By Mark Ellis —
As many were left reeling by the unexpected suicide of comedic genius Robin Williams, a few clues have emerged about a quiet, underlying faith that came to the surface during times of trial – most apparently after one of his stints in rehab.
Raised by an Episcopalian father and Christian Scientist mother, he publicly identified with the Episcopal Church, and offered the quip that being Episcopalian was essentially “Catholic lite: the same religion, half the guilt.”
In 2007, he spoke to journalist Kavita Daswani after emerging from a month in rehab for alcohol addiction. Their revealing interview was published by the South China Morning Post.
Williams had been sober for 20 years, but then found himself drinking again, and decided to take proactive measures to deal with it for his own well-being and the well-being of his family.
Daswani described his mood in the interview as “more somber” than usual, with his mind and heart refocused on rehab, God, religion and alcoholism.
“You get a real strong sense of God when you go through rehab,” he told Daswani. He said he came out of rehab a better man. “Having the idea of a really loving and forgiving God really helps if you’re an alcoholic – someone going, ‘It’s OK. Remember, there was wine at the Last Supper.”
Williams said religion was an integral part of his childhood. But having just gone through rehab, his relationship with God awakened beyond mere formalism.
“It’s become much more personal to me,” he said. “Instead of my mother saying, ‘We’re going to church now’, there’s much more a sense of [religion] coming back to life for me.”
Robin Williams’s father, a senior executive of the Ford Motor Company, moved the family to the San Francisco Bay area after his retirement. “As a child, I was heavily into religion. I was into the ritual of it. I grew up in San Francisco where the gospel music is so beautiful. I’m more religious in the sense of an open, compassionate church that’s there to take care of people with outreach programs and counseling. The idea of really working together, that means something. I’m religious on that level, trying to take care of everyone, and the idea of compassion is powerful to me,” he told Daswani.
He fell away from his faith during his battles with drugs and alcohol, which he compared to “one of the coming attractions of hell.”
“You have an idea there’s a dark force when you’re in that space, and it’s totally the opposite of doing the right thing.”
He told Daswani he believed in the afterlife – but couldn’t resist the urge to make a joke about it. “You talk to people who have had those experiences and it’s always a white tunnel and you realize, ‘What if it’s [New York’s] Holland Tunnel and you’re just going to Brooklyn?’”
On several occasions he described a spiritual battle for his soul, with voices from the demonic realm seeking his destruction.
“You’re standing at a precipice and you look down, there’s a voice and it’s a little quiet voice that goes, ‘Jump!'” he told ABC’s Diane Sawyer.
Sometimes the voices told him to do things that, as an addict, he knew were utterly senseless. “The same voice that goes, ‘Just one.’ … And the idea of just one for someone who has no tolerance for it, that’s not the possibility.”
All his humor about God, the Bible, and fundamentalists emerged from a restless soul, wrestling with his own personal demons, but the mainstream media devoted little attention to this side of his gifted and tumultuous life.
If you want to know more about a personal relationship with God, go here
Thanks for reporting on this!
Amen to Robin’s change! God is good all the time!
Thanks for this wonderful article. I just did an in-depth radio program on our friend Robin expanding on these spiritual issues entitled “Robin Williams: Why? Requiem for A Clown Prince.” To listen to free replay of the show, just go to http://www.blogtalkradio.com/richardrossi
I loved Robin William I loved His Pan one of my favorite movies “Hook”, I loved his teacher in “Dead Poet Society” I loved his craziness in Mork and the doctor in Patch Adams. He was a man who made the whole world laugh and I know he knew the Lord because no one who is that brilliant can do it without God!
As a Christian I’m well acquainted with the war against the flesh. I have no right nor do I have the Power to place anyone in any if the eternal abodes. That’s Gods business. That said. I strongly believe that in Mr Williams case he may have made light of eternity in his earlier portion of his career but as he grew older and more vulnerable to his weaknesses he began to realize how much he really was in need of Gods help. But realizing that and trying to co exist in an environment that is anti God (Hollywood) presented a huge set of problems in and of itself. I can only hope that he made his true peace with his creator before taking this path.
Its so sad he took his own life, but who knows the personal demons that led him 2 that action…he was well as Mork n Mork & Mindy an excellant comedic delivery he was, and a shining example as an actor he
will b missed…Rest in Peace Robin Williams!!!!
The article does not say who Williams believed in concerning salvation. The term “God” is extremely generic. Daswani is either a Hindu or Buddhist and little else is specifically known about her besides her professional bio. This article tells us nothing. Rick Dack, Defending the Bible Intl.
I read in another article that Robin had accepted Jesus as his personal Lord and Savior. He obviously kept backsliding, but I believe that God has spared and “saved” him. That’s my prayer anyway……
This is 100% accurate Rick Dack!!
