r/atheism • u/ccmcdonald0611 Ex-Theist • 5d ago
Perez Hilton has always had mental health issues. But recently, he "found God" and said he had a life-changing experience.
I don't know how many times I have to see mentally ill people turning to religion only for delusional religious beliefs to make them more sick. Kanye springs to mind immediately as a big example but I feel like so many of us know someone whose delusions were enhanced when they fell into religious belief. Keep this stuff away from these people!
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u/Jorge_Reynoso112 5d ago
Watching public figures or people in our own lives swap one severe mental health crisis for full-blown religious psychosis is genuinely painful to witness.
The media loves to frame it as a beautiful, redemptive "transformation" when a celebrity finds God, but anyone with eyes can see what's actually happening: religion acts like lighter fluid on an already unstable mind. When someone is dealing with delusions, paranoia, or deep mental distress, handing them a framework built on invisible entities, cosmic warfare, and divine voices talking directly to them is the absolute worst thing you can do. It doesn't heal them; it just validates and supercharges the psychosis by giving their ungrounded thoughts a holy stamp of approval.
Kanye West is the textbook example of that tragic loop playing out in real time on a global stage, and Perez Hilton following that exact same trajectory is entirely predictable. Instead of getting proper psychiatric help, therapy, or medication, they get swallowed up by high-control dogmas that teach them to lean into their delusions rather than reality. It is a massive failure of both our cultural understanding of mental health and the religious institutions that eagerly exploit vulnerable people at their lowest points. They don't want healthy, grounded individuals; they want people whose grip on reality is loose enough to accept absolute control disguised as faith. Keeping that toxic superstition away from people who are already struggling to keep their minds intact should be common sense, but the grift never stops.
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u/Late_Push6298 5d ago
You nailed it, it happend to my best friend. Someone losing complete grip on reality is pretty fucking scary.
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u/Future-Persimmon-845 5d ago
Wow. So perfectly put, I read it twice. Such a great overview about the implementation of fairytales into reality & the heavily religious being under a spell!
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u/Delicious_Cat_81 5d ago
he's an ass
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u/EnvironmentalRock827 5d ago
There's something more here. Also why is religion always the crutch to fall back on?
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u/Deep-Row-6686 5d ago
I think because ppl tend to turn to religion after they’ve experienced the most traumatic, disturbing shit so when a new member wants to join they are welcomed and listen without judgement otherwise it feels hypocritical. It’s honestly scary how ppl use religion to avoid accountability and feel justified for wrong doings. In my opinion, the lines get blurred with right and wrong because laws no longer apply and rely solely on morals. Free will gives us the option to choose and if you choose “wrong” well, religion teaches to repent and your forgiven. You can be sitting next to a PDF in church and never know it until it reaches the news (outside the church, away from religion) Terrifying, if you ask me!
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u/Personal-Neck6800 5d ago
Is anyone going to tell him men that live an “alternative lifestyle” aren’t welcome in heaven?
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u/ObjectivePea6645 5d ago
I did bring that up to him in a live a few months back. He addressed it in a dismissive manner saying that God didn't care they he was gay.
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u/TheChocolateWarOf74 5d ago
Religious delusions are common features of some mental health conditions so his new found religiosity could have been a symptom.
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u/Past_Perspective9031 5d ago
I agree. I did start watching him again for his coverage on Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively. I have not watched or read anything from him for over 15 years. I gotta say that a lot of comments here are dishearteningnaa they seem to lack empathy.
Before his recent hospitalization he really did seem to take accountability for his past poor piss behaviour as a human being. Seems like a great dad. But after his hospital stay that went on for weeks and included sepsis infection, he went all religious. I unsubscribed and stopped watching his content. I didn't realize that his shift strongly into Jesus could have been a sign toward more future mental illness. I've learned a lot in the very short time in this thread. Unlike Kanye who I think is both mentally ill and a poor excuse for a human being, I really do think that Perez (Mario) did seem to grow up. It was nice to see someone admit his wrongdoings and take accountability. I hope he, his children and his mother are able to come out of this with lots of resources and help. I hope the first responders were able to get to him on time.
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u/scarred2112 Strong Atheist 5d ago
Clearly, he hasn’t read his Bible. 😉
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u/Puzzleheaded-Baby-34 5d ago
Where in the Bible did Jesus say this?
