Skillet’s John Cooper Explains His Brazen Approach Regarding Deconstruction

John Cooper deconstruction
Photo by Jesse Jackson.

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Imagine a scenario where I take my wife to a restaurant. Some random dude walks up to her and forcefully embraces her against her will and says, “Hey, honey, why don’t you leave that dope and get with a real man?” Should I be jealous (the good kind, not the bad kind)? Absolutely!

Imagine a second scenario where some dude direct-messages my wife and writes, “I’m sorry to be so blunt, but I need to tell you that I think you’re absolutely beautiful. You are perfect, and I wonder if your husband even gets that? I don’t mean to pry, but you deserve better. I’m always here if you need someone to talk to.” Should I be jealous (the good kind, not the bad kind)? Absolutely!

I’ve been outspoken about what I believe to be the dangers of deconstruction and relativism within Christianity. Everyone that I know who has left Christianity in the last five years began with what he or she described as “deconstructing my faith.” It is an epidemic that some still refuse to acknowledge. A friend of mine texted me a few days ago and asked, “Why are you so brazen in your words about deconstruction?” Another comment I read online said, “John used to be so loving and now he sounds angry.” Please understand, I am not the least bit angry at people who don’t believe the way I do. I truly love them! Whether that means atheists, agnostics, Muslims, Buddhists, universalists, or any other spiritualist. And I am not angry at anyone who struggles with faith, has questions, or has deconverted from Christianity. I’ve got lots of love for you. I personally know many people who have lost their faith, and I have seen and felt the heartbreak. To be frank, it has broken my heart.

RELATED: John Cooper Responds to Ex-Christian Jon Steingard’s Question Regarding Declaring War on Deconstruction Movement

For the purpose of, one, clarity and, two, a warning to fellow Christians, let me be clear about what I am brazenly speaking out against.

There are people who have deconstructed, deconverted, and disavowed the faith and subsequently began a platform or brand or “ministry” (my word for it) where they attack core principles of Christianity, speak out against the Bible, and attempt to lead others into deconstruction. Some do this aggressively, like the guy hitting on my wife in the restaurant. Or, they may do it subtly, like the guy sending my wife the direct message. Either way, they are actively recruiting. They often do this by making videos of why the Bible isn’t reliable or why the God of the Bible is immoral, mean, or bigoted in some way. They mock — either aggressively or subtly — those who still adhere to the belief that the Bible is the unchanging Word of God. They seek out — aggressively or subtly — people who are struggling, sad, questioning, or having a bad day. Then they whisper (or scream) that it’s because Christianity is oppressive. This is what I have a problem with. And even though these people feign shock at my brazen words, are they being any less brazen?

To be honest, I prefer the guy in the restaurant to the direct message (DM) guy. No spectator would be surprised at my jealous anger towards the dude grabbing my wife against her will. On the other hand, if I get too angry at the shady direct-message guy trying to win over my wife in a nice tone that suggests, “I’m the sensitive, accepting guy you can trust,” there will be plenty of spectators accusing me of overreacting. In fact, as we speak, some have accused me of overreacting. But I must sincerely ask, “Do you think it’s possible that you are under-reacting?”

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John Cooperhttps://johnlcooper.com/
John Cooper Is the Lead Vocalist, Bassist and Songwriter/Producer for Skillet, One of the Best-selling Rock Bands of the 21st Century.

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