‘Bizarre incident’ caught on video
Bestselling author and evangelist Ray Comfort says he was falsely accused of chasing down a woman in Southern California in what he called a “bizarre incident.”
Comfort, 75, told The Christian Post on Tuesday that the strange encounter was all caught on video and began with the New Zealand-born author and evangelist asking about the woman’s beliefs about Heaven and eternity.
“If I remember correctly, the interview began with me asking if she believed in an afterlife and whether she thought she was good enough to go to Heaven when she died,” said Comfort. “I then walked her through some of the Ten Commandments to show that none of us are good enough to earn Heaven.”
Comfort, who regularly shares the Gospel of Jesus Christ at the pier in Huntington Beach as part of his Living Waters ministry in California, explained that while that’s usually the point where “things get a little tense,” the unidentified woman seemed to be “listening intently.”
“Then, quite suddenly, she said that if I were really a Christian, I would be talking about God’s love,” he said. “With that, she turned and walked away.”
Minutes later, he says, the woman returned with three Huntington Beach police officers and accused Comfort of “chasing her down the pier.”
Comfort said he immediately denied the accusation and explained to police that his Living Waters team had been filming throughout the encounter. “I told the officers that we had two cameras rolling during the entire incident,” he said. “When the woman heard that, she quickly left.”
The co-host of the international TV program “Way of the Master” called it a “scary moment” and a “stark reminder of how vulnerable public figures — especially those with a Christian witness — can be to false allegations.”
CP reached out Tuesday to Huntington Beach police for comment.
Video footage of the incident showed Comfort speaking to the woman — who smiled as she walked away — along with two unidentified Living Waters crew members.
Comfort, whose YouTube channel has drawn hundreds of millions of views with interviews of people sharing their thoughts on life, morality and eternity, says the incident is a clear example of why not every interaction is positive.
“In our culture today, reputations can be ruined overnight,” Comfort said. “That’s why integrity matters more than ever. I’m thankful for God’s protection and that the truth was captured on video for everyone to see.”
“It was a scary moment, because in today’s world, with the speed of social media, an accusation like that can destroy a man’s reputation in moments,” he added.
In July, Comfort reported an attempted break-in at his Living Waters headquarters located 15 minutes north of Disneyland in Bellflower. The site serves as a hub for Comfort’s ministry, producing resources and equipping Christians for evangelism.
The incident occurred after his wife spotted a man in his mid-30s wandering the property and attempting to open the property’s doors. The suspect, police told him, had barricaded himself inside the warehouse and was “high on drugs and reportedly had a knife.”
Comfort says the discovery prompted an immediate call to the police, who were already in contact with a staff member. The response was swift and dramatic, with seven police squad cars, fire trucks, an ambulance and a helicopter descending upon the ministry.
“They were very friendly when I explained who I was,” said Comfort.