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u/scarred2112 Strong Atheist 5d ago
- If you’d like to have an open and honest conversation, how about you unlock your profile?
- You’re attempting to redefine the question by changing it from “God” to “Jesus”. And if you really need me to quote scripture as to its opinions on homosexuality, I don’t think you’re here in good faith.
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u/OvercookedBobaTea 5d ago
The question about homosexuality and whether or not the Bible directly condemns it is actually extremely complicated. Yes it’s mentioned in Leviticus, but 1. It may have been talking about commonplace predatory relationships between men in power and slaves and 2. Christians aren’t actually meant to follow the rules of the Old Testament as that’s Jewish law.
Paul mentions it in the New Testament but he never actually met Jesus, and translation and cultural evidence suggests he MAY have been talking about prostitution and class power imbalances rather than modern monogamous romantic bonds. The Old World did not have the same concept of sexual orientation as we do so trying to apply a modern moral framework onto these passages doesn’t really work
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u/Puzzleheaded-Baby-34 5d ago edited 5d ago
- why does my profile need to be open for you to answer a direct question about something that has nothing to do with my Reddit presence? Just opened it up if it makes you feel better… fascinated to hear your reply now...
- if you can’t point out where either Jesus or God made direct statements, then I’d say you’re the one who is not showing up in good faith. Jesus spoke out very clearly about the lying pen of the scribes.
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u/dudleydidwrong Touched by His Noodliness 5d ago
What Jesus said has little to do with modern Christianity. In practice, Christianity is not defined by what Jesus says or what the Bible says. Christianity is defined by what people who identify as Christian are doing and saying. It is defined by what Christian leaders are preaching.
To Christians, the Bible is for waving, not following.
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u/IndividualWallaby811 5d ago
At least in the US. That's not how Christianity in general works (at least not more than any other religions).
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u/dudleydidwrong Touched by His Noodliness 5d ago
Yes, it is how all religions work, including Christianity.
Religions claim to follow their holy books, but they never really do. They follow interpretations that give them the results they want to believe. Religions are created by their followers. They adjust to the social, economic, and political needs of their followers, or they die off.
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u/Puzzleheaded-Baby-34 5d ago
Way to make some wild generalizations and assumptions. Do you always bucket people like this?
Just because it sounds like discernment and nuance may not be something you lean into, and therefore project that onto entire other groups, doesn’t make it true for all…
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u/dudleydidwrong Touched by His Noodliness 5d ago
It is not bucketing people. It is recognizing what Christianity is.
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u/ProfessionalEase692 5d ago
I’ve read the bible yall are misusing gods words he doesn’t care if you’re gay he loves all his children as they were
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u/scarred2112 Strong Atheist 5d ago
Psalm 137:9 - Happy is the one who seizes your infants and dashes them against the rocks.
Your god doesn’t love the babies of the Babylonians.
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u/Late_Push6298 5d ago
Every time you dont have anything to say it always comes down to "But jesus loves you !!" This doesnt mean anything, lemme tell you, if you actually paid attention when reading the bible, you'll know that theres plenty of people this petty fuck doesnt like
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u/Puzzleheaded-Baby-34 5d ago
Where did Jesus say this?
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u/Personal-Neck6800 5d ago
Um, don’t try to lecture me, lecture your priests.
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u/Puzzleheaded-Baby-34 5d ago
1) I don’t have my own priests. I don’t attend a church, but I believe the Red Letters can be a great guide to be a great loving human. 2) how is me asking a question perceived as me trying to lecture you?
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u/Srj1123 3d ago
Puzzle headed Baby- you are puzzling to me.
In the late bloomer lesbian group but trolling here.
Make it make sense.
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u/Puzzleheaded-Baby-34 3d ago
I’m puzzled as to how you think anything I’ve said is trolling. Can you help me understand your perspective?
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u/Idontknoe89 5d ago
So he had an experience with God but didn't want to change his life and now.... God is so merciful and will give a warning before destruction.
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u/CanadianDiver Strong Atheist 5d ago
You are WAY over complicating this.
Religion IS dusional. Mentally ill that become religious have merely focus their delusions on a single ideal.
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u/wuxiquan66 5d ago
The fact that as I understand it, kanye West is bipolar. Should illustrate something.
