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As I Lay Dying's Tim Lambesis Says Nine Out of 10 Christian Bands Only Claim to Be Christian

  • Carrie Dedrick Religious persecution, missions, Christianity around the world
  • Updated Jun 19, 2014

Lead vocalist of Christian metal band As I Lay Dying Tim Lambesis is now serving time in prison for attempting to have his estranged wife killed by a hitman. The musician now says that he is actually an Atheist, and many so-called “Christian” bands are not what they claim to be either. 

According to Lambesis, As I Lay Dying originated as a Christian group, but members lost their faith over time. Though the band felt that they were lying by portraying themselves as Christian, the group wanted to keep record sales up with the Christian audience. 

“We talked about whether to keep taking money from the ‘Christian market,” Lambesis said. “We had this bizarrely ‘noble’ thing, like, ‘Well, we’re not passing along any bad ideas. We’re just singing about real life stuff. Those kids need to hear about real life, because they live in a bubble.”

Lambesis now feels that “when you change your views, you kind of owe it to the fans to be honest.”

According to the singer, As I Lay Dying is not the only band putting up false pretences. "We toured with more 'Christian bands' who actually aren't Christians than bands that are. In 12 years of touring with As I Lay Dying, I would say maybe one in 10 Christian bands we toured with were actually Christian bands," he said.

Publication date: June 19, 2014