While I never like to go down the road of “religion,” within the context of the story to follow it is unavoidable. However, I will mention but once that John Crist claims to be a “Christian comedian.” Feel free to insert any religion of your own beyond this point, for I have truly encountered stories of this type for every faith.
John Crist
John Crist, “comedian” has recently admitted to a pattern of repeated sexual misconduct with numerous women. The admission came after five women came forward and specified his sexual misconduct behavior with at least five women to a religious publication.
Crist has admitted to “destructive and sinful” behavior. Said Crist:
“While I am not guilty of everything I’ve been accused of, I confess to being guilty of this — I have treated relationships with women far too casually, in some cases even recklessly. 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.”
As we all know, words are cheap. Billing himself as a “clean comedian,” Crist had a year’s-long pattern of manipulating vulnerable women (both famous and naïve) by initiating sexual relationships in exchange for flattery and tickets to his concerts. Most of the women the 35-year-old preyed upon were married or in long-term relationships. His pattern of behavior was typically the same: he would begin a relationship with “attractive women” on social media, then he would rachet up the flirtation to the point of sexting and then that led to sexual “goings-on.”
Not Buying It
As the details of his sexual abuse emerged, Crist has said that he “privately sought and received professional treatment for my sexual sin and addiction struggles.” He has canceled future concerts until (as he claims) adding that he has healed “spiritually, mentally, and physically.”
In addition to claiming to be a sex addict, he is allegedly an alcoholic as well. He uses both claims of addiction as a cover to obfuscate his behaviors.
Some women he abused allegedly went to their churches for counseling after being used by Crist and they were rebuffed. Indeed, some women were harassed by Crist to the point that they never went back to their churches. Other women said they haven’t gone back to churches after Crist harassed them and told them to keep quiet.
When the women who were swept up in Crist’s sociopathic behaviors came to their senses, they came to have deep embarrassment and regret.
I don’t pretend to know the inner workings of John Crist’s mind. At 35, this pastor’s son gained prominence in an interesting niche and he capitalized on it. He rose to fame purporting to “work clean” and to be the millennial comedian of Evangelical Christianity.
However, he clearly followed all of the elements of anyone, regardless of corporation, association or situation.
Crist obviously operated in an environment of no oversite and opportunity. I’ve no doubt, that with well over one million Facebook followers, for example, he developed a predatory instinct of finding exactly what he was looking for. He flattered, persuaded and cajoled.
It is easy for us to stand in judgment of the women – as presumably did many of their pastors – but Crist knew exactly what he was doing up to, and including ‘threats’ to the women he ultimately rejected.
It is not difficult to imagine Crist’s needs: sex and power. He singled out women through flattery. Within a narrow context he was certainly powerful. It was a game. He rationalized (whether five, twenty, or more women), that he was powerful and important and that they were naïve and stupid
The ethics of men such as Crist are non-existent. They always have been. In some ways, John Crist is more offensive to me than Harvey Weinstein. For within a narrow context, John Crist might have felt he was as important as the God he professed to love.