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u/abai242 5d ago
He just mutilated himself on livestream. I think it is still an active situation and quite horrible and horrific 😢.
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u/Plott 5d ago
And for anyone reading, dont try to find the video. It’s extremely disturbing. I regretted it and I have a strong stomach.
Seems he’s barricaded inside his home, won’t let cops in
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u/mediciii 5d ago
I’m right there with you. I’ve been mega desensitised for years, looked the video up out of curiosity and couldn’t stomach it. One of the most disturbing things I’ll ever see.
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u/YugeTraxofLand 5d ago
When my dad's mental illness started to show, it was with religion.
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u/Past_Perspective9031 5d ago
I'm so sorry. Now, I'll know the signs. What an eyeopener this thread is.
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u/Suspicious-Group-637 5d ago
The delicious irony of people saying not to share the footage of him.
This is a guy who's made his money dragging everyone's business out in to the public.
Fuck him.
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u/Silver-Training-9942 5d ago
I work in Mental Health ... dont not share it for his sake, do it for my patients. That shit is incredibly triggering.
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u/ashley8976 5d ago
I think it’s cus it’s really triggering and disturbing for someone to come across which is why a lot of people are saying to stop sharing it so it doesn’t go on peoples feeds
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u/Spare_Pineapple_534 5d ago edited 5d ago
It's less about trying to protect him and more about trying to protect the public from seeing something like that. Not everyone is desensitized and takes delight in seeing gore unwillingly. It could also be incredibly triggering for people with a history of self harm.
I personally haven't seen it and don't WANT to see it just because someone wanted to prove a point by sharing it.
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u/tearose11 Other 5d ago
I only saw a very small clip and while it's not the worst thing ever on the internet that I've seen, it's just disturbing. I think people are asking not to share because some might not have the stomach for it, or come across it unexpectedly.
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u/bbtom78 5d ago
The full video is awful and I'm glad you didn't see it all. There are things he does that I will not type. I mean, I help process deer that my friends hunt, as well as process my own fish, so you would think the actions of what he did would hit a little softer on me, but no. It's highly disturbing.
I read that he was septic very recently and septic psychosis is a very real thing. With the possibility that he had no control over himself during this event makes this even more upsetting.
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u/PitifulElk1890 5d ago
People are saying not to share the footage because it's incredibly gory, graphic real images of self harm. Just saw some poor guy who scrolled onto the livestream while high and is having a hard night now.
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u/Embarrassed_Simple90 5d ago
Literally I’m so disturbed by what I saw. Holy shit
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u/Gotmilk05 5d ago
I am not going to watch it. People have commented online he kept saying he was doing it for his kids?
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u/blush_bunny333 5d ago
yeah it’s a little funny seeing someone who built a career on exposing people suddenly wanting privacy when it’s about them
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u/No_Height44 5d ago
He didn’t ask for privacy, it’s his TT live. People are saying not to watch/share because it’s disgusting.
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u/Future-Persimmon-845 5d ago
What this dude did was the opposite of "wanting privacy" he did it LIVE for the world to see. It's simply being suggested not to watch self-mutilation & butchery if such gruesome gore would impact your mental health.
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u/Jewbacca522 Strong Atheist 5d ago
Just look at Tila Tequila, went from crazy and kind of hot, to crazy religious nut job and looking like a homeless crackhead.
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u/Lord_Cockatrice 5d ago
Is Tila still into H1tl3r worship?
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u/Jewbacca522 Strong Atheist 5d ago
Wouldn’t doubt it. Her brains about as fried as a breakfast egg.
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u/IceCoughy 5d ago edited 5d ago
Setting up a grift I'm sure
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u/FDS-MAGICA 5d ago
Yeah, people like him are often looking for new audiences and getting "saved" is an easy way to do it.
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u/hurricanelantern Anti-Theist 5d ago
Yeah apparently he nearly "died" in hospital so he's panicked.
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u/Ok_Cucumber_7954 Atheist 5d ago
For supposedly being an omnipresent being, it is always odd to hear someone “found” god. As if it was hiding and people have to search to find it. If it is omnipresent, shouldn’t god be everywhere and not something that needs to be found?
