What do you get when you combine a mysterious Instagram post, a ‘cult-like’ church, a relationship marred by hardship, a zealot father, and possible ties to the most controversial rapper alive?
A mystery surrounding Stephen Baldwin, Hailey Bieber, and Justin Bieber that’s so juicy fans have been unable to resist speculation.
Stephen Baldwin, 57, has sparked concern for his daughter Hailey Bieber, 27, and her husband Justin Bieber, 29, after pleading for ‘prayers’ for them on Instagram.
Theories online about why the famous couple may need divine intervention range from theories about a pregnancy to an impending divorce to something much darker: the possibility of Justin’s name coming up in Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs case.
The online fervor began when Christian influencer Victor Marx, who is close to the family through their involvement with Hillsong church, shared an Instagram story of Justin singing a hymn with the caption: ‘Christians, please when you think of Justin and Hailey, take a moment to offer a little prayer for them to have wisdom, protection, and to draw close to the Lord.’
Stephen Baldwin reposted the story of his son-in-law, immediately raising concerns about what hardships the couple might be going through to elicit the heartfelt post from the Usual Suspects actor.
Online sleuths have been hard at work trying to decode the ambiguous post since, with many certain they’ve figured it out.
Here’s a look at all the online theories about what exactly is going on with the Biebers.
Are the Biebers having marriage problems?
One of the most popular theories about Stephen’s mysterious post is that Hailey and Justin’s marriage is on the rocks.
Rumors of an impending divorce have been circulating for months thanks to fan’s interpretation of an Instagram post from Hailey that features a screenshot of a text message, evidently sent by the model, that reads, ‘He’s inconsequential to my existence.’
Other incidents that got fans talking included the couple seemingly spending New Year apart and Hailey hitting the town with Kendall Jenner without her wedding ring.
Hailey responded to the rumors, commenting on a TikTok about the rumors, saying, ‘You guys are obsessed!!!!!!’ with a crying laughing emoji.
Baldwin’s story post has reignited rumours of trouble in paradise, with many speculating that Biebs and Hailey must have shared their marriage struggles with their church family, prompting the call for prayers from Marx.
The couple, who have been married for five years, have spoken publicly about marital issues in the past, specifically the difficulties they encountered at the start of their marriage as Justin dealt with substance abuse and health issues. But they both confirmed that the hardship only strengthened their bond in the documentary Seasons, which depicts the young couple’s life together.
During an appearance on the In Good Faith with Chelsea & Judah Smith podcast, Hailey spoke out about a conversation she had with her mother during a rough patch in the couple’s marriage.
‘I remember I called her a few different times, one particular time when we were in Brooklyn and I was calling her, I was crying, and I was like, “I just can’t do it. There’s no way that I’m going to be able to do this if it’s going to be like this forever,”’ she said.
Hailey added: ‘And I just remember she was so calm on the phone and she was like, “It’s going to pass, and you’re going to be fine and he’s going to be healthy and we’re here for you.”’
The Biebers’ recent appearance at the Super Bowl seemed to dispel divorce rumors, given that the couple was seen kissing at the big game, but Baldwin’s post has cast doubt on the future of their relationship once again.
The couple was also seen headed into church yesterday as rumors swirled about Baldwin’s post, both looking uncharacteristically stoic. Were they on their way to pray for their failing marriage?
Is Hailey pregnant?
Other fans wondered if there is a baby Bieber on the way – a child who would inevitably become one of the most famous people in the world while still in utero.
Others argued that this theory is unlikely given that Bieber recently teased new music, and they believe he would be focusing on his wife instead of his career if the couple were about to start a family.
Some even pointed out that Hailey has been seen recently wearing baggier clothes than usual, sporting more oversized sweaters and fewer crop tops.
Hailey has spoken out about pregnancy rumors before, saying in an interview last year: ‘Recently, everybody was like, “Oh, my God, she’s pregnant,” and that’s happened to me multiple times before. There is something that’s disheartening about, Damn, I can’t be bloated one time and not be pregnant?’