Thank you sir for clarifying that.
it seems..if he “got closer”….to God….he would have had some hope…….,.,,,,,
I believe when someone takes their own life….they have abandoned all hope
Thank you for this report! As you said, it is sad to see media give short shrift to issues they don’t want to see. But even the father of mirth needed true joy. It was locked in a mortal battle. I hope to see him in Heaven in spite of his unsavory exit from this world.
I HOPE THAT ROBIN WILLIAMS WENT TO HEAVEN! PRAY FOR THIS WONDERFUL, FUNNY PERSON THAT FELT TORMENTED BY THE ENEMY!
His death has certainly brought the seriousness of depression to people’s attention. We can only hope he is with Jesus. Need to pray for his family and close friends, but it does no good to pray for people after they die.
I agree with you Patricia Kay…after we are dead our hope is gone unless we have had a personal relationship with God. Our prayers won’t help Robin now, but we can still pray for peace and comfort for his loved ones and friends. What happened between Robin and God is between them now. Rest in peace Robin. I hope to see you in Heaven one day?! 🙂
Really was led to cover Robin in prayer upon hearing of him heading to Hazelden Treatment Center last month, a great rehab facility here in MN. This urgency has never happened before. We have a group of eight gals who meet monthly for fellowship food and prayer. At our last gathering, we interceded for Robin.
Constance, I was so saddened by the news of Robin’s passing. I wondered, did anyone answer the call to pray for him? So thankful you obeyed the Holy Spirit urging you to do so. Blessings!
Dear Constance Ellingson,
Thank you so much for following God’s leading in praying for Robin when you heard he was in rehab this summer. I truly believe that the urgency you felt to pray for him definitely was from the Holy Spirit. From what I have read, the stint in rehab definitely was a time of spiritual self-examination for him.
The great thing about praying for someone’s salvation is that you can rest assured that it is always in God’s will (it is “not His will that any should perish.”) to do so. I know that God heard your prayers and gave Robin every opportunity to turn his life over to Christ, if he had not done so before. I truly believe that the Lord is merciful right up to the last breath that we take. Even in that split second before eternity, God hears our heart cry and can forgive us and take us home to be with Him.
May God give you peace and bless you and the other ladies in your prayer group for your obedience in praying for dear Robin. I believe they made an eternal difference.
I have to agree with Rick Dack. As a “born again” Christian, it is not sufficient to just believe in God (James 2:19, “You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe – and shudder!”
Salvation is only by way of Jesus Christ (John 14:6), there is no other. My hope is that Robin did have that kind of real faith – only God knows.
As a trained Minister I sadly know that while Robin will likely be in Heaven, he suffered in life from being affected by real demonic spirits, he fought them valiantly, but in the end they won and took Robin’s life. I have suffered depression and have also been afflicted with demonic spirits in my life, thank God through Jesus Christ I was blessed to have them driven out of my life. Had that not happened I would most likely not be alive today, and I’m a year younger than Robin. May Robin’s soul rest in the peace of God that passes understanding, finally free from those demons and likely cracking everyone in Heaven up with his incredible talent for humor. Right now I’m mad as Hell at Satan for stealing such a loving, giving life from the World.
Rest in peace my brother… May your soul be free at last … God Bless…
RIP, Robin Williams, you were an angel imo for all the charitable work you did for sick children as well as going out of your way to do many USO tours for our troops. I believe you were a true Christian.
Love, your fan and admirer, Sal♡
Robin Williams is in heaven I was with him there twice in my dream.
Let us all hope Robin Williams is in heaven when we born again reach there. I pray for all lost souls and unchurched people to ask Jesus Christ to come into their hearts now before they pass away. Google the Salvation Prayer and then get down on your knees and pray, own a Holy Bible and start reading the Book of John then start from the beginning in Genesis to a Revelation, as well as join a local Bible, Believing, Holy Spirit filled church. Also, read the book of “Grace Revolution” by Joseph Prince. I love you all.
Robin, I felt you look down from heaven when I called for you today. I wasn’t sure where your belief in God was at, so I decided to look it up. Thank God I did. I was not in the best state. I’m struggling with possible homelessness at this time, and seeing some of the comments on here was exactly what I needed, especially the one from Rev. Mark Garver. God bless his soul. I too have been struggling with demonic powers, but I also feel a light within. It’s difficult sometimes to distinguish my thoughts from the demonic world. I too struggled with suicide. I have been hospitalized for it 14 times or more in the past 2 and 1/2 years. I fell behind on my college work because of this, and am currently in the process of being kicked out. Robin, my angel, please continue to look upon me as I go through this struggle. Thank you for always giving me a way of escaping hell. I’m not sure you knew, but your acting career got me through a lot of hard times. I always felt like you were family. I love you big brother. <3 🙂 Amen. JNF
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