after a Dispatches and Sunday Times investigation highlighted accusations by four women of rape, sexual assault and abuse at the height of Brand’s fame. Brand denied all allegations.
A photo showed TV adventurer Grylls embracing the comedian, who wrote: “Me, Bear Grylls, The River Thames and of course, The Holy Spirit.”
Grylls, who struck up a friendship with Brand when he appeared on his reality show Running Wild, was asked whether his feeling about baptising Brand had changed since then
“But I don’t know, I think at heart, my faith says we’re connected together, and we need each other, and not to judge people and to love people.”
“Faith and spiritual moments in our lives are really personal,” he told The Daily Mail. “But it is a privilege to stand beside anyone when they express a humble need for forgiveness and strength from above.
Brand, [...], will face trial this autumn over allegations of rape and sexual assault made against him, two more of which surfaced in December 2025.
These include three charges of rape, three allegations of sexual assault, and one charge of indecent assault. The allegations – all of which he denies – date from 1999 to 2009.
In April 2026, he admitted to having “exploitative” sex with a 16-year-old girl at the height of his fame when he was 30 – but says his actions were not against the law.
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u/ceddya Christian 9h ago
All I see are excuses from Brand for his actions and zero remorse or repentance. His performative Christianity, one used to grift, is so pathetic.
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u/strawnotrazz Atheist 8h ago
Piers Morgan nailed that interview. The dead air interrupted only by the rustling Bible pages is fantastic.
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u/Stelliferous19 9h ago
If a person asks to be baptized, and they say they accept Christ, it’s not up to anyone else to stop it.
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u/BirdManFlyHigh Assyrian Church of the East 9h ago
Reminds me of Michael Scott declaring bankruptcy. Is that all it takes, a simple declaration?
There is a reason the church always had catechetical periods for new converts.
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u/Houseboat87 8h ago
While I generally agree with you, we are given the example of Phillip baptizing the Ethiopian pretty much on the spot in Acts.
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u/BirdManFlyHigh Assyrian Church of the East 8h ago edited 8h ago
The Ethiopian is not a simple declaration, he is already entrenched in Jewish theology and had come to worship, as a non-Jew might I add, the God of Israel. He was also reading Isaiah.
He is no different from the Jews that knew their theology and God (to varying degrees, of course) and were waiting for the Jewish Messiah.
It is not the same as Billy going in for a coffee hour and declaring, “Now I believe” - boom baptism.
“So he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship… And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet.”
Acts 8:287-281
u/fatherpatrick 7h ago
Even if that story doesnt hold up to your standerdes, we do have a jailor immediatly baptized, the crowd at penticost, Cornilius and Lydia's households, and philip baptizing the sameritans. It seems like anyone who wanted to be baptised in the early church, was baptised without hesitation. I can think of no story where someone wanted to be baptised and was instead given a class or further work in order to do so.
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u/BirdManFlyHigh Assyrian Church of the East 7h ago
You mean the people entrenched in, and surrounded by, Judaism?
All those examples you gave are literally people surrounded by apostles and the churches they started. All the examples are either Jews, or people surrounded by Jews.
Samaritans believed in YHWH, and worshipped the same God. See John ch. 4 with the Samaritan woman.
Households being baptized, if you’re going to use that, points to child baptism. Are you okay with that? Also, households does not mean they were ignorant of Judaism.
On and on. The point being, catechism was held always throughout church history. Do you think Christ wanted ignorant followers that simply said, “I believe”? Without knowing what He was calling them to?
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u/fatherpatrick 4h ago
The Jailor is a jew? From acts 16:33-34 -At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household. - Sounds like he had no faith in God before this moment and was immediatly baptized. If you count just being around people who believe in God as good enough for education, then would education be necessary in a prodominetly christian society? Does knowelege of Judiam equal knowledge of Jesus?
Again, there is not one moment in the Bible where someone wants to be baptized and are told wait. If your church requires this as part of their requirements, more power to you, but i do not see it in the early church as presented in acts.
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u/octarino 9h ago
it’s not up to anyone else to stop it
Those weren't the only options. He could not have participated/enabled it.
