Post 121--Bieber the Believer

I’ve had the following document on my blog waiting list for a long time, since December 15, 2015.  There have always been reasons, usually good and valid reasons, I pushed it out of the way to make space for other concerns. I decided today to share it with you, old as it is, simply because I think it such an interesting document. I know next to nothing about this Bieber while you probably do. This issue here may be an old one for you, something like “been there, done that” kind of thing. Nevertheless, here it is, straight from the Denision Forum of the above date:

BIEBER THE BELIEVER: THE FAITH OF JUSTIN BIEBER

·                                    Written by Nick Pitts

In Shakespeare's Measure for Measure, a young Lucio observed that "our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we often might win by fearing to attempt." These doubts, Lucio describes, are often silently underscored by the axiom that appearances are deceiving, what you see is not what you get. So it is necessary to proceed with caution—if at all. However, could doubts be more of a hindrance than a help?

In the October/November issue of Complex Magazine, Justin Bieber was an incubator for doubts when he boldly came out with his faith. One person expressed a common sentiment, writing that it was a "publicity stunt, shameless little twerp." The ladies of The View, a daytime television talk show, expressed hesitation over his overt and bold comments. Fox News commentator Juan Williams even skeptically weighed in, saying: "Do you really believe… that he's studying the Bible; that he cares about the Bible; that he cares about anything but Justin Bieber?" 

Williams and company were not alone, joined unexpectedly by Justin himself. "I think that people, as soon as they start hearing me say I'm a Christian, they're like, 'Whoa Justin, back up, take a step back.'" 

Why the doubts and hesitation? Justin has a long history and a longer list of fans affectionately known as 'beliebers' who have followed him through his antics. Who can forget how Bieber first came on to the scene, informing audiences that his end goal would be to make "One Less Lonely Girl"? His primary subject matter interest would be the "Baby," some girl he met "One Time." Singer and rapper Usher joined him for a time as he tried to find "Somebody to Love." He wanted to be that "Boyfriend" that could make her "Smile." However, this litany of chart topping hits may have created reasons to celebrate, but they also caused some problems.

Such problems include those with the police. He has been arrested twice, once for DUI while allegedly drag-racing the streets of Miami and another time for assaulting a limo driver. Then there was the video of a sleeping Bieber, filmed by an alleged prostitute.  But that video was overshadowed to a certain degree by another video in which Justin was heard making racist comments and jokes. 

So how does Justin respond to these individuals and their comparison of his past life with his present direction? "I do not want to shove this down anyone's throat. I just wanna honestly live like Jesus." 

Bieber, like the Apostle Paul to the church at Galatia (1:13-15), is not running away from his past, he is embracing it. In Bieber's words:

"If we can understand that we're all imperfect, let's come to God and come for his help. You're not weak by doing that. I think that's a common misperception of Christians, that you're being weak because you can't handle it. None of us can handle this world, dude! It's eating us alive. But, man, I don't wanna have to do it on my own." 

Instead of dwelling on the past, Bieber is in love in the present and wants to tell everyone about it. Describing his relationship with God like that of a girlfriend, Bieber told Complex: 

"If I have an awesome, bomb girlfriend, I'm gonna wanna show her off and go around and tell people my girl is the sh** [editorial censorship]. I'm not gonna cheat on her because she's the best. It's like with God: The whole thing with religion is you present yourself holy and bring your offerings so that God can bless you, when the whole point of the relationship [should be], 'No, I'm gonna do this because he loves me. I'm gonna do this because he's amazing and not because [I] have to, because [I] want to.'" 

Unconventional in his approach and candid in his appeal, Bieber is raising eyebrows and causing heads to turn. He is offering the world another, albeit unusual, example of Christ. "I think that with Christians, they've left such a bad taste in people's mouths. Just like, overly pushy with the subject, overly churchy and religious." Instead, he is offering a different approach, one in which he is "sharing what I'm going through and what I'm feeling."

What Justin is feeling is something intensely personal and less transactional. Bieber finds, "That's the whole thing with religion that's been throwing off the people. It's not a 'have to.' It should be just like a personal relationship. Like, 'Hey, I love you because you first loved me.'