"Christian" Metal Band As I Lay Dying admits they are atheists but said they were Christians for the money

This article has is textbook sin in it. Textbook. (The textbook being the bible of course)

Convicted Heavy Metal ‘Christian’ Singer Admits Being Atheist, Duped Fans to Sell Music
A so-called Christian heavy metal band whose frontman was convicted of attempting to hire a hitman to murder his estranged wife has admitted that it duped fans into believing that they were Christian in order to sell their music. “Truthfully, I was an atheist,” Tim Lambesis, the lead singer and founder of As I Lay Dying told the Alternative Press in a recent interview. “I actually wasn’t the first guy in As I Lay Dying to stop being a Christian. In fact, I think I was the third.
The band got together in 2000-1 at the end of the height of Contemporary Christian Music's most lucrative year. They smelled money. The bible says,

"And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not." (2 Peter 2:3 KJV)

"And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep." (2 Peter 2:3 ESV)
The publication noted that his wife, Meggan, had likewise divulged in divorce papers that Lambesis had become an atheist. Lambesis, in admitting his atheism, outlined that he turned away from Christianity as he majored in religious studies while attending college through a long distance program. “In the process of trying to defend my faith, I started thinking the other point of view was the stronger one,” he said.
The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds, there is none who does good. (Psalm 14:1)

See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. (Colossians 2:8)

Their CD covers. A clue maybe they weren't Christian

And one sin led to another, turning his renunciation of Christ into justification for his actions. “The first time I cheated on my wife, my interpretation of morality was now convenient for me,” Lambesis explained. “I felt less guilty if I decided, “Well, marriage isn’t a real thing, because Christianity isn’t real. God isn’t real. Therefore, marriage is just a stupid piece of paper with the government.”
And he said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God. (Luke 16:15)

But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" (Luke 10:29)
But he continued to profess to be a Christian, as did others in the band, in order to sell records to Christian music fans.
And we're back to the beginning:

And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep. (2 Peter 2:3 ESV)

Wikipedia describes the band's sound as "Heavy metal writer Garry Sharpe-Young described the band as a "Christian Hardcore act employing the Grind edged vocals of singer Tim Lambesis and a distinct hint of Scandinavian guitar chug" and parents, youths, the words 'Christian' and 'hardcore' do not mix. Ever. That should have been a clue. Here is the second clue
They are described "as being in the metalcore genre, not Christian metal. This is largely because the band's lyrics do not directly focus on pro-Christian themes the way many praise music bands do nor do they treat their music as a direct extension of their private Christian worship or proselytizing efforts. For example, not once do the names God or Jesus appear in any As I Lay Dying song, nor do any of their songs explicitly invoke Christian doctrine or quote the Bible."

Lambesis said in an interview, "I believe that change should start with me first, and as a result, our lyrics do not come across very 'preachy.' Many of our songs are about life, struggles, mistakes, relationships and other issues that don't fit entirely in the spiritual category." Jesus is not a category in your life, He IS life. If Jesus is not at the center of our lives, every aspect of it, we are not Christian. A person who has the Holy Spirit in them cannot compartmentalize Him into segments and then marginalize Him to the side. He is the very lifespring from which our entire new being, the new creature, flows.

The band members state that they lost their faith, or that they departed from the Christianity they'd once professed. People, this is not possible. One does not fall away. That is the third clue-

They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. (1 John 2:19)

 Always pray for discernment, stay in the word, and guard your children.


Comments

  1. Mm, hmm. Biting my tongue here. Suffice to say, I'm not shocked.

    Bring on the hymnals.

    -Carolyn

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  2. Not surprised at this either.

    Gotta' differ with you here where you say: People, this is not possible. One does not fall away. That is the third clue- /END quote

    Actually, Scripture makes it abundantly clear that Christians can fall away or stray away or shipwreck the faith:

    1 Timothy 4:1
    [ The Great Apostasy ] Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,

    EXPRESSLY SAYS....

    And:

    Luke 8:13
    But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away.

    Hebrews 6:4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.

    1 Timothy 6:10
    For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

    1 Tim 6:20 O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge— 21 by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith.

    2 Timothy 2:17-19 (New King James Version)
    And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, 18 who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some.

    This is just a sampling of Scriptures that yes, it IS possible to fall away. See also: shipwreck faith... as even the Apostle Paul knew he could do.

    I personally know another person who, while in college just 2 years ago -- attempted to witness to an atheist..... except the atheist won HER over.

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    1. Reva, no one who is a true Christian can fall away. I refer you back to the 1 John 2:19 verse. He holds us firmly, because that is His plan. If we could lose our salvation, we WOULD.

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    2. ...and He chose us before the foundations of the world were layed...thus, Jesus' prayer in the book of John.

