Rock band torn apart after guitarist accused bandmate BROTHER of sexually abusing him
A Christian rock band has been torn apart after the guitarist accused his lead singer brother of sexually abusing him when they were children.
Bo Rinehart, who was once a core member of group NeedToBreathe, leveled serious allegations against his brother, Bear, as well as a camp counselor and a youth pastor.
Bear publicly denied the allegations, arguing instead that both brothers were sexually abused by a teenage camp counselor when they were aged six and eight, and that Bo had since conflated 'our shared experience of abuse with a childhood incident he misrepresents.'
The pair formed the popular Christian rock band in 2001 along with two other bandmates.
But Bo left the band five years ago, and this week aired his troubling grievances on Instagram.
'I am an alcoholic. I am a sinner, but I am a believer. I believe in God's grace, and I believe that this mercy has shown that he is consistent, even though we don't deserve it,' he wrote.
'I am a survivor of childhood sexual abuse. I've been sexually abused by a Camp counselor. I've been sexually, physically and emotionally abused by my brother. And I've been abused by my youth pastor.'
Bear's response came just a day later, also via Instagram.
He said he felt 'the need to comment on the deeply hurtful and misleading accusations that my brother Bo made.'
'I would never choose to disparage him, especially at a time where he is clearly in pain. But as a father and husband, I must protect my family from claims that misrepresent the truth.'
Bear said he had chosen to keep details of the sexual abuse he suffered private in order to protect his family, but now felt compelled to come forward to defend his reputation.
He explained that after he and his brother learned they were both abused by the camp counselor, they began therapy to talk through the grief, shame, anger and confusion they'd harbored through adolescence.
'While going through a two-day intensive counseling session with Bo five years ago, I learned that he was hurt by things that happened in our early teen years as well,' he wrote.
'At that counseling session I took full responsibility for any part I played in that pain.'
Bear said he and Bo were able to process 'moments of shared trauma in detail and left with an understanding that we were two young boys trying to cope with the unimaginable.
'To now label me an abuser in such a heartless way is not only deeply painful but is wildly misleading and feels intentionally harmful.'
Bo left the band five years ago, and this week aired his troubling grievances on Instagram
Bear said in spite of the allegations leveled against him, he still wants to repair his relationship with his brother.
Fans of the brothers have expressed devastation over the revelations and urged the duo to work through their grief together and privately.
'This is so uncomfortable and heartbreaking. It really feels like something none of us should be informed of or be talking about,' one wrote.
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