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‘He’s manipulating its power’: why did Russell Brand convert to Christianity? (www.theguardian.com)
submitted 6 hours ago by to c/news@lemmy.world
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The women whom Russell Brand raped and sexually assaulted have for weeks endured the ordeal of a heavily publicised trial. Throughout, Brand held online prayer meetings with followers. Does he feel Christian sympathy for those women?

Only Brand, in the deepest recesses of his conscience, can know.

The answer would be the best indicator of whether the disgraced comic, actor and born-again Christian has worn his newfound faith as a cloak in an effort to deflect and distract from the seriousness of the allegations against him. Or whether his conversion is a profound and sincere one – a spiritual crutch he may need in the coming years.

Whatever the truth, Brand’s case demonstrates how Christianity has become a frontier in the culture wars along which battle lines are now drawn on all kinds of ethical, political and even legal issues.

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[–] 11 points 3 hours ago (3 children)

This really isn’t new. Tons of stories stretching back to the Middle Ages of dudes joining monasteries to hide from/attempt to mask their crimes. Abrupt religious affinities have long been used by people to try and avoid consequences of their actions. A true Christian is one who would recognize that repentance involves accepting the consequences of one’s sins and finding effective ways to make amends.

I’d like to believe that Brand has had a genuine change. But as Jesus Himself teaches, it’s what comes out of a person that either defiles or purifies and that we will know a person by their “fruit” (meaning their actions). If his “Christianity” is an elaborate sympathy ploy or selfish attempt at skirting real consequences (“see, I’ve confessed! I’ve made a change in my life to be better!”) then it’s about as genuine as the gold pockmarking the White House right now.

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  • [–] 1 point 2 hours ago*

    Does Christianity forbid rape?

    I know that at least in the old testament there is no explicit all-encompassing command against it. Only against raping a teenage girl who's a virgin and is engaged, sometimes resulting in the execution of her as well (this also includes having sex with a married girl/woman which is punished by death for both participants)

    Though, there are a few stories that depict rape as a crime/in a bad light and end in the murder of the rapist, but to my knowledge there are no "straightforward" rape cases (for example, one of them is done by a foreigner, another is incest which is forbidden on its own, and a third one is done by many people), and god does not take these opportunities to come out against the crime, the punishment/revenge is all done autonomously by the people.

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