# Christian singer no longer believes in God **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 28, 2020, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-singer-no-longer-believes-in-god/854590 "2020-05-28T11:36:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2020, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-singer-no-longer-believes-in-god/854590/1 "2020-05-28T11:36:42Z")
“He used to be a preacher, but now he sings in a major key Amended his decision to the new religion” without googling, anyone know those lyrics? > **[Jonathan Steingard, Christian singer, reveals he no longer believes in God | CNN](https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/27/entertainment/jonathan-steingard-atheist/index.html)** > > Jonathan Steingard, frontman for the Christian rock band Hawk Nelson, has gone public with some personal news. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2020, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-singer-no-longer-believes-in-god/854590/2 "2020-05-28T12:09:00Z")
IN other news, Country musician eschews cowboy hats. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2020, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-singer-no-longer-believes-in-god/854590/3 "2020-05-28T12:11:39Z")
Details are sparse, but it appears his problem is with christianity, not God. So another case of throwing the baby out with the bathwater. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2020, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-singer-no-longer-believes-in-god/854590/4 "2020-05-28T12:47:48Z")
I hope his loss of belief brings him the same feeling of relief and joy as mine did for me. ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2020, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-singer-no-longer-believes-in-god/854590/5 "2020-05-28T12:54:49Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > “He used to be a preacher, but now he sings in a major key > Amended his decision to the new religion” > > without googling, anyone know those lyrics? > > [https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/27/entertainment/jonathan-steingard-atheist/index.html](https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/27/entertainment/jonathan-steingard-atheist/index.html) “Success Story”, from The Who By Numbers. An underrated album, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2020, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-singer-no-longer-believes-in-god/854590/6 "2020-05-28T13:04:51Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > I hope his loss of belief brings him the same feeling of relief and joy as mine did for me. Amen to that! ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2020, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-singer-no-longer-believes-in-god/854590/7 "2020-05-28T13:09:02Z")
> [@P-man](#): > > “Success Story”, from The Who By Numbers. An underrated album, IMHO. and a rare Entwistle written song. He said he only got 50 pounds for the cover art. 🙂 They took turns with the covers and it was his turn. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2020, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-singer-no-longer-believes-in-god/854590/8 "2020-05-28T13:16:26Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > Details are sparse, but it appears his problem is with christianity, not God. So another case of throwing the baby out with the bathwater. Not sure why it should matter, either to him or to God for that matter, whether he continues to believe in the existence of God. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2020, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-singer-no-longer-believes-in-god/854590/9 "2020-05-28T13:17:12Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > Details are sparse, but it appears his problem is with christianity, not God. So another case of throwing the baby out with the bathwater. I endorse throwing the baby out with the bathwater when the baby is an evil asshole and the bathwater is sulfuric acid. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2020, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-singer-no-longer-believes-in-god/854590/10 "2020-05-28T14:33:08Z")
> [@](#): > > His fellow band members supported the singer in a statement to USA Today, saying that Hawk Nelson’s mission is to “inspire and encourage all people with the truth that God is FOR them and not against them.” > “God is still FOR Jon & he still matters,” the statement read. “Why? Because that truth doesn’t change just because we question it.” And it isn’t automatically the truth if you don’t question it. ---
**Author:** ![Trom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@Trom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trom)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2020, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-singer-no-longer-believes-in-god/854590/11 "2020-05-28T14:50:59Z")
David Bazan of the band Pedro the Lion went through a similar deal years ago. Started as a Christian rock band with indie rock cred, lost faith, and existed in a weird one-foot-in-both-worlds place for quite awhile. Recently released a [documentary](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xYNXG60fAA). Very thoughtful guy. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2020, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-singer-no-longer-believes-in-god/854590/12 "2020-05-28T17:19:47Z")
There is also [Dan Barker](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Barker). ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2020, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-singer-no-longer-believes-in-god/854590/13 "2020-05-28T17:28:45Z")
Then there was Little Richard, who renounced the devil’s music\* to become a preacher, subsequently returned to rock n’ roll, went back to evangelism and later came back to rock n’ roll again. \*From Wikipedia: “At the end of his Sydney performance, Penniman saw a bright red fireball flying across the sky above him and said he was “deeply shaken”. Though it was eventually told to him that it was the launching of the first artificial Earth satellite Sputnik 1, Penniman said that he took it as a “sign from God” to repent from performing secular music and his wild lifestyle at the time.” ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2020, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-singer-no-longer-believes-in-god/854590/14 "2020-05-28T17:31:07Z")
> [@Trom](#): > > David Bazan of the band Pedro the Lion went through a similar deal years ago. Started as a Christian rock band with indie rock cred, lost faith, and existed in a weird one-foot-in-both-worlds place for quite awhile. Recently released a [documentary](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xYNXG60fAA). Very thoughtful guy. When I saw the thread title, I wondered if the thread was about David Bazan. Or about Derek Webb, or some members of [Five Iron Frenzy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Iron_Frenzy#Religious_affiliations_and_changes_in_faith). ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2020, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-singer-no-longer-believes-in-god/854590/15 "2020-05-28T18:07:47Z")
I liked his metaphor comparing losing his faith to unraveling a sweater; that’s how I lost mine. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_chao_goes_mu/32/3191_2.png) [@The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Chao_Goes_Mu)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2020, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-singer-no-longer-believes-in-god/854590/16 "2020-05-28T19:11:33Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > I hope his loss of belief brings him the same feeling of relief and joy as mine did for me. R’amen! ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2020, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-singer-no-longer-believes-in-god/854590/17 "2020-05-28T19:28:45Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > Not sure why it should matter, either to him or to God for that matter, whether he continues to believe in the existence of God. Considering his job is singing in a band whose mission is to bring people closer to God, it matters quite a bit. The article is unclear whether he’s going to continue in the band. I’ve never heard of him or his band. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2020, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-singer-no-longer-believes-in-god/854590/18 "2020-05-28T20:24:31Z")
Success Story by the Who. I knew it was a John Entwistle song, but I cheated a bit because the song title escaped me, and I had to look it up. ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2020, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-singer-no-longer-believes-in-god/854590/19 "2020-05-28T22:51:36Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > Considering his job is singing in a band whose mission is to bring people closer to God, it matters quite a bit. > > The article is unclear whether he’s going to continue in the band. > > I’ve never heard of him or his band. Yes, it would be dishonest to continue with the band. He didn’t say he would but he’s an atheist so it’s pretty safe to assume he’ll be dishonest, amiright? ---
**Author:** ![Esprise\_Me](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/esprise_me/32/2947_2.png) [@Esprise\_Me](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esprise_Me)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2020, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-singer-no-longer-believes-in-god/854590/20 "2020-05-29T03:59:08Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > Details are sparse, but it appears his problem is with christianity, not God. So another case of throwing the baby out with the bathwater. What makes you say that? A lot of the doubts he expressed had to do with Old Testament stuff or the general idea of an omniscient, omnipotent, omnibenevolent deity who still allows all this suffering. Seems both God and Christianity were bathwater, and he just deduced there never was a baby. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-singer-no-longer-believes-in-god/854590.md?page=2)