Religion/ Spirituality

A Brooklyn pastor was caught on video manhandling a woman during his Sunday service -- and while cops certainly responded to the scene ... it doesn't appear he's been arrested yet.

The guy's name is Bishop Lamor Whitehead, and he heads up the local chapter of the Leaders of Tomorrow International Ministries in the Canarsie neighborhood of B-Town ... where things got handsy this weekend as he was delivering a live streamed sermon.

It's unclear what exactly precipitated this, but NYPD sources tell us ... there was an argument over somebody filming Whitehead/the service, and it boiled over with an alleged physical confrontation. That jibes with a YouTube video that captured the entire sequence.

Bishop Whitehead appears to get interrupted by someone out in the pulpit who's shouting, and he tells the congregation to let her record ... which escalates into him inviting her up.

He asks the woman if she wants to come up and deliver the word for him, and then starts telling the visitors to praise Jesus while speaking in tongues. When the woman finally does reach the altar, he grabs her by the head and appears to shove her out of frame.

Whitehead tells somebody to get her out of here, and says he felt threatened ... seemingly as justification for what he did. He then continues the service normally like nothing happened.

Now, cops responded, but we've learned Whitehead has yet to be booked or processed for this ... and at this point, it's unclear if he's going to be. Our law enforcement sources say if he hasn't been busted by now this late in the day, it's unlikely he'll get rung up, period.

What our sources tell us did happen, however, was that Whitehead and the alleged victim were brought to a precinct for further investigation. But, nothing appears to have come out of it from either end, at least for now. BTW, this is the same guy who was robbed mid-sermon earlier this summer ... which was also captured through his church's live stream feed.

Whitehead has responded ... claiming this woman, and apparently others, were sent in today to disrupt his service -- supposedly tied to litigation he's involved in. He claims the woman was actually threatening and beginning to charge his wife and baby daughter. He says he did what he had to do to keep them out of harm's way, and that he's got more video that'll show the full story. Whitehead insists he's pro-woman, and that the narrative's being twisted.

Shia LaBeouf is back from the brink of a terribly dark place, and he's crediting his latest project, "Padre Pio" ... saying the role and God pulled him back to the light.

Shia revealed he did some serious studies on Catholicism for his upcoming film ... talking about his journey to meet with Bishop Robert Barron of the Word on Fire Catholic Ministries.

He says he even prepped for the role of the Franciscan Capuchin friar by living in a monastery with other friars.

Shia admits he went into production at a rough point in his life -- as we reported, he was sued by his ex, FKA Twigs, in 2020 for sexual battery, and claims he felt suicidal. He says he told the Bishop, "I had a gun on the table. I was outta here. I didn't want to be alive anymore when all this happened."

However, he thinks his studies made him a lot more grateful to be alive, saying ... "It was seeing other people who have sinned beyond anything I could ever conceptualize also being found in Christ that made me feel like, 'Oh, that gives me hope.'"

He believes God was behind his whole realization, claiming he was "using my ego to draw me to him."

"Airplanes" rapper B.o.B is brushing off student protestors upset some of his past lyrics are being construed as anti-semitic.

Members of the University of Central Florida Jewish community have called for a boycott of his upcoming August 25 tour appearance for their Welcome Week … citing his 2016 flat-earther, Neil deGrasse Tyson-dissing track “Flatline” for its olive branch extended towards Holocaust denier David Irving.

Bobby Ray tells TMZ Hip Hop he doesn’t have any issues with any colors or creeds, and the show will go on as planned this week.

B.o.B says that particular time period was a weird one for him -- but he learned a lot through massive book consumption and traveling the globe.

He even considers himself a cancel culture survivor ... having taken lumps on social media for his deep philosophical dives.

The enigmatic rapper just released a 12-song album titled “Better Than Drugs” ... but says he’ll clarify his past flat-earthing and other conspiracy theories on a new song called “TED Talk” to be released on another project in the near future.

