Metalcore band For Today continues making the news for their “God ordained” line-up changes, and this latest one is a doozy.
Guitarist Samuel Penner – the guy who replaced Mike “No such thing as a gay Christian” Reynolds – was asked to leave the band. Over the phone. Shortly after rushing home to visit his mother in law in the hospital after a serious accident.
Great timing, guys.
Penner wrote his side of the story, mentioning the two big reasons for his dismissal:
1: It was more important for me to be home with my wife (this I don’t disagree with and neither should any husband, but a decision that affects my wife and I in a such a significant way, should be left to my wife and I, and my wife and I alone.)
2: I was told that I was unequally yoked with the band because of my personal beliefs of how I should live my life after coming to know Jesus. For this reason, the band could no longer support me or walk with me on this path. (To be clear about this, for those who care, my personal belief is simply that a standard of living our lives after salvation has been set by God in the “Old Testament” law. Not for salvation but for living a life in service to God.)
The decision, apparently, was made to honor the Lord himself, as the band told Penner the following:
“Though the timing is not ideal and it was a very hard decision, WE believe it would be most honoring to GOD if you did not continue with For Today through the summer, as the band has never been about playing guitar to collect a paycheck.”
But it turns out they changed their minds (which must’ve really upset God) and offered to have him join the band on tour this summer. Penner declined their most gracious offer.
For Today vocalist Mattie Montgomery has recently been accused of being in a cult by former founding guitarist Mike Reynolds, who left the band in early 2013. The band will be performing at the New England Metal and Hardcore Festival this weekend, along with Death Angel, Nails, Exodus, Nuclear Assault, and many other non-Christian bands.
(via ThePRP)
