Blessings Aren't Just for the Ones Who Kneel.

Another song from the album, The Best of: 1980-1990, that contains Christian connotations, is the song, “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For ” While there are some Christians who maintain that Bono is renouncing his faith in this song, others maintain that Bono is simply expressing personal struggles with his faith and with temptation. Still others maintain that Bono is expressing his struggle with the current world.

Whether or not Bono is indeed facing a crossroad in his faith is mere speculation, but there can be no speculation on the Christian imagery that is so evident throughout this song. Verses seven through eight read,

                      I believe in the Kingdom Come
                      Then all the colours will bleed into one
                      Bleed into one
                      But yes, I’m still running

                      You broke the bonds
                      And you loosed the chains
                      Carried the cross of my shame
                      Oh my shame, you know I believe it

This last verse seems to indicate that Bono is a follower of Jesus Christ because he acknowledges that he has been set free from shame on account of what was done for him on the cross.  If Bono is affirming his faith, then how can he also be asserting that he has not found what he is looking for in Jesus Christ?According to Stockman, Bono is not speaking of his discontent in Jesus Christ but of his discontent with the current world. Stockman writes, “To have found what you’re looking for actually means you have died and gone to heaven!”

At the same time that Christians believe the cross has changed their lives.  There is still a hope in one day moving on to a place where there is no AIDS, poverty, violence, division in the Church, selfish motives, and other things associated with a fallen world. This whole idea of Christians still not finding what they’re looking for, falls in line with what Paul writes in Philippians 3:12-14:

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

From U2’s album, “U2 - The Best of 1990-2000Mysterious Ways,” also contains Christian content. It is interpreted that Bono is speaking about the Holy Spirit moving in mysterious ways, because the last verse directly refers to spirits.

                     Move you, spirits move you
                     Move, spirits ‘its move you, oh yeah
                     Does it move you?
                     She moves with it
                     Lift my days, and light up my nights, oh  

Bono has publicly said that he believes the spirit is a feminine thing, which explains the feminine imagery he uses throughout the song. Another Christian component to this song is the last lines in the fourth verse which read,

                    If you want to kiss the sky, better learn how to kneel
                    On your knees, boy!

These lines indicate that prayer, or more specifically, repentance, is needed to reach heaven.This falls in line with Romans 10:9-10, which reads,

That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

U2 has made music for the people, for you and me. Its not only about faith and the idea that you must follow one God, clearly if you listen to the music as a whole you will find that that blessings are for everyone.

Bono's Lyrics and Faith

The music of U2 has appealed to both Christian and secular audiences alike for well over two decades. Not only are the sounds and melodies intriguing but the lyrics exemplify powerful emotions which captivate audiences by identifying with inner emotions and struggles.

The man behind these compelling lyrics is Bono, U2’s exclusive song writer. But what is Bono trying to say through his lyrics? Is he touching on spiritual or even Christian issues, as Christian fans often suggest?

Although there is some truth in assertions that Bono’s songs are ambiguous, and vague this can not be generalized to all of his songs.  There are many songs in which Christian content is unmistakable. In this section, some of Bono’s most popular songs, namely those from U2’s compilation albums, The Best of: 1980-1990, and The Best of: 1990-2000, will be examined for Christian content.

Moreover, popular songs Bono has written from 2000-2005 will also be examined. Ultimately, the reason Bono’s songs appeal to both Christian and secular audiences alike, is because the songs resonate in people’s hearts as they are able to identify with the real-life issues of pain, doubt, fear, love, and hope.  

In 1987, Bono released, “Where The Streets Have No Name” which became an immediate hit. This song was inspired by the visit Bono and his wife Alison Stewart made to Ethiopia in 1985.  In Ethiopia they saw great disparity between the rich, city-dwellers and the poor, rural villagers who were dying in the desert.

Bono comments to Propaganda, the official U2 magazine( at the time), on how he was trying to sketch with this song a feeling reflecting either a spiritual or a romantic location.

He goes on to explain: “I often feel very claustrophobic in a city, a feeling of wanting to break out of that city and a feeling of wanting to go somewhere where the values of the city and the values of our society don’t hold you down. An interesting story that someone told me once is that in Belfast, by what street someone lives on you can tell not only their religion but tell how much money they’re making - literally by which side of the road they live on, because the further up the hill the more expensive the houses become.

You can almost tell what the people are earning by the name of the street they live on and what side to that street they live on. That said something to me, and so I started writing about a place where the streets have no name”

Even though  Bono is not explicit in identifying whether this place, where the streets have no name, is a new Heaven on Earth or not, the fact that status indicators would be written off certainly suggests that it is a place to which one would aspire. At the same time that the song exhibits a hope for a better world, it also exhibits a real emotional struggle of dealing with the current world. The first verse of the song reads:

I wanna run, I want to hide
I wanna tear down the wall

That hold me inside
I wanna reach out

And touch the flame

Where the streets have no name

These lyrics reveal a conflicted heart that wants to embrace and extend love, but is fearful of doing so.[x] The song’s last verse expresses the wickedness of humanity:

We’re still building and burning down love
                        Burning down love
                        And when I go there
                        I go there with you
                        (It’s all I can do)
 
In essence, this song is calling people to rise up to the challenge of loving others in spite of different backgrounds, thereby disregarding labels of race, social status, nationality etc.