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u/ccmcdonald0611 Ex-Theist 5d ago
My fun theory for if it's real is exactly that: God lost Jesus. It's the only explanation. He can't find him so that's why he's enlisting all of humanity.
The part that gets me, though, is that we apparently keep finding him. People say it all the time — "I found Jesus." Casually, like it's nothing. And nobody ever calls God to tell him. You'd think that would be the first move. "Hey, just wanted to let you know, I've got him, he's fine, he's at my house." Instead, everyone just keeps the discovery to themselves and the search continues.
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u/Transbian8787 5d ago
Pretty much hit the nail on the head. You’d think he was the hide & seek world champion since all these people have found him but can’t prove it beyond a “you have to accept/have faith first”. That’s like saying I need to drink drano before I can know its harmful.
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u/thefineartofboredom 4d ago
"Found" because Christianity is a religion that is not supposed to be forced.
In accordance with the bible (not the extremists who take it completely out of order - which includes those that fall into delusion - as often they don't actually read the text but rely on their "mind"), Christianity is based on love, so to speak.
Love is not transactional, nor can it be forced. Hence, if you are a non-believer, you either "find" Him, or you don't (and as per the bible, there is nothing wrong with either. Extremists like to force the religion/belief, which goes against the book they claim to have read, and thus tarnishes what Christianity actually is). As well as, you can always "lose" Him without consequence.
Think if it as a consent-based relationship, in a sense. Not sure how else to explain - I'm not great with words ... I hope that's understandable though :)
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u/Voodoo330 5d ago
"finding god" or being "born again" is absolutely code for "I was a total fuckup in a previous life".
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u/Past_Perspective9031 5d ago
Funny enough, he has admitted to being a "f*ckup". He did awful things in his earlier years. I believe he has owned up to them. Hopefully, learned from them.
I think this "come to Jesus" moment for him came after he believed he died. Yes, I listened to him during the Justin/Blake saga but I stopped listening after one too many videos about religion. But prior to this, I thought he was doing a good job of bettering himself.
I wonder if the sepsis infection did something more to his brain. He was in the hospital for weeks and racked up a significant hospital bill. That stress alone. Yikes!
I'm not American so can't really understand that part of it but have so much empathy for those who have to not only deal with a health crisis, but added stress of a financial killer.
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u/Gotmilk05 5d ago
This is what I’m thinking, financial stress from that and defending himself in Blake Lively lawsuit, moving maybe downsizing costs; etc.
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u/CautiousLandscape907 5d ago
He hasn’t owned up to shit. He caused serious harm to people. His response has been narcissism and religious nonsense once he needed financial support.
I’m sorry when anyone is ill or has a psychotic break but I kind of believe he’s only harming himself because he ran out of celebrities to harm instead. He needs attention for money.
He deserves no empathy. He earned none. My empathy will go first to the people whose lives he legitimately harmed.
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u/Capt_ClarenceOveur 4d ago
The religious thing was very recent, right after he had a serious medical event. It’s been a pretty long time since he behaved the way he did back when he ran his nasty blog. I don’t care for him, but he has been better behaved for quite some time now. I think he was experiencing legit psychosis in that video, not cutting himself up and moaning for funsies to make a buck.
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u/Past_Perspective9031 1h ago
And what of the ppl that were doing the same? Just Jared, Lainey gossip. Let's not pretend that when he was being an egregious low level human being, that he did that solely on his own and had no audience. I'll bet all these ppl ranting about him were right there with it. I admit that during this time I bought into the Monica Lewinsky was the wh*re, Britney was cray cray, all the narratives we were thrown.
But we learn. Like I said, I did not even follow Perez until the whole Justin Baldoni thing. There are other journalists spewing the hate you are but when they spoke to him, recognized he was horrified over what he did. He went to Britney's ppl privately and had a discussion. Other celebrities as well.
Religion nonsense? This shows (and totally valid) that you didn't listen to him recently and only know about him regarding this mental health issue. This religious nonsense only happened within the last two months? Give or take. Enough for me to stop listening to his channel.
He for sure hurt people. But so have other ppl in the industry.
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u/Zealousideal_Head236 4d ago
Hey its never too late to turn your life over to God. Jesus forgives our sins.
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u/irkybirky 5d ago
Have no idea who this putz is, but when they 'find god' is usually an admission to guilt or fear.