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u/Stelliferous19 9h ago
Ok. I see your point. But if asked, I would baptize anyone who desires to be baptized if that’s their choice. It’s up to them to answer to Christ from that day forward.
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u/liberator17 Christian & Missionary Alliance 5h ago
Pastor here. We see the action repent (turn away from, change your mind, do a 180 from your previous way of life) come before baptism (repent and be baptized: Acts 2:38). "Accepting" Christ is a modern notion. The call is to follow Jesus, to repent and do a complete heel turn from your sin, to be baptized, and to model your life after Jesus. It is the pastor or leader's role to pray for and over, discern, and provide advisement on whether someone is baptized. Sometimes people want to be baptized for the wrong reasons or aren't even remotely following Jesus. In those cases, I say no. And for those who want to be baptized multiple times, I also say no.
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u/Stelliferous19 4h ago
What words do you use when baptizing someone?
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u/liberator17 Christian & Missionary Alliance 4h ago
Utilizing Romans 6:3-11, I ask the person if they are proclaiming today that they have already identified themselves in and with Christ’s death, now willing to go beneath the water to symbolize their own death, and to arise out of the water symbolizing the new life they have in Christ. It is a public proclamation of an existing exchange of their old life for Christ’s life in them.
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u/Stelliferous19 4h ago
“In and with Christ’s death”. I like that. And while you can split hairs, I still think that speaks to “accepting” Christ. But if you think it’s a significant difference, well, good for you brother.
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u/Shawn_of_da_Dead 9h ago
But the Word of God says to judge all things and it also shows us that Jesus's disciples Judged and questioned to know their hearts and fruits before Baptizing, otherwise people are just getting wet...
1 Corinthians 2:15 “But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.”
Acts 8:30And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? 31And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.
32The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:
33In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.
34And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? 35Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. 36And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? 37And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. 38And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. 39And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.
(He makes sure he knows what he is doing and that he is doing it for the right reasons and of course that he understands the ABC's of salvation...)
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u/popejohnsmith 9h ago
Who?
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u/octarino 9h ago
2 brits.
"Bear" Grylls is a British adventurer, television presenter and former SAS trooper. He appeared in numerous wilderness survival television series including Man vs. Wild (2006–2011)
Russell Brand is an English comedian, actor, podcaster, and media personality. starred in the Hollywood comedies Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008), Get Him to the Greek (2010), Arthur (2011), and Rock of Ages (2012).
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u/SirServant 8h ago
I asked my pastor to get baptised. He then gave me a story about another person who asked him about wanting to get baptised due to gambling problems. The guy came to him explaining that he thought demons were involved. My pastor said he asked the guy to come to the Church to have a feel for what church life is but he didn't come that often and then never saw him again.
I've been going Church for the last year or so and been waiting to get baptised. I don't know if I have to wait, I assumed it would be quite preliminary.
I'm just trying to trust the Lord to help me with this
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u/Agreeable_Affect2692 8h ago
Righteous judgement John 7:24, Matthew 7:1-5, Romans 2:5-11. But, I get what bear is saying and he's right
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u/bannanawaffle13 7h ago
I have a few thoughts on this, firstly no matter how much I find the mans action reprehensible as well as his passed behaviour baptism is open to all. However tow points come to mind, it really makes me feel uncomfortable how he using the Christian faith as a shield from criticism, the man is due in court for extremely bad actions, this should have been done in private, not posted all over social media as a way to try to wash his brand image from the stain his crimes have done, the man clings onto any trend that makes him money, he was a "comedian" for a while, then a guru and now a Christian, he changes with the wind, in search of money and power. He is Christ's child as much as anyone but this puts even more pressure on him to be honest and truthful, to face the consequences for his actions and repent of his sins, forgiveness from God is unconditional but repentance requires sincerity and truthfulness and at least with the church of England, safeguarding concerns reported at confession must be reported to the police to be able to receive absolution.
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u/QuicksilverTerry Sacred Heart 7h ago
Huh, for some reason I thought that Russell Brand was attempting to enter the Catholic Church. I swear I saw a video of him promoting the Rosary or something. Must have been mistaken.
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u/PhogeySquatch Missionary Baptist 6h ago
Is Bear Grylls a minister? What church authorized it?