This notion of throwing off identity labels falls much in line with Galatians 3:28, where the apostle Paul writes, “ there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Although Bono does not come out directly and speak about Heaven, he is clearly speaking about a peaceful place where love overrides all identity barriers.

Calling All Christians

Many believers criticize Bono for claiming to be Christian and failing to live in accordance with Evangelical standards and norms.  Steve Stockman summarizes the cynicism of Christians as, “they drink and smoke and swear, how can you believe that they are still Christians?

Likewise Mark Joseph explains many believe U2 is successful in the entertainment industry because “they [are] willing to submerge strong and devout statements of faith and devotion, and instead write songs that [are] vague at best, avoiding whenever possible direct references to God” Despite criticisms, it is clear that Bono’s personal spiritual journey deeply impacts his music.  He boldly quotes Psalms, chants Hallelujah, and openly worships God in front of stadiums of secular audiences.

His lifestyle reflects a strong relationship with his wife Alison Stewart and commitment to his four children.  The humanitarian causes he advocates resonate from a Christian point of view with Biblical imperatives declaring the necessity of faith’s alignment with social justice.

Ultimately, the extent to which Bono lives between Christ and culture is debated.

Todays suggested reading One Step Closer: Why U2 Matters to Those Seeking God

Adam says Good By to "MUM"

U2 star Adam Clayton was “lucky to be able to spend the last week by his mother’s side”, according to close friends.

The bassist came home a week before Jo Clayton’s death to be with her at the family home near Ballina, Co Mayo.

The rock star’s mother — who passed away last Thursday following a long battle with cancer — was fondly remembered as a woman who took a great interest in her son’s career from the early days.

As a friend explained: “Adam’s mum used to drive him and the lads to the gigs in a Mercedes station wagon way back in the Seventies before anyone gave them a second look.

“She always believed in his talent and helped in any way she could. The two were very close.”

The heartbroken star was supported by friends and family who turned out for the service at Glasnevin Cemetery where the 74-year-old was cremated yesterday afternoon.

A close friend of the band, Gavin Friday, spoke before the service to say: “Adam flew home to be with his mum and he was very grateful to be able to spend a week with her before she died.”

It is believed that Adam’s French girlfriend and their baby son — who was born early last year — attended a private service in Foxford, Co Mayo. Also there was Adam’s father Brian and younger brother Sebastian and his sister Sara Jane.

Bono and The Edge along with members of the U2 entourage flew in for the private service last Friday and Mrs Clayton’s body was then brought to Dublin yesterday for a service at the crematorium in Glasnevin, Dublin.

The U2 star’s father Brian was a pilot and the family settled in Malahide, Co Dublin. Their home in Bofeenaun, Co Mayo, was the family’s holiday home until recent times when retired Brian and Jo moved there permanently.

Bono, Christ and Culture

Bono / Dave Long / U2TOURFANS Bono, is an example of an individual striving to live between Christ and culture.  As a world-renowned rock-icon, the lead singer of U2, Bono has earned a myriad of labels. 

Among them are: singer, songwriter, opportunist, Christian, humanitarian activist, egoist, political advocate, rock-star, father and husband. 

Bono’s multifaceted life makes it difficult to understand exactly what it is that defines his success. 

Arguably the most celebrated secular rock star of the modern era, intriguingly, Bono openly professes faith in Jesus Christ. 

Despite his testimony, many Christians refuse to recognize this secular icon as a genuine follower of God.  In regards to his lifestyle and lyrics, many consider his faith nebulous and even questionable. 

His humanitarian pursuits – devoid of fellowship with the Church – are sometimes heralded as activism for its own sake.  As an artist, Bono typically refuses to overtly espouse familiar Christian lyrical content expressing themes of peace, joy, praise, and love.  It is often only when one delves deep into his art, that Bono’s beliefs become evident.   The following paper will examine the way Bono lives between Christ and culture.

We Get to Carry Each Other: The Gospel according to U2 (Gospel According to) Garrett, an English professor at Baylor University, plumbs the U2 catalogue to reveal the group’s theological worldview. This is not a far stretch—three of the four band members were involved with a charismatic Christian community in Ireland as the group was starting out.

U2 is not the only rock band to address spiritual themes in its music, but as the author adeptly illustrates, it has certainly been one of the most consistent and outspoken. Garrett rightly posits in a chapter about social justice that U2’s message encourages listeners to put their faith into action for the sake of the poor and marginalized.