B.o.B acknowledges his mind is a strange one ... and says great artists such as Kendrick Lamar and Drake share his pain.

Novelist Salman Rushdie, who has received death threats for years because of his work, was just attacked and possibly stabbed during an event.

The author, who was formerly married to "Top Chef" host Padma Lakshmi, was set to give a speech Friday at the Chautauqua Institution in New York. Reports say Rushdie was on stage, when someone jumped up and struck him multiple times. Reports say Rushdie was stabbed during the incident.

His current condition is unknown, but the attacker has reportedly been taken into custody.

Rushdie's novel, "The Satanic Verses," sparked tons of controversy in the 80's ... with the book getting banned from Iran for being deemed blasphemous, as it had references that mocked the Prophet Muhammad and Islamic culture as a whole.

In 1989, Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Khomeini called on Muslims to kill the Indian-born writer and his publishers because of what he wrote.

DaBaby is playing antagonist with all his naysayers and haters in his new video titled “Tough Skin” … which probably best describes what his critics will need to stomach through the entire thing.

Directed by his longtime visionaries Reel Goats, DaBaby takes on the classic controversial image of being depicted on a cross akin to some guy named Jesus Christ, while rocking nothing but a loin cloth … or a diaper.

The alternate scenery also reenacts his time as a youth … having to fight at home and school for hierarchy, hence the tough-skinned rapper who is always dodging an altercation.

2022 alone has brought out several DB jaw-dropping moments … including shooting a home intruder in self-defense as well as engaging in a bowling alley brawl against the brother of singer DaniLeigh, the mother of one of his daughters.

For day one DB fans, the imagery shouldn’t come as much of a shock … his first rap name was Baby Jesus and he infamously dressed like a toddler at SXSW to make a name for himself (Spoiler alert, it worked 😎).

Britney Spears bashed a Catholic church in L.A., claiming they wouldn't allow her to get married there ... but now, the church is calling the singer out, saying she never even contacted them about a wedding.

If you missed it, Britney went on Instagram Wednesday, posting a pic from inside St. Monica Church and the caption, "This is where I originally wanted to get married during COVID. I wanted to go every Sunday." She continued, "Then 2 years later when I wanted to get married there they said I had to be catholic and go through TEST!!! Isn't church supposed to be open to all???"

However, a rep for the church tells us they've checked their records which show Britney's never personally visited the church or asked to have her wedding there ... but they do admit, at least one spouse in a wedding has to be Catholic, a ground rule across the board.

The rep tells us the pic Britney posted appears to be from a live stream, not a photo she took on her own. We're told the church knows the couple getting married in the photo ... and Britney was not in attendance for their wedding.

Billy Porter thinks the Supreme Court is going to strike down gay marriage just like abortion rights ... but he's got a feeling SCOTUS might stop short at Justice Clarence Thomas' interracial marriage.

We got Billy in NYC and asked how likely he thinks it is SCOTUS will keep rolling back the clock, and he believes nothing is safe when it comes to the highest court in the land.

Billy says SCOTUS is coming for pretty much everything and everybody, not just gays ... and the only thing not on the list is interracial marriage, for one specific reason.

BP's basically saying the fact Justice Thomas is married to a white woman, Ginni Thomas, is the only thing keeping interracial marriage from going the way of the dodo. Still, Billy's got a warning for Clarence.

We also asked Billy about GOP Congressman Glenn Thompson, who voted against protecting same-sex marriage ... then turned around and attended his gay son's wedding.

Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito put Prince Harry and other foreign leaders on blast for blasting him and 4 of his colleagues who overturned Roe v. Wade ... this after the Duke of Sussex likened the SCOTUS decision to the war in Ukraine.

Justice Alito spoke about religious liberty in Rome ... at a conference run by the University of Notre Dame Law School.

