Has Gary Lenaire come back to Christianity?

I saw several comments on youtube saying that Gary Lenaire, who left Tourniquet a long time ago and became an atheist, had come back to the faith. I couldn’t find any info elsewhere indicating this though, and a facebook page in his name had a Christopher Hitchens quote (I couldn’t see the contents of the page itself since I don’t have a FB account). Is this true, and if so where is a source for it? Thank God if it’s true.

He has, praise the Lord!

Pethead wrote:He has, praise the Lord!

Amen!!

Here's what he wrote on his (now closed) website back in January 2021...

I have written many words: Lyrics, essays, books, business plans.
The older I get the more I realize that words are easy.
Actions speak the loudest and clearest message about our lives.​

I dared to question everything in this world and for that I have no regrets. But knowledge has a price. It is easy to destroy a thing: An idea, a home, a love, a faith. It is much more difficult and worth while to build something. What I know: There is a universe.​There are causes and effects.​

There is a design to the universe (whether you perceive random chaos or divine fiat).​

Humans have been talking about creators for millennia.​

Humans can be so sure of something that they cease to learn anything.​

Many humans have attributed the most horrific and abhorrent characteristics to their version of God; many humans have leveraged those evil versions of gods for political, religious and financial gain. Faith is a paradox of the supreme level. The closer we get to God and understand the mind of God the less faith we experience, the mirror becomes reality; God does not have faith in God, God simply knows and is.
​Love is the highest path.
​I was baptized in December 1985.
​Jesus the Christ is the Son of God, the Word made flesh.

Yes he has.

Here's an interview from 2022:
https://heavensmetalmagazine.com/index.php/2022/02/16/flood-pulverized/


Here's a few quotes:


"In 1999, a series of events sent me down a path of doubt. Those events were traumatic, and I began to question everything, including my faith in God."


"In June 2020, I lost my cat who was very close to me. He was my dear friend, family. The pandemic was happening, and I could tell my life was changing. Then in 2021, both my parents died within 90-days of each other. Those events didn’t impact me the way the events in 1999 did. Instead, I started to reconsider faith, something I never thought I would ever do again. It seemed impossible to me. I now know that many people were praying for me, and those prayers were answered."



"During my years outside of faith I wrote down some thoughts. Back in those days if you read or heard anything I was stating about faith and God, please know that I was not looking in the right direction concerning God. I wasn’t listening to God either, an act of rebellion. Those writings were my way of dealing with what I was going through and trying to justify my path. I was wrong about faith because I wasn’t looking to God by faith."


"During my years outside of faith I thought that sincere believers could lose faith because of what they find when they study church history and the early formation of scripture, and I was partially right, some people do lose faith in that quest. That is because they are looking to earthly evidence for God rather than seeking God by faith. Only God can grant faith in us to see Him and to escape this world and the evil that is in it. This humbling fact should build compassion in us to pray for and help those around us."


"The words I am saying now are said by faith, and not by the world."

Fundy wrote:Here's what he wrote on his (now closed) website back in January 2021...

I have written many words: Lyrics, essays, books, business plans.
The older I get the more I realize that words are easy.
Actions speak the loudest and clearest message about our lives.​

I dared to question everything in this world and for that I have no regrets. But knowledge has a price. It is easy to destroy a thing: An idea, a home, a love, a faith. It is much more difficult and worth while to build something. What I know: There is a universe.​There are causes and effects.​

There is a design to the universe (whether you perceive random chaos or divine fiat).​

Humans have been talking about creators for millennia.​

Humans can be so sure of something that they cease to learn anything.​

Many humans have attributed the most horrific and abhorrent characteristics to their version of God; many humans have leveraged those evil versions of gods for political, religious and financial gain. Faith is a paradox of the supreme level. The closer we get to God and understand the mind of God the less faith we experience, the mirror becomes reality; God does not have faith in God, God simply knows and is.
​Love is the highest path.
​I was baptized in December 1985.
​Jesus the Christ is the Son of God, the Word made flesh.

Wow, that is a really profound statement. I know a lot of atheists who left the faith love to bloviate about how “enlightened” they now are, compared to the “brainwashed” Christians. But I think Gary’s statement shows true enlightenment. To look past all the false ideas of God humans have created (which seem account for most of the anger atheists have towards anything God-related) and see the true God. And to realize that knowledge was in front of our noses all along. A certain other well-known apostate in the Christian metal scene could take notes.

Prayer is the most powerful weapon.

"Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” James 5:16

Ammocas wrote:Prayer is the most powerful weapon.

"Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” James 5:16

What is your denominational background, Ammocas? I know a few here who are baptist and some who are reformed. I've learned and been exhorted by all. And now you as well. Thanks, and Thankyou Jesus!

