Russell Brand has defended himself against criticism for performing a baptism in just his underwear.
In a social media post on September 27, the 48-year-old actor and comedian shared a photograph of himself and one other man performing a baptism in an outside location wearing only their underpants.
He captioned the photo: “It might sound a bit soon to be baptising people, however the Apostles did it on day one, so here we’re.”
The post drew a combination of supportive comments and criticism.Â
One of the more critical posts said:Â “Moved by your faith, but bro possibly more modest.”
Brand addressed the comment in a follow-up post a couple of days later through which he conceded he may not appear so modest but said that if it comes across like he’s showing off, then he’s showing off for the Lord.
“I suppose lookin’ at it now, it does look a bit immodest, me doin’ a baptism in underpants like that. But the reality is, I took off my clothes and my underpants is all I’m wearing underneath my clothes … it wasn’t a planned photo shoot.”
He went on, “Anyway, some people thought it was somewhat immodest and me showing off, judging from the comments. “You know, I read the comments below. But what I’d say is that this — and I’m somewhat little bit of a show-off — the Lord made me somewhat little bit of a show-off, but it surely is for Him that I’m showing off now, not for me.”
Brand read Philippians 1:15-18, through which Paul says that all the pieces is for the glory of Christ, and linked to the passage with the caption, “Are these tighty-whities satanic?!?”
He said that as someone who has come out of the entertainment industry, he found the passage “beautiful”.
“I’m so grateful I’ve been saved, chosen, that He has found me,” he said.Â
“But I’ve still got the attributes of a showoff. I suppose if I did not have [them], I would not even post a thing like that. But the explanation I’m in them underpants, cause them’s my underpants, and the explanation I’m doing that baptism — because I like Jesus. Praise Jesus Christ! [sic]”
He concluded by saying, “As long as we’re directing people to our Lord and Saviour, how can we fail?”
Brand was baptised by TV adventurer Bear Grylls and a friend within the River Thames in England in April. He commonly shares videos about his thoughts on Christianity and the Bible.
Recently, he posted photos of himself visiting the Museum of the Bible in Washington, DC, where he said “it felt as if I used to be partaking in a visceral encounter with God”.
Earlier in September, during an event with Tucker Carlson in Phoenix, Arizona, Brand knelt on stage and prayed against what he called the “dark and demonic forces” in government and company America.
“I call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, our heavenly Saviour,” Brand prayed. “Lord, I humbly [ask] on this great congregation in Phoenix, Arizona, with my host, Tucker Carlson, in deference to him, but in ultimate deference to you, our Lord and Saviour, to whom we’re all of your younger siblings and your kids.”
Brand is facing multiple serious allegations of sexual misconduct. He has denied these “very serious criminal allegations” and said that while he was “very, very promiscuous” previously, his sexual encounters were “at all times consensual”.
