Alice Cooper: Shock Rocker For Christ

It may seem like an odd combination. A shock rocker whose acts often included murder scenes dramatized on stage, fake guillotines, electric chairs, blood as well as lyrics that included subjects like necrophilia. But don’t let the on-stage Alice Cooper fool you into thinking he is some kind of disciple of Satan. In face, Cooper bristles whenever he is accused of being satanic.

Cooper’s true beliefs are actually quite contrary to anything remotely satanic. Cooper describes himself as a a Christian who says he has dedicated his life to Christ. Vincent Damon Furnier, who later changed his name to Alice Cooper, was raised Christian, but really did not embrace his faith until alcoholism threatened to end his marriage. After attending church with his wife Sheryl during his struggle with addiction during the 1980’s, he admits that he chose the path of Christianity more out of fear of going to Hell than anything else.

Although this is the first time Cooper has publically spoken at length about his faith, he has no desire to become a celebrity Christian. “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,” he says.

Cooper’s Christian beliefs have influenced his infamous shock rock shows by eliminating anything that might encourage promiscuous sex and drinking. “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,” Cooper proclaims.

Some very well-known personalities from the world of music have also decided to embrace Christianity according to Cooper, “The ones that you would think are the furthest gone are the ones that are more apt to listen.”

Fellow shock rocker Marilyn Manson is obviously not one of those people. Cooper believes that Manson’s 1996 album Antichrist Superstar was pointed directly at him, and theorizes that Manson had a negative Christian experience earlier in his life and thinks he may have been involved with some “less-than-Christian-Christians” that influenced his thinking regarding Christianity.

Like many other religions, there are various Christian groups that branch out and come to their own conclusions about how their faith should be put into practice. Cooper has found himself a target of some Christians who do not believe he should be mixing his professional career as a shock rocker with his faith, but he dismisses their accusations.

“It has also gotten me in trouble with the staunch Christians who believe that in order to be a Christian you have to be on your knees 24 hours a day in a closet somewhere. Hey, maybe some people can live like that, but I don’t think that’s the way God expected us to live, he says.”

Despite all the craziness going on in the world today, Alice Cooper remains optimistic and believes that “humanity is craving for answers directly born of awareness.” He goes on to say that, “Even the addicts are saying, ‘It doesn’t matter how many drugs I take, I’m not fulfilled. This isn’t satisfying.’ There’s a spiritual hunger going on. Everybody feels it. If you don’t feel it now, you will. Trust me. You will… Drinking beer is easy. Trashing your hotel room is easy. But being a Christian, that’s a tough call. That’s rebellion.”

For more on this story visit The Morung Express.