Pop star Nick Jonas stepped further away from the faith he was raised with when he canceled his North Carolina tour stop over House Bill 2, aka the “bathroom bill.”
“After much thought and deliberation, we have decided to cancel our Honda Civic Tour: Future Now shows in Raleigh and Charlotte. One of our goals for the tour has always been to create an atmosphere where every single attendee feels equal, included and accepted for who they are,” Jonas posted on his Facebook page. The tour also includes Jonas’ long-time friend Demi Lovato.
“North Carolina’s discriminatory HB2 law is extremely disappointing, and it takes away some of the LGBT community’s most basic rights and protections,” Jonas wrote. “But we will not allow this to stop us from continuing to make progress for equality and acceptance. We know the cancellation of these shows is disappointing to our fans, but we trust that you will stand united with us against this hateful law.”
Jonas was raised by Paul Kevin Jonas and Denise Jonas, who pastored a church in New Jersey.
Jonas’ latest stance appears to be a far cry from the pop star who once wore purity rings and vocalized his faith.
Jonas, however, says he still has a love for the church, despite dropping the purity ring and many of the values he was raised with.
This is a real growth in me and not something I’m doing anymore. But I’ve got my set of values, things that are important to me now at this point in my life, and that’s all that matters,” Jonas previously told Us Weekly.
“I’ve had an incredibly intense journey with faith and religion and my own growth. My belief in God is still very strong and important to me as a person, and I think that’s all that should matter,” he said. “I grew up in a church environment and still have love for the church.”