The author is clearly a music fan, and his excitement about U2 is contagious. Rock music fans who have ever wondered if their faith and musical taste could ever be paired will be intrigued by U2’s story and Garrett’s theological analysis of the band’s music.

Over the next few days we will take a closer look at how U2 and Bono weave Christian values into the songs that have been moving to those that seek a different path.

God is in the House

Where the Streets Have No Name.Beautiful Day.I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.Yahweh. For fans of the Irish band U2, these are familiar rock songs. But to a growing number of Christians, they’re becoming tunes for worship, and for the Eucharist.

Services using U2’s music, commonly called U2charist, were begun by Episcopalians for Global Reconciliation. The services combine the music of the rock band with traditional communion. They focus on a message of global reconciliation, justice, and care for neighbors as advocated by Bono, the lead singer of U2. Bono, a dedicated Christian, is also a global ambassador for Millennium Development Goals, a movement by the United Nations to eradicate poverty and disease by the year 2015.

U2charist first took hold in the U.S. at St. George’s Episcopal Church in York Harbor, Maine, drawing 130 people. Many of those in attendance were in a younger demographic and did not usually attend the church. Since then, dozens of the services have been held worldwide in churches of many denominations.

In a U2charist service, the liturgy remains the same, although the music is markedly different. U2 songs are repurposed as the opening hymn, song of praise, sermon response, and offertory. Most of the songs are seen as metaphors, with lyrics that are layered with meaning.

“In church, you hear [the music] in a different way. It’s like new,” said Natalie Williams, a 17-year-old who attended a U2charist at All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Briarcliff Manor, New York.

Eric Johnson, who attended the service at Hyde Park United Methodist Church in Lakeland, Florida, had no doubt about the effectiveness of the music.

“The crowd, the enthusiasm, the energy—I felt like the Holy Spirit was in the room. The message was getting through, and we were worshiping together,” he said.

The offerings that are collected at U2charists go to charities fighting extreme poverty and AIDS, as worked out in an agreement with the band’s publishing company. Paige Blair, rector of St. George’s, estimates that more than $36,000 has been raised from the U2charist services for the cause.

“People are learning there is something they can do to change the world,” she said. “And they leave feeling that they really can.”

At St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Encinitas, California, the U2charist service was well-received by young and old alike. Teens connected to the “hip factor,” while adults found deeper meaning in the music.

At St. Andrew’s, the service drew a crowd that compares to normal Christmas or Easter attendance. St. George’s is beginning a U2charist team to help others implement the service. And this year, a U2charist service will be broadcast in Great Britain on Easter Sunday.

“It spread like wildfire,” Blair said. “We’re giving people a way to engage their faith in a meaningful way.”

And letting them rock out at the same time.

This week we will start a three part or four part series on U2, God and Faith.

"You Can Blame Droughts On God, But Famines Are Man-Made’

In an interview Wednesday on CNN’s AC 360, U2 frontman and activist Bono dismissed any suggestion that the famine threatening the lives of up to 600,000 African children was the result of an act of God. “You can blame droughts on God, but famines are man-made,” the singer told Anderson Cooper, who was in Mogadishu, and has been reporting from the region all week. “This shouldn’t be happening,” Bono, who is co-founder of the ONE campaign, said, noting that other countries in the region have been hit by the same drought, but effective use of agricultural programs have helped avoid famine.

The situation in Somalia has been staggering–and led Cooper to argue the lives of hundreds of thousands of kids should be getting more of the world’s attention.

U2 join aid effort for African children

U2 are among more than 150 musicians who have joined the “I`m gonna be your friend” social media campaign, backing a fundraising effort to help people affected by the drought in northeast Africa.

Universal Music Group, Facebook, Yahoo!, AOL, MSN, YouTube, Twitter and celebrities including Lady Gaga, U2, Eminem, Muhammad Ali, Jennifer Lopez, Elton John, Britney Spears, Madonna, Justin Bieber, Sting, and Rihanna are backing the campaign, via their huge networks of friends and fans on Facebook and Twitter.

The celebrities are asking people to pay to download a single by Bob Marley & The Wailers for $1.29, the campaign official site imgonnabeyourfriend.org said.

Visitors to the site are also encouraged to donate money and share information about the campaign in social networks and blogs.

Bob Marley & The Wailers’ 1973 song High Tide or Low Tide has been donated by the reggae star’s family, and appears on the site with footage of malnourished children.

“Bob’s music has always conveyed a message of hope, unity and love. And this is a message needed now more than ever,” campaign organizers said on the website.

The campaign hopes to increase the number of participants to a billion people.

About 3.6 million people are at risk of starvation in Somalia and 12 million people across the Horn of Africa, the United Nations says. Thousands of families, including around 70,000 children, have been forced to flee their drought-stricken homes, with many now in overcrowded refugee camps.