Vocalist MICHAEL SWEET Claims That People’s Hatred of God Is Why People Don’t Like His Band, STRYPER

Just when one thinks headlines can’t get any weirder…

Stryper‘s Michael Sweet took to Facebook on Friday to talk about what he believes is peoples’ issue with his band – they hate God.

Sweet started off his rant by saying that he “grew up in a musical family. Everyone (and [he means] everyone) plays an instrument and or sings. Not just okay but very well” before then detailing his family’s musical achievements before stating that he “grew up in studios,” as a kid, so “when people say [Stryper] sucks [he] just laugh[s] lately. Such an ignorant thing to say.”

He claims that music is in Stryper‘s “blood” and “DNA,” and that they “may not be shredders or lashy players,” but he prefers it that way. Ultimately, his most pointed commentary falls at the end of his rant, as he states:

“Someone people just love to hate. Hate us. Jealous, envy? Who knows. Who cares. I’ve come to the conclusion that the hate for this band stems from hatred for God. It’s deep. It’s sad. It’s pathetic. It’s shallow. It’s pointless.”

And he believes he was proved correct when browsing Blabbermouth‘s coverage of his claims on Facebook and the comments in response to the… out-of-the-box statement.

The comments Sweet feels proved his point shared sentiments along the lines of, “Maybe people don’t like bumble bee themes and spandex,” and “I’m a Christian and I have never liked Stryper’s music.”

But, I think trying to frame yourself as a victim due to your religion like this is dangerous, especially in the sociopolitical environment we’re currently in.

Being unable to accept criticism, critique, or the fact that simply people don’t like the music you produce, and chalking it up to people’s resentment towards religion, is just sad, pathetic, shallow, and pointless. Not only chalking it up to religion, but name dropping people his family have worked for in some way or another – as if it proves how dedicated he is to music, when in reality, it just shows that he may have had an easier time getting studio time or connecting with producers and people who could get his career started.

Sweet‘s statement just drips of contention towards people who don’t like his music, and it feels juvenile. Christian metal has never been a popular genre amongst the general public, and for him to expect his own excellence to supercede those already preconceived notions, is tone deaf, and there’s a point in which you need to hold artists accountable for their ignorance regarding their own excellence. And when people tried to do so, his immediate reaction is chalking it up to hating God? That’s sad.

The fact of the matter is that Stryper sounds like every subpar metal band from the 80s – and there are plenty of bands who do it far better. So, maybe Sweet needs to sit down and reflect as to why people don’t like Stryper instead of persecuting himself for his own religion. Sweet feels like he’s goading loaded religious discussions that is bound to cause friction.

“Michael Sweet just likes hearing himself talk,” one reader commented on Blabbermouth‘s Facebook post. And I’m inclined to agree – if he could just sit back and think about the fact that Christianity has never been oppressed, and the likelihood of him being oppressed or discriminated against for his skin color, gender, or religious beliefs is slim to none, maybe people would give Stryper a chance.