Fans noted her choice of words in the rest of her answer, as she seemingly referred to pregnancy as an inevitable part of her future: ‘When there comes a day that that is true, you—you, as in the internet, will be the last to know.’
Stephen Baldwin shading his daughter and son-in-law
Some simply attributed the post to toxic behavior from Baldwin, who became a born-again Christian following the September 11 attacks and is a vocal supporter of twice-impeached, four-time indicted former President Donald Trump.
One user wrote: ‘This sounds an awful lot like Stephen Baldwin is doing that passive-aggressive evangelical parent thing of asking for prayers for their adult child because they don’t approve of their life choices.’
While there’s no evidence to suggest that things are anything but harmonious between Baldwin and his famous daughter, he’s certainly revealed himself to be a strict parent over the years.
When asked by the Guardian how he would respond to his daughter becoming a stripper, he responded, ‘Jesus or no Jesus, if my kid started working in a strip club, I’d beat her ass.’
Baldwin has also spoken out about how sacred he believes marriage to be, an image of the institution that, in his mind, doesn’t allow for gay marriage or divorce. He takes this belief so seriously that his wife’s father isn’t allowed in his home because he isn’t married to his girlfriend. Baldwin said, when asked if his father-in-law will ever be welcome, ‘until he is acting in a way we feel acceptable according to our faith,’ then no.
This level of zealous conservative Christianity does lend some credence to the theory that Baldwin’s post was meant as a criticism of the couple, who almost certainly fail to meet Baldwin’s rigid ideal of Christian behaviour at all times.
Some have even wondered if Bieber divorce rumors are true and Baldwin’s post was meant to discourage the couple from rescinding their holy vows.
Marx wrote in the caption of the original post: ‘I seldom like to post about certain folks in the limelight because of the negative comments we get…There are special challenges that folks in high visibility positions face and also the enemy doesn’t want them to draw closer to Jesus. So often regardless of the material things or the accolades they often face spiritual warfare thats intense and seeks to ship-wreck their faith, marriage and life in general. So thank you.’
The language the pastor used in the post, and the mention of marriage, suggests that maybe Baldwin and other Christians surrounding the young couple are encouraging them to take ’till death do us part’ seriously.
The Bieber’s church, Hillsong Church, has long been the subject of fascination thanks to its propensity to attract celebrities including Chris Pratt, Selena Gomez, Vanessa Hudgens, Joe Jonas, and Bono. But the place of worship is also controversial, with some accusing it of having a cult-like quality that isolates members, as well as antiquated views on homosexuality. More recent inquiries into the church have revealed allegations of child abuse, sexual assault, racial discrimination, and labour exploitation.
Could Justin be involved in the Diddy case?
Most controversially of all, a few social media users speculated that big news is about to break about Justin and the still-unfolding Diddy case. Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs has recently been accused of multiple counts of sexual abuse, including a new lawsuit from a male producer, claims he denies.
There has already been plenty of online speculation over the years that perhaps something inappropriate happened to Justin in the time he spent with Diddy when he was a child.
Justin’s mother has caused speculation about these claims, in a 2023 YouTube video titled ‘Justin Bieber’s Mom Speaks out: Usher & Diddy’s Impact on His Life Exposed.’ In the video, she claims that Combs offered Bieber cocaine, marijuana, and alcohol at his parties. She goes on to say that she was forced to intervene in order to protect her son.
In a clip that’s been widely circulated on social media, Diddy can be seen standing next to a 15-year-old Bieber saying, ‘What we been up to we can’t really disclose but its definitely a 15-year-old’s dream.’ The clip ends with Bieber saying ‘lets go get some girls’ to which Diddy nods.
The fact that the fifth sexual abuse lawsuit against Diddy broke headlines directly after Baldwin’s ambiguous post went up has led fans to question if maybe Bieber will somehow end up enfolded in the controversy surrounding the rapper.
Whatever is going on with the Biebers, most fans were quick to lend their support, with many commenting best wishes and promises of prayers under Marx’s original post.
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