Canadian pop star and “bad boy” Justin Bieber graces the cover of the October/November issue of Complex magazine. In an interview, he talks about how he has been trying to grow up — both as a Christian and an artist — though he admits he has been rebelling in the last few years, between his drinking-related incidents and antics that landed him in jail. A few quotes from the interview reveal some interesting insights from the pop prince.
On the creation of the universe:
“Science makes a lot of sense. Then I start thinking—wait, the “big bang.” For a “big bang” to create all this is more wild to think about than thinking about there being a God. Imagine putting a bunch of gold into a box, shaking up the box, and out comes a Rolex. It’s so preposterous once people start saying it.”
On what it means to be a Christian:
“I think that going to church is fellowship, it’s relationship, it’s what we’re here on the earth to do, to have this connection that you feel there’s no insecurities. I think that’s where we need to be…you don’t need to go to church to be a Christian. If you go to Taco Bell, that doesn’t make you a taco.”
On criticism he has gotten that is “petty or unfair”:
“Honestly, I think the pissing in the bucket wasn’t as big as people made it seem. Just because, dude, think about it. Imagine, you hear that fucking Ozzy Osbourne pisses backstage. Immediately, “Oh, he’s a freaking rock star!” As soon as I do it, “He’s being a brat.” Dude, what is bratty about pissing in a bucket? I had to go piss—we all have to pee. The bathroom was like on the other side, and the dude in the club was like, “Just pee here.” He told me I could and it wasn’t like I was being disrespectful. I feel like that was pretty ostracizing—bigger than it should’ve been.”
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Write to Olivia B. Waxman at olivia.waxman@time.com