Sevenoneself wrote:

Ammocas wrote:Prayer is the most powerful weapon.

"Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” James 5:16

What is your denominational background, Ammocas? I know a few here who are baptist and some who are reformed. I've learned and been exhorted by all. And now you as well. Thanks, and Thankyou Jesus!

Amen! It’s great when we can all learn and be exhorted from each other regardless of our denominational background. We are all the Church. I grew up Pentecostal in the Assemblies of God. Although I no longer attend that church I love it dearly and am thankful for being raised there. 

First and Foremost though, I’m a believer in Jesus Christ. I am born again through His grace!

Very cool. Thanks for sharing! I have half-wondered why there haven't been more pentecostals on the CMR, because when I was growing up they were the ones that had all the "wild" music in their churches!

I struggle with praying enough. I continually try to reason, encourage, rebuke. Even though I know better, prayer is often my last resort. But when you see God work in a situation or our lives--like Gary--it is the most beautiful thing when you see God doing His work!

^We aren’t perfect. We struggle. Why do we do the things we don’t want to do? We are inclined to fix things ourselves…why do we pray as a last resort? I am only recently getting better at praying. It’s a commitment…an intentionality…a conscious decision to put Jesus first in everything, all day, every day. Allowing Him to give us peace and being our Comforter.

Seven, I have no doubt that it was through the prayers of believers that led Gary to come back to the Faith. That’s power!

Fool me once shame on you...fool me twice...

There's a bride song in there somewhere...

Dustofyears wrote:Fool me once shame on you...fool me twice...

There's a bride song in there somewhere...

Genuine question, why do atheists/agnostics feel compelled to make snarky comments online towards Christians at every opportunity? It’s not just you, I see this everywhere. What do they gain from it? A smug sense of superiority? A coping mechanism to vent their bitterness? Are they secretly hoping someone will convince them that their bleak worldview is wrong? 
Unlike Christianity, there is no reason to proselytize one’s belief under the atheist/agnostic worldview. If you believe we will all stop existing when we die and our lives ultimately mean nothing in the grand scheme of the cosmos, why does it make you so angry to see other people believe in God?

Honest answer, anger mostly. Anger against religion and especially Abrahamic religion (Christianity and Islam). Angry for many reasons including personal reasons as well objective ones. I'm not a fan of dogmatic Atheists either they are pretty much a religion and have learned it is a different side of the same coin, their ideology being secular main stream narratives mostly, though they vary much like denominations do.

Your statement about "False ideas about God that humans have Created" is a very interesting one if you give some time to sink in.

I still like some Christian albums though and rank a few of them right up there with the best.

That's my personal honest answer I can't speak for anyone else.

Also I might add, the "snarkiness" works both ways I see Christians do it all the time too, and Muslims. End of the day people do people regardless of what they claim to believe.

Dustofyears wrote:Honest answer, anger mostly. Anger against religion and especially Abrahamic religion (Christianity and Islam). Angry for many reasons including personal reasons as well objective ones. I'm not a fan of dogmatic Atheists either they are pretty much a religion and have learned it is a different side of the same coin, their ideology being secular main stream narratives mostly, though they vary much like denominations do.

Your statement about "GOds that humans have Created is a very interesting one if you give some time to sink in.

I still like some Christian albums though and rank a few of them right up there with the best.

That's my personal honest answer I can't speak for anyone else.

Thank you for the honest answer. I’d encourage you to read Gary’s HM interview someone linked earlier in this thread, it seems that he was in the same spot as you. But, like he said, he has come to realize that what he was angry at was a false version of God/Christianity, created by people to serve their own ends. And after looking in the wrong places for years, he finally found the real thing.

seth wrote:

Dustofyears wrote:Honest answer, anger mostly. Anger against religion and especially Abrahamic religion (Christianity and Islam). Angry for many reasons including personal reasons as well objective ones. I'm not a fan of dogmatic Atheists either they are pretty much a religion and have learned it is a different side of the same coin, their ideology being secular main stream narratives mostly, though they vary much like denominations do.

Your statement about "GOds that humans have Created is a very interesting one if you give some time to sink in.

I still like some Christian albums though and rank a few of them right up there with the best.

That's my personal honest answer I can't speak for anyone else.

Thank you for the honest answer. I’d encourage you to read Gary’s HM interview someone linked earlier in this thread, it seems that he was in the same spot as you. But, like he said, he has come to realize that what he was angry at was a false version of God/Christianity, created by people to serve their own ends. And after looking in the wrong places for years, he finally found the real thin

Welcome.

Thank God that Gary came back! 

Amazing Grace

Odd, I see a lot of folks faith deepened by studying Church history...

^Hey man, whatever it takes. It’s good enough for me.