Doug Van Pelt interviewed Robert Sweet of STRYPER to talk about the controversial change of direction.

"I think by a lot of peers, yes. I think people in the industry, whoever those peers are, once they see Stryper in concert there's a lot of respect. I remember there was an A&R guy with Atlantic Records who hated us. Somehow he ended up coming to a show one night where White Lion opened up for us. He came backstage saying, 'You guys are blankety-blankety-blank GREAT! I never knew that you guys were like this. Why in the blank haven't you guys sold 3 million albums yet?' We were shocked. I think there is a bit of respect out there.

"I'm this way: I don't care whether a band's a Christian band or a band of atheists or a Jewish band or whatever. If they're good, let's face it - they're good. It doesn't mean I agree with their stance lyrically, but if they're good musicians, I'm going to respect them. I think that's how people are starting to be with Stryper. 'Hey! These guys can play...Why should we hate them so much for?"'

What do you think it would take for you to feel like you've been a success?

"That's a good question. In year's past, I always would have said, 'My goal is to Stryper-ize the world' (laughs). I still feel the same way, but one thing I really want is to turn on the radio and hear Stryper. I've heard it out there before, okay? But, I'd love for this band to have a number one single...not only because we're just itchin' to make a whole lot of money. I feel people, no matter what they do, have a goal. There may be pastors out there who have the goal to build a crystal cathedral or to preach in front of thousands of people, or whatever. I'd like for Stryper to get out there more."

I know that a lot of Christian people are gonna and have judged you guys. I want to give you guys an opportunity to judge yourselves. Just for a reference, would you consider yourself hot, lukewarm, or cold?

"Well, I want to be very careful of building ourselves up too much, okay? Who is anyone, first of all, to say they are 'hot'? I think sometimes that verse is really taken out of context. It's really zeroed in on people harshly and I'll be the first one, number one, to say nobody is perfect...nobody. Anyone out there that's saying they are, you know, they're a liar. Number two, no one has arrived yet and has it so together. We've seen this recently with some big preacher people. I wouldn't say that I'm lukewarm. I wouldn't say I'm hot. I would say that all of us, we're four guys...we're neither angels from heaven nor demons from hell. We're normal people who know Christ, but are in an industry where it's very different. It's hard for most people out there to understand the workings of the rock'n'roll music business, and how to deal with situations. I would just say that we're four guys where, at the level of our heart, there is sincerity. We're not perfect, but we're not ones out trying to do anything that's wrong or trying to do anything to hurt anybody. We're trying to do what we can. We haven't turned our backs. We're just four normal guys."

Like you said, all of us have blown it, and all of us have failed, all of us have sinned. How have you guys dealt with sin in your lives?

"To start this off, I remember a guy who went to a pastor one time. This was one of the most right-on things I've ever heard. The guy walks up to the pastor and says, 'Look, I just want to tell you something. I'm really angry at God. There's a lot of stuff in my life that I just don't understand. I'm going through a lot of problems and I'm really angry at God. I don't want to be, but I am.' The pastor said, 'Look, God's a big God and He can take it.' I thought that was so awesome.

"I think the most important thing is to make Christ your friend, not just where He's just this figure on a cross or whatever. It's a thing in your heart. It's definitely a relationship. I think sometimes things are just blown out of proportion, and people are looked at as nothing but sinners, instead of just people. Of course, people are sinners but I don't think God just looks at people as sinners. He looks at them as people, but sin is a separate thing. He hates the sin, but He loves the person. I think sometimes that's forgotten. 'People are just sinners as wrongdoers.' I just don't think that's good, personally."

Yeah. I know in the Gospel Jesus never called people "sinners". He used the term "lost". If you lose your car keys, you'll go around the house looking for them, because they're valuable to you. That's a term He used for us, because we're very valuable to Him and He's looking for us.

"Exactly. I think sometimes all of us - and I did say us, okay - need to re-evaluate 'What is Christianity?' Number one, its not a bunch of works. I kinda look at Christianity sometimes and say, 'hey wait. I don't understand. The emphasis has been placed on the exterior: 'Get right', and you carry the cross around your neck, and you carry that Bible with the dove imprinted on the nice cover; you wear that suit or whatever; you go to church so many times, and you're seen at those prayer meetings, and you're okay. But that's not it. That's not Christianity. It isn't, you know, making sure everybody knows how much money you gave. It isn't begging people to give you money.

Christianity is really caring about people, and you know, it's not an easy thing to do.

"In one of the first shows we played in 1984, we went up to Sacramento. At that point, we didn't have any money at all. We had a truck, a little car, and a black limousine that some lady had bought. It wasn't a very nice limo. The air-conditioner didn't even work, but it was a big car and it was a way for us to get around. So, when we pulled up to this place we're going to play, the minute we get of the car these self-righteous Christian people who were there praying go, 'Hey, you guys, wow.. we're really kind of grieved you pulled up in a limousine. You know, we thought you guys were humble.' We thought, 'You fools. That's not humility. I mean, if we would've pulled up in a beat-up Toyota, would you have said, 'Right-on for God?' Those are the ideas that float around...it's really ignorance. People are just being taught, in ignorance, a false humility. Humility is what's in the heart."

I can definitely relate to your frustration at having to meet so many people's standards just because you're a public figure.