As he ticked off the public figures from foreign lands who criticized the opinion, he quipped with dripping sarcasm, "What really wounded me was when the Duke of Sussex addressed the United Nations and seemed to compare the decision, whose name may not be spoken, with the Russian attack on Ukraine"

He was referring to Prince Harry's speech at the UN last week ... where Harry listed numerous events that made 2022 "a painful year in a painful decade" -- with the Roe v. Wade decision and the attack on Ukraine front and center.

Jim Harbaugh -- fiercely against abortion -- says he'd be willing to raise the baby of any of his Univ. of Michigan football players, if they had an unplanned pregnancy, and the couple decided to have the baby.

"I've told [them] the same thing I tell my kids, boys, the girls, same thing I tell our players, our staff members," Harbaugh said on Saturday, "I encourage them if they have a pregnancy that wasn't planned, to go through with it, go through with it," Harbaugh told ESPN's Gene Wojchiechowski.

"Let that unborn child be born, and if at that time, you don't feel like you can care for it, you don't have the means or the wherewithal, then Sarah and I will take that baby."

The Wolverines head coach -- who signed a $36.7 million extension in February -- was the keynote speaker at a recent "Right To Life" event.

During the anti-abortion speech, 58-year-old Harbaugh spoke about having the "courage to let the unborn be born."

As for why he chose to speak out about the controversial topic, Jim says while it may be difficult, it's an incredibly important issue for America.

"I just think this issue of life, save a life, the abortion issue is one that is so big that it needs to be talked about," Harbaugh said.

"It's a life or death type of issue and I believe in and I respect people's views but let's discuss it because there's passion on both sides of this issue."

Kim Burrell, the gospel singer who came under fire for insensitive comments made in church, will NOT step down -- she'll be ministering again after deep introspection and counsel from her pastor.

Kim and Pastor Dr. Mike Freeman of Spirit of Faith Christian Center in Maryland, tell TMZ ... the backlash won't silence her, because she believes speaking to the congregation is her calling from God.

Rest assured, though, Kim knows she crossed a line last weekend ... and says Pastor Freeman, and others, will make sure she doesn't have a repeat performance.

ICYMI, Kim went viral for last weekend's sermon where she referred to people as "broke" and "ugly," among other tasteless labels. Kim says the remarks were made in "jest," but most folks on social media didn't buy that -- even after she put out a written apology.

Pastor Freeman explained why he's standing by Kim, telling us ... "We don't shoot the soldier we nurse them."

He insists church members want to surround the singer with love, instead of knocking her while she's down.

Since her gaffe in the pulpit, Kim has posted a remorseful video, saying she just wants folks to see her heart.

Jim Harbaugh is against abortion ... and the Michigan football coach delivered a passionate message on the controversial topic, saying, "I believe in having the courage to let the unborn be born."

Harbaugh -- who is Catholic -- was tapped to deliver the keynote address Sunday during the Plymouth Right to Life dinner and auction at St. John's in Plymouth, Michigan ... where he passionately spoke about abortion, according to the Detroit Catholic.

"I believe in having the courage to let the unborn be born," Harbaugh said. "I love life. I believe in having a loving care and respect for life and death. My faith and my science are what drive these beliefs in me."

According to the outlet, the theme of the night was "We Were Made to be Courageous," and Harbaugh, along with his wife, Sarah and Father John Riccardo, another keynote speaker, emphasized that in their addresses.

Jim's comments come at a time when the abortion rights debate rages in the country ... especially after the Supreme Court recently ruled citizens don't have the constitutional right to get an abortion.

Throughout the night, Harbaugh acknowledged conversations about abortion can get "passionate" and "messy" ... but maintaining respect and civility when dealing with each other can go a long way.

"I have faith in the American people to ultimately develop the right policies and laws for all lives involved," Harbaugh said. "I recognize one's personal thinking regarding morality of a particular action may differ from their thinking on whether government should make that action illegal."

