Alice Cooper is a Christian

Alice Cooper says he loves God but doesn’t want to become a ‘celebrity’ believer.

The father of shock rock whose music and stage antics have
outraged parents for more than 30 years told how the fear of hell
turned him to God.

Alice Cooper, who sang about necrophilia and chopped up baby
dolls during his concerts, said that although he continues to record
and tour with a theatrical horror-style show, “My life is dedicated to
follow Christ.”

Although he became a Christian in the 1980s, apart from brief
comments in some interviews the 54-year-old singer has always been
guarded about his faith ? until now. But in a frank interview with a
Christian music magazine, he spoke at length publicly for the first
time about his love for God and reluctance to become a “Christian
celebrity.”

A chart-topper with the teen anthem “School’s Out,” Cooper ?
who legally changed his name from Vince Furnier ? has been credited
with paving the way for the likes of today’s outrageous performers such
as Marilyn Manson.

Cover of Cooper’s latest album, DragonTown

But he maintains that his act was never political or religious and always had “a sense of humor.” He told HM: The Hard Music Magazine
that he was always insulted whenever he was accused of being satanic.
Raised in a Christian home, he still believed in God, although he was
not committed.

That changed when alcoholism threatened his marriage. He and
his wife, Sheryl, attended a church with a “hellfire pastor.” Cooper
said he became a Christian “initially more out of the fear of God,
rather than the love of God … I did not want to go to hell.”
Interviewed for HM’s March/April issue, Cooper views his faith as “an
ongoing thing.”

“Being a Christian is something you just progress in. You learn. You go to your Bible studies. You pray,” he said.

He has avoided “celebrity Christianity,” because “it’s really
easy to focus on Alice Cooper and not on Christ. I’m a rock singer. I’m
nothing more than that. I’m not a philosopher. I consider myself low on
the totem pole of knowledgeable Christians. So, don’t look for answers
from me.”

Yet he has been able to speak to others in the music scene about his faith.

“I’ve had a couple of people that were friends of mine that I’ve
talked to that have vocally said they have [accepted Christ]. I have
talked to some big stars about this, some really horrific characters
… and you’d be surprised. The ones that you would think are the
furthest gone are the ones that are more apt to listen.”

Songs on Cooper’s more recent recordings have hinted at his
change of heart. He sees his stage persona now as “the prophet of
doom,” telling people: “‘Be careful! Satan is not a myth. Don’t sit
around pretending like Satan is just a joke.’ I think my job is to warn
about Satan.”

He no longer performs some of his older repertoire. Any song
promoting promiscuous sex and drinking “gets the axe,” he said. “I’m
very careful about what the lyrics are. I tried to write songs that
were equally as good, only with a better message.”

Cooper told HM he answers his critics: “‘I was one thing at one
time, and I’m something new. I’m a new creature now. Don’t judge Alice
by what he used to be. Praise God for what I am now.’”

From worldnetdaily.com

~ by Sidian M.S. Jones on February 13, 2008.