The frontman of Christian rock band Hawk Nelson claims he started to have issues with the Bible after finding a passage that seemed 'really oppressive of women.'
- May 28, 2020
AceShowbiz - Jon Steingard, the frontman of Christian rock band Hawk Nelson, has made the shocking admission that he "no longer believes in God."
The 36-year-old singer, who is the son of a pastor, took to Instagram to reveal his faith had been shaken in recent years, but told fans he wasn't "looking for a debate" with his revelation.
"I've been terrified to post this for a while - but it feels like it's time for me to be honest," he wrote. "I hope this is not the end of the conversation, but the beginning... After growing up in a Christian home, being a pastor's kid, playing and singing in a Christian band, and having the word 'Christian' in front of most of the things in my life - I am now finding that I no longer believe in God."
Explaining further, Steingard wrote that he once spoke with his father about a Bible passage that bothered him because it seemed "really oppressive of women."
"To me, that seemed less like the message of the loving God that most Christians believe in now, and more like the ideas that would have been present in the culture at the time," he continued. "A male-dominated society where women were treated less like equals and more like property."
His doubt in the Bible sent him into a "tailspin" that prompted an onset of depression. And while Steingard has "emerged from that dark place now," he said he hopes sharing his story will help other people experiencing similar doubts about their spiritual beliefs.
"Now I don't believe anything is wrong with us," he concluded. "We simply didn't believe - and we were too afraid to admit that to ourselves. So in that sense, we have a tremendous sense of relief now. I am hoping that writing this contributes to that relief."
Following Steingard's Instagram post, his Hawk Nelson bandmates, Daniel Biro, Micah Kuiper, and David Niacaris, released a statement in which they praised him for being honest about his feelings and said their mission to "inspire and encourage all people with the truth that God is FOR them and not against them" will continue.
"God is still FOR Jon & he still matters," they said. "Why? Because that truth doesn't change just because we question it."
