Danniella Westbrook & celebrity Christianity…

Thanks to Talking Christian for flagging up an article about Danniella Westbrook’s recent conversion to Christianity, via twitter which has got me thinking…

So it seems that the former addict and actress has given her life to Jesus, which is wonderful. On top of that she is planning to use her celebrity status to further the kingdom, and has donated cash from her fee for being interviewed to her church.

If the reports are true then I am truly delighted for her, she has had a troubled past and now seems settled with her husband and kids in LA. The report in the Mirror is actually quite positive, amazingly so, in fact and doesn’t seem too condescending abour her dramatic turn around. The Daily Mail report is far more scathing (there’s a surprise), but not as bad as one would expect….

Danniella says:

“Gucci and Prada used to be my God. Now I have given my life to the Lord,” she said. “If you had told me two years ago that I was going to be Christian, I would have laughed. I used to tell people, ‘I’m way past saving.’

“But the first time I came to this church, I felt ­something so spiritual and amazing, I wanted to cry.
“After a few visits I found myself walking up to the altar to ask the Lord for forgiveness for my sins.
“It was an incredible ­experience. I have realised that there have been things I have struggled with, like guilt, that I would have never found a solution for. Because there are things that a therapist cannot give me – that I can only get from Jesus Christ.”

‘I truly believe God has saved my life and I
want to bring the message back to England and open a church there. The whole
point about this church is that it is fun. There is no reason why religion has
to be boring. I believe there is a gap in the UK and we can fill that
gap.’

Are we interested in this? Is this just gossip for the Christian world? I am not a Mirror/Mail reader and neither do I look at the gossip mags, Hello, Ok! and all the rest. I couldn’t care less what the latest celeb fad is and I hate all the trivial condemnation and judging of people because they are in the public eye. However… I have to admit that I looked at this link, and I was interested, but all it is, is celebrity gossip with a Christian edge, right?

I started writing so much about her, about the church and then I thought, man, am I as bad as the tabloid writers? I am making judgements about her and her church (not all bad I should say!), why am I doing this?! I am a Christian, she is now my sister in Christ… so I deleted the lot. I am left with this, a few observations, and a knowledge that I can be a tabloid reader too, just when it’s in my kind of zone… (scary…).  and as I said I am truly delighted for her and her family.