In a brand new interview with Actual Speak With Zuby, John Cooper, the frontman and bassist for the Grammy-nominated Christian rock band SKILLET, spoke concerning the “backlash” he has confronted for talking about his religion in secular areas and voicing his opinions on hot-button social and political points. He mentioned partly (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “We’re, thank God, a profitable band. However, man, the extraordinary backlash about standing up for what you imagine, should you’re on the conservative aspect, and even simply the libertarian aspect, or … they do not even like [prominent former Democrats] Elon Musk anymore. They do not like Tulsi Gabbard anymore. They hate RFK [Robert F. Kennedy Jr.] with a ardour now. I imply, it is actually insane. And I believe that a part of the not having the dialog factor is to do with this faux tolerance as a result of they actually imagine if I also have a dialog with you, I am legitimizing a Nazi.
“I used to be attempting to persuade somebody within the trade just lately who… SKILLET‘s been canceled a number of occasions due to these items,” Cooper continued. “And I used to be saying, I used to be, like, ‘I do not suppose you perceive. I may be essentially the most precise inclusive, tolerant particular person within the music trade. Okay?’ And so they’re, like, ‘Properly, no, you are not since you’re towards abortion.’ And I am, like, ‘No, no, no. I’ve spent my profession touring with people who find themselves my buddies.’ My youngsters are at all times on the street, so they’re buddies to my youngsters. We eat dinner collectively. We’ve enjoyable collectively. We hang around collectively each single day. Most all of them do not agree with me on faith, on politics, on abortion, on the border, on no matter. And it has by no means come between our friendship — ever. It would not even cross my thoughts, as a result of it is so towards my religion as nicely. And so I am truly way more inclusive than you guys since you need you possibly can’t even hear it.”
Cooper went on to say that he’s “optimistic” about President-elect Donald Trump‘s second time period, notably because it pertains to upholding the First Modification and making certain that the federal government does not censor individuals and companies.
“Am I loopy to be as optimistic as I’m?” Cooper mentioned. “One thing feels prefer it’s shifting. And I’m not some Trump sycophant or one thing like that. I am completely not. I do not suppose Trump‘s a prophet of God or any of the bizarre issues individuals say, I believe, on-line. I imagine that politics can’t save us. I believe solely God can save us. I really like politics. I believe it issues. I’m feeling extraordinarily optimistic, and I do not know if I am loopy to really feel that.
“To not get too preachy, however the Bible says that should you search for the reality, you will discover it,” he continued. “In the event you search the reality, you will discover it. And I’m seeing… I do not know. I am simply so optimistic as a result of hastily, it simply appears like within the final six months, I am, like, ‘Wait a minute. One other person who I do know is talking the reality.’ That was by no means the case for the final a number of [years]… To me, on daily basis, it is getting slightly brighter and brighter and brighter. And I am beginning to be, like, ‘Okay, okay.’ And once more, I believe it is actually nice when it is individuals that do not agree with me about every little thing, however it’s, like, ‘Oh, it’s very effective to have this dialog.’ And that is simply higher for everyone. That takes me again to what it was like once I was rising up. It was by no means like this once I was rising up. I by no means misplaced buddies ‘trigger you voted for George Bush. It is, like, who cares? It was by no means like that.”
John added: “I bear in mind I obtained in a number of bother in 2021 as a result of I used to be, I believe rightly, making enjoyable of RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE. ‘Trigger RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE‘s anti-government and so they have been doing these, like, vax-only exhibits. And I simply was, like, ‘Properly, it is simply loopy that me, the Christian rock star, that I am the punk rock revolutionary now.'” (Editor’s be aware: RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE guitarist Tom Morello has vehemently denied that COVID-19 masks and vaccine necessities have been enforced at any of the band’s exhibits. “Whereas I’m an enormous supporter of science, hear my phrases: NO RAGE fan was EVER required to current something aside from a ticket to see the band”, he wrote in a social media submit earlier this 12 months.)
Cooper initially introduced up RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE in a 2021 interview with Apologia Radio. Whereas insisting that COVID-19 that vaccines have been a instrument of presidency management “extra about tyranny than they’re truly maintaining individuals secure”, he mentioned: “Quite a bit the bands, they only do not know what to do … You are in an leisure trade that is largely pushed by social media and media at giant. You are not allowed to talk something towards… I imply, you’ve got obtained RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE telling people who if they do not get a vaccine… RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE has turn out to be the machine. It is loopy. I am, like, wait a minute – I am the revolutionary right here? I am the revolutionary and RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE is simply ‘authorities rock’ now.”
It’s not clear what Cooper thinks about Trump‘s supposed dedication to free expression, seeing as Trump champions freedom of speech for himself and his allies whereas attacking it when it protects his critics and political opponents. Trump has commonly attacked particular person journalists and the press normally for unfavorable information protection. He known as journalists the “enemy of the individuals” and eliminated ones he didn’t like from press occasions and rallies. Extra just lately, Trump has pledged to toss reporters in jail and strip main tv networks of their broadcast licenses as retribution for protection he did not like, based on NPR.
This previous January, Cooper blasted Demi Lovato‘s pro-choice music “Swine”, calling it “pure evil’ and accusing Individuals of “cheer[ing] on child homicide” by aborting “eight hundred thousand infants a 12 months.”
John has written in depth about his views within the two books he has launched thus far, “Awake & Alive to Reality”, which got here out in December 2020, and “Wimpy, Weak, And Woke”, which grew to become accessible in late 2023.
Cooper informed Baptist Press about how his religion directs him to talk out on cultural points: “If Jesus is the reality, then which means He has one thing to say about tradition, politics, abortion and sexuality. The Bible has one thing to say about these items.”
In varied interviews through the years, John has mentioned that he “at all times had religion in God” and that his mom was a “Jesus fanatic.” He additionally claimed that he was keen to place his profession on the road to take a stand for Christ.
SKILLET‘s newest album, “Revolution”, arrived in November by way of the band’s Hear It Loud imprint.