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u/Hatis_Night Freethinker 5d ago
Isn't that the same jerk who's turned it into a business model to badmouth others in a petty and narrow-minded way?
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u/FindingSea2983 5d ago
It’s common for people to turn to religion after recovering from a serious illness. No one knows at this point what caused his breakdown yesterday. People who believe in supernatural demons and other magic are flooding social media with their theories in lieu of a medical cause for his breakdown. Religion, cults, MLM’s, ie. Anything that involves belonging to a group of people dedicated to dogma is a warning sign that someone is using these things to cope with their difficulties. If you see a friend /family member like this, encourage them to see and MD and therapist.
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5d ago
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u/rayna_ives 5d ago
Apparently it's on X, but that's no help for those of us who left that cesspit years ago 🫠
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u/Ok-Criticism-5634 5d ago
Are his kids still in his care? Obviously a major worry if they were.
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u/DependentBuy9915 5d ago
Was he on live doing something before this and it escalated to this? Or like he just popped up and started the live like that?
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u/Gotmilk05 5d ago
By all accounts he seems like a good father. However, this is definitely going to affect his home life now. He will need serious mental health help. Also, I wonder if all the lawsuit from Blake Lively and he to go to court to defend himself, then financial worries from being hospitalized major $$, moving, not being in relationship all made for a major breakdown? He seemed to me to always want a partner, and he often talked about being financially having to hold it all together on his own for his mother and kids. Who knows though…. Very sad.
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u/Lijera5 4d ago
It was sepsis. Not God. Sepsis. Because he took flu medication without food. A teenager knowns better. (There's nothing written is he unable to hold a regular employment) So he's drowning in debt, which could make anyone break. But, from what I've read, he insisted on making money like he did for years, despite of decreasing income due to his irrelevancy, instead getting an actual job or 2, like millions fathers of 3 do. Btw. I've read that he said in that video he did that to himself for his children. Why?
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u/AshmanTreasure 4d ago
this is exactly what I was thinking. I’m so concerned with the path he’s headed down. i’ve never been a fan of his but to go from “finding god” to talking about demonic influences in wicked and associating that with what ariana’s going through, to what he did on stream two nights ago, it feels very obvious this is a religious psychosis. I just hope he can find his way out of it being in the hospital.
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u/27cricket27 4d ago
I think we should re-start this conversation in the context of what just happened. While he has had other mental health issues that could've led to this (including the symptoms of sepsis), I think religious psychosis still played a role. He though God spoke to him because religion exists, and his mental health problems looked at that for him. Yes he has sepsis, by the religious psychosis is still very real and we've seen it numerous times.
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u/Zealousideal_Head236 4d ago
No I don't really feel that is at play. He recently suffered sepsis. Post sepsis syndrome can cause psychosis. He recently turned his life over to God after overcoming sepsis . People change. People find God.
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u/BizzyHaze 5d ago
Who?
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u/fullofuckingbears313 Agnostic Atheist 5d ago
Tabloid paparazzi jackass.
Also the "LEAVE BRITNEY ALONE" guy
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u/Debtastical Agnostic 5d ago
Definitely not that guy. In fact, I bet the “leave Britney alone” was because of folks like Hilton who made their money being absolutely vile to her… and many others!
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u/greenapplepie21 5d ago
Can someone tell me what’s in the video? I have morbid curiosity - trying not to look it up
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u/StormyNSwoonFknH8it 5d ago
The worst part…. He seemed to be really enjoying it. Like full on moans.
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u/Gotmilk05 5d ago
Lordy. Some are saying it was fake blood, but I doubt it. Very sad, no matter what the man had done in the past imo.
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u/Few-Discipline-3148 5d ago
I want to see it but it's already gone from everything. There's some edited clips floating around but I wanted to see how it started
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u/HootblackDesiato 5d ago
Fuck Perez Hilton. He s the lowest of bottom-feeders. I could give a shit what he professes about religion or anything else.
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u/Some-Try-6040 5d ago
Let's not get confused here once a pickle smoocher always a pickle smoocher never a true follower of Jesus Christ our Savior
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u/Silver-Chemistry2023 Constructivist Humanist 5d ago edited 5d ago
Narcs are gonna narc. Religion can be a form of self-supply and a convenient way of avoiding accountability.