BTS’ RM addresses ‘Bad Religion’ controversy, refuses to apologize
September 1, 2023
BTS group member RM recently addressed the controversy surrounding his “Bad Religion” Instagram Story.
Background information: In early August, RM, 30, posted about Frank Ocean’s 2012 song “Bad Religion” in an Instagram Story. The K-pop star often shares song recommendations with his Instagram followers.
“It’s just a song”: On Wednesday, RM hosted a Weverse livestream and addressed the backlash he faced after posting about “Bad Religion.”
“You just keep telling me that I insulted a religion, but I didn’t. There was no any intention or, like, propose to insult a religion. I respect every belief and religion, that’s all I can say,” he said in part.
“It’s a song, OK? I’m not apologizing, I’m just saying, I have my own soul, I’m 30 years old, I can express my truth out. Please, the word is the word, it is what it is, please believe my words from myself,” he continued.
“I’m fine, there’s no problems,” he said. “But I’ve heard that there’s some, you know, problems and, you know, the noise is all around. So I just, I just have to say about that because, you know, some people just keep chatting me about it. … I didn’t want to say about this, but you just, some people just make me, make me say about this.”
What is “Bad Religion” about?: The Frank Ocean song supposedly initiates a “makeshift therapy session” in a taxi. Some of its lines include “He said ‘Allahu akbar’ / I told him, ‘Don’t curse me’ / ‘Bobo, you need prayer’ / I guess it couldn’t hurt me / If it brings me to my knees / It’s a bad religion.”
Several listeners have argued that the response to “Allahu akbar,” which is Arabic for “God is the greatest,” is an insult. Meanwhile, others have claimed that the song is about unrequited love, and the reactions to RM’s Instagram Story were blown out of proportion.
Despite this, countless social media users criticized RM for posting about the song, and the hashtag “RM apologize to Muslims” started trending on X.
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