On August 16, 2023, BTS' RM took to Instagram and shared a controversial song on his story, Frank Ocean's Bad Religion, which garnered a negative response from Muslim fans. Many individuals considered the aforementioned song to be Islamophobic due to its lyrics and shared their views about the same on social media.
Disclaimer: This article contains references to Islamoph*bia and homoph*bia. Readers' discretion is advised.
Several netizens believed that Frank Ocean's song Bad Religion was Islamophobic and demanded that RM apologize to his fans for sharing the same online. While some individuals defended the artist, others expressed their disappointment, stating that they felt let down.
Netizens divided as RM shares Bad Religion on Instagram story
Frank Ocean's Bad Religion has sparked controversy among Muslims and various sections of society since its release in 2012. When RM shared the aforementioned song on his Instagram story, netizens were left divided and came up with two theories.
The first one suggested that the song contained Islamophobic lyrics that hurt the sentiments of the Muslim community, while the second theory revolved around the portrayal of unrequited love involving a gay man. The lyrics of the song that the BTS star shared caused heaps of controversy online.
In the song, Frank Ocean sings:
"It’s a, it’s a bad religion. To be in love with someone. Who could never love you. Oh, oh, oh, only bad, only bad religion. Could have me feeling the way I do."
He continues:
"And you say ‘Allahu Akbar’. I told him, ‘Don’t curse me.’ ‘Bo Bo, you need prayer’. I guess it couldn’t hurt me. If it brings me to my knees, it’s a bad religion.
The lyrics include "Allahu Akbar," an Arabic expression frequently associated with Islam, which translates to "God is greatest." The line "If it brings me to my knees, it’s a bad religion" also generated mixed reactions, given that many faiths, including Islam, involve kneeling during prayer. Netizens interpreted that this line referred to Islam as a 'bad religion.'
The aforementioned reasons compelled fans to take a stand against RM, as they believed that he shared an Islamophobic song online. They urged him to apologize to the Muslim fans he offended and called him a "hypocrite" as he has previously spoken about anti-racism and equality.
While the artist faced backlash from several netizens, some individuals defended him and believed that Bad Religion was not about expressing hate towards the Muslim community. They believed that the song was about unrequited love between two men.
They stated that Frank Ocean addressed the challenges of being gay and highlighted the pain that comes with unrequited love through his song. They also believed that while the song could appear to be Islamophobic, the artist was conveying that he hated all religions as they did not accept him and his identity.
ARMYs further explained that the line "unrequited love is nothing but a one man cult" conveyed the idea of idolizing someone who doesn't reciprocate one's feelings, resulting in a sense of rejection.
Fans proposed that Frank Ocean was labeling his unrequited love for another man as a "bad religion." They believed that the song essentially advocates for love and condemns h*mophobia.
They stated that RM shared the song because of its meaningful nature, which aligns with his appreciation for hidden meanings in artistic works.
The controversy sparked a debate between two sections of supporters online. Several individuals are now demanding that RM apologize to the Muslim community, while others are claiming that the artist has nothing to apologize for.
The BTS member has not responded to the ongoing controversy as of this writing.