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  3. Completely and totally not surprised here and expecting more revelations of atheism to emerge from the world of Christian Flavored Worldly Music. Pastor Joe Schimmel (http://www.goodfight.org) is a voice crying in the wilderness, warning us about Satan's polluting of our culture through the entertainment industry, it's terrifying stuff. He's warned in the past that there's a LOT of money in Contemporary Christian Music, and people like the group you mentioned here are finding it an easy way into the entertainment industry. All they need is an edgy Christian flavored name and a few "Jesus is my boyfriend" songs and poof - they have a few hits they can take to any producer and the contract is as good as signed.

    I challenge any CCM performer to record a CD full of traditional hymns as written. Numerous country performers who don't even claim to be a Christian performer have done so out of their love for Jesus (Alan Jackson, Alabama) let's see the CCM world give it a shot.

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  4. Todd Friel played some of this band's "Christian" music yesterday on Wretched Radio. It was satanic, not Christian.

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  5. Brad, I didn't know Todd covered it yesterday when I wrote this. Funny! I'm listening to the archived podcast now :) thanks!

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  6. Disheartening the lack of discernment within the body

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  7. I don't recall ever getting the impression that there were even christian themes in this band's music from the snippets I've heard out of my brother's collections. Just another screamo/punk/metal nuisance-sound that he would use to rile his emotions up when angry (claiming he uses it to de-stress, yeah right).

    Music that sounds angry and has angry lyrics will make you angry over time by listening to it. You're constantly dwelling on a negative mood. Compare the difference of someone who listens to Owl City music non-stop. One need only to look at the fan base to see what the music fosters. Sort of a fruit-tree extrapolation.

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  8. the on ly thing I have to say and I am not familiar with this band is be careful about who you judge as being unredeemable. I backslid big time but God has been vey gracious to me. Again, I don't know anything about these people but I know Jesus brought me back and resurrected my faith. I wish I hadn't fallen away but I believe I love God more and more deeply. The Prodigal's son comes to mind. The Father welcomed him back with a robe and a ring after being in the pig pen. Pray and love for every lost sheep.

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    1. Hi Anonymous,

      I didn't say anyone was unredeemable.

      What I said was that "The band members state that they lost their faith, or that they departed from the Christianity they'd once professed. People, this is not possible. One does not fall away. That is the third clue-

      They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. (1 John 2:19)"

      No one who is truly saved will ever depart from the faith. If they leave the faith, as this band leader SAYS he has, he didn't. In fact, he was never saved to begin with.

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    2. Exactly Elizabeth! People who claim to have 'fallen away' or 'backslid' were in fact never saved to begin with! I am so grateful to finding pastor MacArthur which lead me to becoming a fully regenerate born-again Christian after 34 years living as a rebellious professing Christian (prayed the sinner's prayer at age 8, rededicated at 17 and belonged to a false church; Foursquare gospel). I'm planning on developing a wellness coaching site that focuses on the Biblical mandate to keep our bodies pure, righteous and holy before God by eating certain foods and with the support of certain natural remedies. I'm also starting a ministry/witnessing project using my skills as a singer and artist. After I watched Ray Comfort's "180" movie I was inspired to do this...My site should be up and running by January - look out for it @ BulletproofVessel.com
      ~Amy

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    3. Any that sounds exciting. I'm glad you have an opportunity to do what fulfills you! I'm always thrilled to read testimonies that attest the doctrines taught rightly by Dr MacArthur were key in a person's coming to faith. I am sure that Jesus has a closet FULL of crowns ready for that man! Good luck with your new site :)

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  9. There's big wide road that some people travel that leads to hell.

    Where there's a small narrow road leading to heaven.

    So many people die & goto hell cause it's "easier" for them... But what is easier also is less rewarding

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  10. Can't be Christian and Metal? Or Christian and Hardcore? You probably should have checked out For Today, August Burns Red, Wolves at the Gate or even Becoming the Archetype before you put that statement out.

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    1. Lucas I didn't say a band can't be Christian and metal. What makes them non-Christian is not the metal (rarely). It's their statement they are atheists that makes them non-Christian.

      No I didn't checkout every "Christian" metal band before writing this essay. I did look them up after you suggested it. I see that As I Lay Dying is still on many, many lists touting Christian metal WITH the same bands you noted. And we know where AILD ended up, the secular trashheap.

      As for Christian hardcore, the prognosis is even more dim. In this article it's stated, "Fans of Christian hardcore music are not exclusively believers in the Christian religion. Thanks to some innovators in the hardcore movement such as Extol, Zao, Living Sacrifice, and the hardcore movement in general, the audience has become less exclusive."

      Seriously, if non-Christians like hardcore music that alleges to be Christian, it's not Christian. The world hates us. If it loves us, there is a problem.

      Or this:

      "There are many Christian hardcore bands that choose not to announce in an open and straightforward manner that they are Christians. This may be because they feel they will lose popularity among non-Christian listeners. Some Christian hardcore bands are not obvious to identify because their lyrics might only express their views on everyday social and personal issues."

      Do not be ashamed of the Gospel. If they are, there is a problem.

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