If you were a teenager in the 1990’s — or, like me, was the parent of a teenager in the 1990’s — you were aware of the rock band “Creed.” Creed was often identified as a Christian band due to some of their songs containing spiritual allusions, such as My Sacrifice, Higher, and With Arms Wide Open, the last song having won the 2001 Grammy Award for Best Rock Song. The band members, however, never saw themselves as a ‘Christian’ band.

Part of the group’s early success can be attributed to the powerful vocals of Scott Stapp, the lead singer from 1993-2004. Stapp began a solo career in 2004, and, even while claiming to be a Christian, followed a life that was, to put it charitably, not very Christian in practice. Stapp’s lifestyle was that of a typical hedonistic rocker, if Wikipedia is accurate, which included multiple marriages, suicide attempts, and the famous triad of sex, drugs, and rock ‘n roll.

Stapp has recently re-emerged in a very curious video explaining how he is now penniless and under attack, living currently in a Holiday Inn after spending two weeks in his truck. The video, which runs 15 minutes in length, was placed on the 41-year-old singer’s Facebook page, pleading for legal help. The grainy video of the haggard Stapp, which he titled “Scott Stapp of Creed: Public Statement #1,” features claims that the IRS had frozen his funds after a “clerical error,” and that he was sober and had “rededicated” himself to Christ. Here is a short clip:

TMZ also reports that on Thursday morning, Stapp was interviewed by radio hosts at KISS 92.5 in Toronto explaining his troubles, where he claimed that his IRS problems stem from his “dissatisfaction” with President Obama. Stapp had appeared on “Fox and Friends” on the Fox News Channel in 2012, shortly before the Presidential election, explaining his disappointment with Obama after having voted for him in 2008. In the KISS 92.5 interview, he refers back to the 2012 appearance on Fox and Friends and claims that his bank problems started appearing two months after that. Both interviews can be seen here.

Delusional, or accurate? It’s certainly believable that the Federal Government, under the auspices of the IRS, can punish individuals and groups; I give you the ongoing IRS-Tea Party scandal. But Obama targeting a has-been rock singer for what were actually pretty benign statements about him shortly before his successful 2012 re-election? Possible, but to me it strains credulity.

Then there’s this:  Stapp’s wife of eight years also just filed for divorce, and his text messages she used to support her petition are troubling, to say the least. Some in the file include:

▪ “Florida is not safe. Biological weapons on the way. U have to leave with kids and meet me in Atlanta.”

▪ “I’m coming to get you Satan and children. No mercy. You know how this ends. God created you and now God is ending you.”

▪ “God is also telling me something about Palm Springs and Nashville so there’s a connection somehow. He’s also telling me DEA for some reason.”

▪ “Wells Fargo working out my account problems. I’m out of gas. Haven’t eaten all day. I’m asking if they can spot me $1,000 so I don’t fall over from malnutrition.”

▪ “I wouldn’t doubt it if the CIA is behind Alcoholics Anonymous.”

While I realize that divorces can dissolve into he said/she said conflicts, the presence of these text messages indicate a very troubled individual, possibly someone suffering from mental illness, delusions, and paranoia. Possibly he’s drug-fueled once again — I have no idea. I’ve never really followed his career, but I do have With Arms Wide Open on an old iPod, and I find it tragic to see someone with such talent disintegrate into such a demeaning condition.