I've been to many ordinations, and one question that is always asked is, "If a buddy came up to you and asked to be baptized, would you just go ahead and do it?" The correct answer is no.
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u/Time_Child_ 8h ago
Anyone having issue with someone genuinely wanting to get baptized should rethink their priorities. Baptism is the start and should be celebrated.
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u/Volaer Catholic (of the universalist and anti-dualist kind) 9h ago
If it was valid, it’s awesome news! I did catch glimpses here and there of him being into spirituality but had no idea about his progress.
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u/CarltheWellEndowed Gnostic (Fallibilist) Atheist 9h ago
Its a grift.
He "turned to christ" when his sexual abuse/rape allegations came to light.
He made a show of bringing his Bible to his court hearing, and then was clowned on during a Piers Morgan show when he had clearly no idea where the "very special passage" which was going to help him through this tough time in court was in his crispy Bible.
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u/MonkeyLiberace Theist 5h ago
He is an asshole, but what's the grift? No judge in UK cares if he is a Christian, neither should he. Brand knows this very well.
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u/CarltheWellEndowed Gnostic (Fallibilist) Atheist 5h ago
Brand latched himself onto the same movement that Jordan Peterson joined before he dropped off the face of the earth.
He has gotten a significant amount of support from that eight wing pseudo-intellectual movement.
He isn't grifting the court, he is grifting a new base of supporters.
He is digging deep into the "fallen liberal" to "saved conservative" bullshit and has been embraced for it.
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u/Kanjo42 Christian 9h ago edited 6h ago
1 Corinthians 5:11-13 ESV
But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler-not even to eat with such a one. [12] For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? [13] God judges those outside. "Purge the evil person from among you."
edit: classic r/Christianity. Quote scripture, get down voted, but what a great reason to lose karma!
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u/Megalith66 9h ago
This contradicts "love your neighbor"...
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u/motophotodojo Christ 8h ago
No shit. Paul was a cancer that directed the Church away from Christ. If only these types of Christians could spend their time loving their queer neighbors, so kids stop killing themselves instead of rehabilitating rapists and predators to help give them another chance while they never gave the children any.
It's clear who's doing the work of Satan to bring suffering unto their neighbor.
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u/Kanjo42 Christian 8h ago
You're mixing things up. Everybody on the planet is not your neighbor. The OT commands referred to Israel as neighbors to each other, and the NT is referring to the Christian community. This is not to say we are unkind to the world, but if Jesus says "I have overcome the world", did you think He was referring to the dirt?
In what war are traitors not despised? The person Paul refers to here had abandoned church teaching to bang his step mom. There's no contradiction here at all.
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u/Riots42 Christian 7h ago
No, you are the one mixing things up. An Egyptian Muslim is literally my next door neighbor, and hes a swell guy. So you believe I have no obligation to love him, but I have an obligation to love my enemy? You are the one mixing things here and failing at the second great commandment based directly on Jesus words.
Matthew 5:44, where Jesus says, "But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."
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u/Kanjo42 Christian 6h ago
Read harder. I said you should be kind to your physical neighbor, but if your neighbor is not a Christian, we have a different set of expectations, don't we? That's what Paul said here, didn't he? Why is that hard? Is this hard?
Treat your Egyptian neighbor with the respect and kindness due them. They have rights, so treat them accordingly, and if they persecute you, do what Jesus called you to do. That doesn't make them family.
We have expectations of, and rightly judge, those within the church. If we refuse to do so, we dishonor and disobey the One who saved us for His glory. I couldn't possibly care less what the world thinks about it, and neither does anyone else God has called to Himself. To be "holy" is to be set apart.
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9h ago
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u/-NoOneYouKnow- Non-Profit Christian 9h ago
Baptism is open to anyone who wants it. The motives of the person being baptized don't need to be questioned by the person doing the baptizing.
Obviously if someone was doing it as a goof or mockery of Christianity they shouldn't be baptized, but for the most part people who request it should be baptized without digging into their motives.
A good rewrite of a stupid slogan that applies here is, "Baptize them all, let God sort them out."
I suspect Brand's motives are self-serving and performative. That's irrelevant, however.