A Christian music festival claims they were shut down because venue managers didn’t like them singing about Jesus.
Voices of the Nations says the city rejected their permits because the they claimed the group was proselytizing, according to LifeSite News.
“If you’re praising Jesus, ‘praise the Lord,’ and ‘there’s no God like Jehovah,’ that type of thing, that’s proselytizing,” Square’s Manager of Events Natalie Belman said.
According to the VON website, the organization puts together a yearly, multidenominational festival to spread the gospel in Toronto.
VON is calling the denial “blatant discrimination.”
“This City official seems to have taken special issue with one well-known praise-and-worship song sung during the August festival called Days Of Elijah where the line ‘There’s no God like Jehovah’ is sung repeatedly,” reads a petition.
“This is nothing more than blatant discrimination against Christians. Can you imagine the City Official saying something like this to a Muslim or Jewish group and getting away with it?” the petition continues.
Despite their rejection from the city, the group received an outpouring of support from fans both online and in person.
“Yesterday was a blessing to many lives we’re sure!” One fan wrote on Facebook. “It was a blessing for us as we ministered to patrons and were ministered to by all the musicians who came out to support the event! Be strong and remain steadfast in the work that the LORD has given you, do not get discouraged as lives are being impacted. Many blessings to you VON!”