Harbaugh said he's well aware the government allows things others deem immoral, but out of respect for the "greater good or constitutional right" those actions are allowed ... but in Jim's eyes, abortion doesn't meet that criteria.

"Ultimately, I don't believe that is the case with abortion," Harbaugh said. "Yes, there are conflicts between the legitimate rights of the mother and the rights of the unborn child."

Amber Rose isn't buying the notion God created our universe, planet or species ... nor does she believe Jesus died for our sins -- but she can get behind Buddhism.

The model and TV personality sat down with Raq on the 'It's Tricky' podcast, saying the scientific explanation for how human beings got here just makes more sense to her.

She makes it clear, however -- she isn't kickin' it with Scientology.

AR says science and the theory of evolution are just more logical ... at least to her. She says she did grow up going to church, and was even told by her mom what TV shows to avoid due to "the devil" -- but as she's grown up, she's only developed more questions than answers about religion. Especially about some of the Bible stories.

As for what she's believing in these days, Amber says Buddhism is more her speed ... explaining why it's more philosophy than religion, which is right up her alley.

Pope Francis is strongly in support of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade, comparing abortion to "hiring a hitman to solve a problem."

The Pope reiterated the position of the Catholic Church ... that life begins at conception.

He spoke from his residence at the Vatican ... "I ask, is it legitimate? Is it right to eliminate a human life to resolve a problem?"

Then the 85-year-old Pontiff was asked about a hot topic in the Church -- whether someone, like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who is pro-choice should be allowed to get communion. FYI ... Pelosi was denied communion by the archbishop in San Francisco where she lives, although she received the sacrament at the Vatican last week.

Elon Musk resurfaced on Twitter in a big way ... this time with a pic of someone arguably more famous than him -- the Pope!!!

There's Elon at the Vatican, mugging with Pope Francis and 4 of his 7 kids, saying "Honored to meet @Pontifex yesterday," adding, "My suit is tragic."

Here's what's interesting ... Elon's talked in the past that he's an atheist -- nevertheless, the Pope is the Pope so no reason not to shake hands and have a chat.

One of the kids who did not attend -- Vivian Jenna Wilson, previously known as Xavier, who announced a few weeks back she's a transgender woman and wants no relationship whatsoever with her dad.

As for Elon's religious history ... he was not raised a Catholic, although he did attend Anglican Sunday School. He has said in the past he is not Christian.

Dave Bautista is so furious over Roe V. Wade being overturned ... he's now begging men to get off their asses and speak up about women's rights, clearly believing it'll help avoid similar situations in the future.

"Every f**ing man needs to be louder about the rights of women," the former WWE champion said.

The "Guardians of the Galaxy" star made the urging at The Henry out in L.A. earlier this week ... just days after the U.S. Supreme Court reversed Roe V. Wade, the 50-year-old precedent that legalized abortion nationwide.

Bautista was very obviously still PO'ed over the decision ... and said flat-out that men should be doing and saying more to make sure women are not marginalized.

"[They should be] speaking out," he said. "Be f***ing loud."

This is not the first time the 53-year-old has taken a strong pro-abortion rights stance ... back in 2021, he said in a tweet if you disagree with him, he's "not open to discussion about" it.

Busy Philipps is joining the millions of Americans protesting the Supreme Court's overturn of Roe v. Wade ... and she's making her stand near Capitol Hill.

Busy was with hundreds of other demonstrators Thursday in Washington, D.C. ... marching down a street near the Supreme Court with a giant banner reading "We Won't Back Down."

The "Cougar Town" star was on the group's front line as they sang "We want justice" to the melody of Queen's hit "I Want it All."

Beyond the marching and singing, Busy made it clear she means business when it comes to opposing the controversial SCOTUS ruling -- she was wearing a t-shirt that says, "I will aid and abet abortion."

As you know, protests have been nearly nonstop since last Friday when the Supreme Court finally issued its opinion on Roe v. Wade ... after a draft of the opinion leaked back in early May.