Justin Bieber has reportedly stepped up efforts to rely on his Christian faith in the midst of controversy after years-old videos came to light showing the singer uttering racist jokes.
According to TMZ, Bieber spent a week last month doing an intense Bible study with Pastor Carl Lentz of Hillsong Church NYC. This experience, which apparently included church attendance and scripture reading, reportedly culminated in a bathtub baptism.
Bieber's christening is said to have taken place after an individual with access to the videos attempted to extort $1 million from the singer, threatening to make the clips public unless he paid up.
Singer Justin Bieber watches the Los Angeles Clippers play the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first half of Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinal NBA basketball playoff series on Sunday, May 11, 2014, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
There are varying accounts of where the baptism took place, with some outlets reporting that it was in a friend's bathroom and others claiming that it was at a New York City church.
Regardless, claims that Bieber has sought spiritual guidance aren't new. It was reported in February that he was looking for baptismal pools, but was having a hard time ensuring his privacy.
The embattled singer also sent out an entry from a Christian devotional on social media last week, showcasing additional evidence that he's relying upon his faith as controversy rages.
The Christian-themed photo came after TMZ released a second video showing a 14-year-old Bieber using the N-word in a parody of one of his own songs.
Singer Justin Bieber and Floyd Mayweather Jr. celebrate after Mayweather Jr. defeated Marcos Maidana by majority decision in their WBC/WBA welterweight unification fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 3, 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Harry How/Getty Images)
As TheBlaze previously reported, Bieber recently apologized after a previous video came to light, saying that, at the time, he didn’t realize how hurtful his words could be.
Celebrities like Usher, Whoopo Goldberg and Mike Tyson have come to his defense, claiming he was simply a young, naive child when the clips were filmed.
(H/T: TMZ)
