Metal Anarchy

As previously reported, Christian metalcore singer Magdalene Rose was recently facing boycotts from several churches over her heavy music and looks. The attacks on her resulted in shows being cancelled amid her tour with fellow Christian artists Seventh Day Slumber, Jason Dunn (Hawk Nelson), and Nate Parrish (Kutless). However, she has since received an apology from at least one youth pastor.

Rose said the following:

“Hey guys, it’s Magdalene Rose, and I have a really, really cool update. It’s cooler than the news articles, cooler than the numbers, cooler than whatever has been going on throughout this whole process.

If you’ve been keeping up, I made a post about a cancellation we had due to the way I looked. Just also expressed my frustration over the years of getting calls of cancellations because of people saying that I couldn’t be Christian because of my clothes or the makeup that I wear or the music that I make.

Normally, I don’t get a chance to explain myself or any sort of communication from any of these churches, and it’s really awesome because yesterday I got a message from the youth pastor that canceled the show. His wife sent me a screenshot of the message that he wanted to send, and it was a really heartfelt apology explaining that he wished he would’ve done things differently and, you know, acknowledging that there are people that are being reached through this music and just hoping that I could forgive him.

I just wanted to say how big of a deal that is. It’s really easy to make a post and then for news outlets to share it and for people to get on and argue and just talk about the drama of it all, but a lot of times you don’t really see a resolution, and I think especially being a Christian, that’s a really big part of these conversations, and that’s what I hoped would happen when I shared that post online. It wasn’t me trying to go viral or trying to church bash or trying to whatever, like bring attention to my page. I was hoping that people would see that and some sort of change happen.

It’s so awesome because you guys rallied around not just me, but my band. You know, my husband’s in the band, our best friends Zach and Weston are in the band. It’s a whole family out here, and you’ve rallied around all of us and carried us through this season. Even if it seemed short-lived, this stuff has been going on for a long time, and so I really appreciate all of you guys just rallying around us.

Change happens when people speak out and all of you have been sharing your stories. All of you have been offering encouragement. I think it’s so awesome to see this happen in real time and I think that’s the first apology I’ve ever been offered when it comes to situations like this. It’s so important to see that resolution can happen. We can discuss things despite our differences. Change is happening.

I’ve received messages from people saying that they’re willing to give church a shot again. It’s the first time they’re going to church in years, but if all of these people in the comments really do believe what they’re saying, maybe they can belong in church too.

And I’ve gotten messages from people on the opposite side of it apologizing to me because they’ve realized the judgment they have had in their hearts and are trying to change the way they view people. And I think that’s so awesome to not just see change happen with one person, but to see the ripple effect of all of this and what started out as something super frustrating, God has just moved completely.

I hope this update encourages people. Things can be solved. Things can change. It all comes from just having a conversation and being willing to speak up. I thank you guys so much for being willing to speak up on my behalf.”