Russell Brand reading Bible, CS Lewis amid sexual assault allegations inquiry
Comedian Russell Brand has revealed he’s reading the Bible and C.S. Lewis’ book The Problem of Pain as he continues to face allegations of sexual misconduct.
The actor and podcast host shared a photo of the books in a Dec. 16 social media post along with the caption, "I am that person who has more than one book on the go! How about you?"
In The Problem of Pain, which Lewis wrote in 1940, the apologist addresses the question of why a good God allows people to suffer and explores how human suffering fits within the broader context of Christian belief.
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The actor voluntarily agreed to be interviewed under caution by police in London on Dec. 14 following six additional alleged past sex offense claims were lodged against him, according to The Telegraph, which added that he had "previously been questioned by Scotland Yard detectives in relation to three non-recent sex offense allegations."
Brand’s exploration into Christianity and theology comes months after a joint investigation by The Times of London and Channel 4 revealed that four women alleged the comedian had sexually assaulted them at the height of his career between 2006 and 2013. At the time, Brand was a BBC and Channel 4 presenter.
One report from The Sunday Times alleged Brand assaulted a then-16-year-old girl — who was over the age of consent in the U.K. — during a brief and allegedly “emotionally and sexually abusive” relationship, while another woman told The Times that Brand had raped her at his Los Angeles home in 2012 but she did not file a report with the police.
The 48-year-old actor has said his relationships were “always consensual” and has denied “very serious criminal allegations” and “extremely egregious and aggressive attacks.”
In a video response following the investigation, he said: "Amidst this litany of astonishing, rather baroque attacks are some very serious allegations that I absolutely refute. These allegations pertain to the time when I was working in the mainstream, when I was in the newspapers all the time, when I was in the movies, and as I've written about extensively in my books I was very, very promiscuous.
"Now, during that time of promiscuity, the relationships I had were absolutely, always consensual."
Brand also criticized what he dubbed “coordinated media attacks" that he said resembled the media backlash podcaster Joe Rogan received after he publicly shared that he took the drug ivermectin as part of his doctor-prescribed treatment for COVID-19, from which he fully recovered within two days.
He also cited corporate media articles painting Brand as a “conspiracy theorist” for speaking out about the potential health risks linked to the COVID-19 shots.
“I know that a year ago there was a spate of articles, ‘Russell Brand’s a conspiracy theorist,’ ‘Russell Brand's right-wing,’” he said. “I'm aware of news media making phone calls, sending letters to people I know for ages and ages."
“It's been clear to me or at least it feels to me like there's a serious and concerted agenda to control these kind of spaces and these kind of voices, and I mean my voice along with your voice.”
In recent years, Brand, who starred in “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” and “Rock of Ages,” has frequently spoken about his interest in Christianity. He’s credited his sobriety for awakening his interest in Jesus and the true meaning of life.
“Like many desperate people, I need spirituality,” Brand told Tucker Carlson earlier this year. “I need God, or I cannot cope in this world. I need to believe in the best in people.”
Brand told Carlson that earlier in his career, he “didn’t have enough self-discipline to resist the allure of stardom” and that he "fell face-first into the glitter, and I’m only just pulling myself out now."
“As much as I might enjoy the feeling of privilege and luxury … I remember what reality is,” Brand continued. “I remember that my wellness is contingent upon spiritual connection, upon certain values and principles, and they … involve sacrifice and self-scrutiny about my own conduct and behavior, which often falls short, and I’m working on improving myself.”
Brand said he believes that societal change will only come when people explore their hearts as “atrophying and corrupt systems delivering yet more misery to people” continue to impact culture.
“I think it’s increasingly necessary that we find new ways of framing the conversation and looking into our hearts when we’re speaking,” he reflected.
“Are we being kind? Are we being loving? Are we being the best that we can be? On whose behalf are we speaking? And what is my intention, moment to moment? Am I doing this for self-glorification?”
“My worldview is formed by spiritual principles rather than political principles,” Brand added. “I never felt like I’m in alignment with my beliefs and principles in the way that I do right now. ... I believe in truth and freedom and the ability to express yourself.”
In 2018, the actor said he believes the teachings of Christ “are more relevant now than they've ever been.”
"There's a famous quote: 'Every man who knocks on a brothel door, he's looking for God,'" he told Relevant magazine. "Crack houses and these dens of suffering and illicit activity, they're all people trying to feel good, trying to feel connected. People are trying to escape. People are trying to get out of their own heads. To me, this is a spiritual impetus."
"Humanity is (metaphorically) knocking on a brothel door, in that they are looking for fulfillment in things that will only leave them empty."
