May 12, 2011 (LifeSiteNews.com) – A leading pro-life group for teens is calling for a boycott of a Christian metal band over its participation this month in a charity tour for a pro-abortion website.
Bryan Kemper, president of Stand True Ministries, revealed last week that the Pennsylvania-based band Texas in July is taking part in the Take Action Tour, which is raising funds this year for the website Sex, etc. The Take Action Tour’s website says the organization will receive 10% of the proceeds from the tour.
Sex, etc. provides information on where to obtain abortions, linking to the National Abortion Federation and NARAL, and advises pregnant teens who are exploring their “options” to go to Planned Parenthood facilities.
They also criticize crisis pregnancy centers for offering “misleading and medically inaccurate information about abortion,” saying “their agenda is to dissuade women from obtaining abortions.”
The website also claims that “having an abortion will not alter your ability to become pregnant again later in life” and that there is “no evidence that having more than one abortion causes any health problems.”
After giving Texas in July a week to respond to his concerns, Kemper raised the issue on his blog May 2nd and called on supporters to join a boycott of the band through a Facebook page.
The band responded on their Facebook page May 4th, insisting that their group “in no way favours abortion and are at a loss for words for those saying hurtful and untrue things about our band’s beliefs and motives.”
Along with their statement, Texas in July posted a statement from Sex, etc. claiming that the site provides “accurate, age-appropriate information.” Using the language of abortion activists, the site’s statement also noted that it has contributors who are both “pro-choice and anti-choice.”
Kemper says his two main concerns are that the band is fundraising for the pro-abortion website, and that the band has directed kids to the site for “accurate information.”
“If this was just them playing with secular bands, I have no problem,” he told LifeSiteNews. “But when a Christian band plays a full benefit tour and then encourages kids to spend their money when part of that money will be going to Sex, etc., that’s a problem.”
“When a Christian band like Texas in July is pointing kids to Sex, etc. for accurate information, that’s dangerous,” he added.
The band won support, however, from another pro-life group for teens, Rock for Life. The group’s executive director, Erik Whittington, defended the group in a May 6th statement, and encouraged pro-lifers to support the band through the Facebook page ‘I Support Texas in July on the Take Action Tour’.
Whittington acknowledged that the tour “unfortunately” chose a “very questionable organization” to support, but said Texas in July “are most likely the only pro-life voice that will be heard on the Take Action tour. So, why are pro-lifers aggressively going after TIJ?”
He suggested the campaign should be directed at Sex, etc. or the Take Action Tour instead, and argued that Sex, etc. is “most likely spending more money than they’re making on this tour.” He also suggested the band should continue the tour out of a duty to honor its contract.
Kemper told LifeSiteNews, however, that the Take Action Tour “very clearly was a fundraiser” for Sex, etc.
“We cannot as Christians point any kids to that website, which is definitely not accurate at all,” Kemper said. “If they’re promoting this website to kids, parents need to know that.”
“I would encourage anybody that contacts the band to please do so in love and respect,” he added. “You have a better chance of maybe reaching to someone if we do it respectfully rather than out of anger.”
LifeSiteNews.com did not hear back from Texas in July by press time.
To contact the band Texas in July, click here.
Find more information on Bryan Kemper’s blog.