Photos that a handsome Canadian Christian actor posted online of himself after preaching have gone viral, attracting hundreds of comments of admiration for his appearance—as well as skepticism that a “man of God” would use social media to post “thirst traps”—sexually suggestive photos meant to entice viewers. However, the actor tells Faithfully Magazine that he is the real deal, and can’t help it if God blessed him with good looks.
“When I was younger I didn’t really have confidence,” Demien R., as he asked to be referenced, said during a September 4 phone call with Faithfully Magazine. After enduring harsh criticism at the age of 14 or 15, he resolutely told himself: “You know what? I look good. I am not ugly. God made me the way I am.”
Demien, in his early 20s and a full-time theater major living in Montreal, is obviously not the only man of God with good looks. The Dominican-Haitian actor who speaks three languages (English, French Creole, and Spanish) finds plenty of company in the Bible.
The Old Testament describes several men as good looking. For example, before he is anointed future king of Israel, David is described as having “beautiful eyes and a healthy, handsome appearance” (1 Sam 16:12). The monarch apparently passed on his good looks to his sons, for the Bible says of Absalom: “from the sole of his foot to the top of his head, he did not have a single flaw” (2 Sam 14:25).
The photos he posts online, Demien said, “prove to people that you can be a Christian and also look and dress nice and that you don’t have to look boring.”
Preaching With His ‘Chest Out?’
“I haven’t seen alot [sic] of people talking about this but I do want to make this clear: when I was up there and preaching, I had my shirt buttoned up, do not think I went to speak on the Lord’s behalf with my chest out. The pictures were taken after,” he clarified in a follow-up tweet after the post-preaching photos in question went viral.
