During a recent episode of his podcast, John Crist discussed 2 Samuel’s account of David and Bathsheba with his fellow podcasters and his girlfriend.
The story of David and Bathsheba has been a topic of frequent debate among Christians and theologians on social media. One of the more popular discussions came from theologian John Piper earlier this year during one of his “Ask Pastor John” podcasts. In that podcast, Piper shared that he believes what David did to Bathsheba constituted rape, because he abused his power as king and “exerted a kind of pressure on her [that] warrants the accusation of rape.”
Crist’s Rise to Fame and Accusations of Sexual Harassment
Crist became popular in Christian circles for his stand up comedy and sketches, which often poke fun at today’s church culture and his upbringing as a pastor’s kid.
The 38-year-old comedian, who started his routines in 2009, became a household name among Christians by 2016 after releasing a sketch on YouTube making fun of Christian music. In 2017, he was one of the performers for Winterjam, one of the largest annual Christian music tours. He sold out his first headlining tour that same year.
RELATED: Christian Comedian John Crist Accused of Sexual Harassment
In Oct. 2019, Crist announced that he would release a Netflix special titled “I Ain’t Prayin for That.” A month later, allegations of sexual harassment against him became public, leading to an indefinite hold being put on the special’s release.
On Nov. 6, 2019, Charisma News published an article providing testimonies from five young women who claimed Crist had manipulative sexual relationships with.
Crist admitted that his behavior had been hurtful but said he wasn’t guilty of everything he’s been accused of.
“I have treated relationships with women far too casually, in some cases even recklessly,” Crist admitted. “My behavior has been destructive and sinful. I’ve sinned against God, against women and the people who I love the most. I have violated my own Christian beliefs, convictions and values, and have hurt many people in the process. I am sorry for the hurt and pain I have caused these women and will continue to seek their forgiveness. I have also hurt the name of Jesus and have sought His forgiveness.”
Crist also shared that he had “sought and received regular professional treatment” for his sexual addiction struggles. Due to the allegations against him, Crist announced that he would postpone the rest of his 2019 tour and future commitments.
“I’m committed to getting healing and freedom from my sin,” he said.
After an eight-month social media hiatus, Crist posted a video on Instagram sharing that he had been in a treatment center for four months. He called himself a hypocrite for pointing out wrongs he has seen in the church but not doing so when it came to his personal life, adding, “I was portraying a person on the internet that I was not behaving like privately.”
