Posted on 04/03/2006 9:29:05 AM PDT by fgoodwin
The gospel according to U2 and Bono
http://news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=509842006
STEPHEN MCGINTY
* US church uses U2's songs to attract young worshippers * U2 lyrics are being used by Episcopal Churches from California to Maine * The U2 Eucharist was devised by the Rev Paige Blair
"I waited patiently for the Lord. He inclined and heard my cry." - Bono, U2 Lyric
BONO has declared that he is not a man of the cloth, "unless that cloth is leather". But the words of the charismatic U2 front man are nevertheless ringing out from pulpits across the United States.
The Irish rock band's songs and lyrics are being used by the Episcopal Church in so-called "U2 Eucharists" as a means of attracting young people who relate to the group's social activism.
Earlier attempts by churches to connect to youth culture have usually involved ministers in open-toed sandals strumming acoustic guitars and singing Kumbaya to the general embarrassment of all. Yet, in parishes from California to Maine, worshippers are flocking to hear U2 classics such as Beautiful Day, Pride and Peace on Earth rolled into a service of prayer.
However, ear plugs are passed out with the Bibles and hymn sheets for those who prefer organ music.
The U2 Eucharist was devised by the Rev Paige Blair, a parish priest in York Harbor, Maine, and it has since spread through word-of-mouth and on clerical websites.
At All Saints' Church in Atlanta, Georgia, organisers had planned for 300 worshippers, and instead had to contend with 500, while at the Grace Episcopal Church in Providence, Rhode Island, as many people turned up for a Friday night U2 Eucharist as normally turn up on a Sunday morning.
While U2 songs are not yet listed in the Episcopal Church's authorised hymnal, Ms Blair believes it is only a matter of time. She said: "I seriously think the day will come. There's a gift they have in speaking to the human soul."
She came up with the idea after a sermon about the One Campaign, the Bono-backed initiative designed to alleviate global poverty and fight AIDS. She quoted equally from Bono and the Bible and included the lead singer's line: "Where you live should not determine whether you live or die."
Instead of a hymn, the service began with one of U2's earliest hits, Pride (In the Name of Love). As the music played, pictures of famous believers, including Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, flashed on a 10ft by 4ft screen behind the altar.
Other songs included in the service were Peace on Earth, which was inspired by a fatal bombing in Northern Ireland and which questions why God does not halt human suffering; during it, Bono sings: "Jesus, can you take the time to throw a drowning man a line." Also played was 40, in which Bono echoes the 40th Psalm, singing: "I waited patiently for the Lord. He inclined and heard my cry."
Bono may favour black leather while on stage in front of an audience of millions, but to some believers, he can still act as a latter-day prophet, producing songs filled with Christian symbolism.
The Episcopal Church in the US has been among the first to recognise the band's power. A few years ago two of its priests edited a book of sermons based on U2 songs entitled Get Up Off Your Knees: Preaching the U2 Catalog.
Yet Bono has provoked criticism from fans and even members of his own band for his close involvement with the US president, George Bush, a born-again Christian, whom he lobbied last year as part of the Make Poverty History campaign.
In February, he joined Mr Bush at the national prayer breakfast in Washington, and told the gathered clergy: "I'm certainly not here as a man of the cloth, unless that cloth is leather ... I'm the first to admit that there's something unnatural, something unseemly, about rock stars mounting the pulpit and preaching at presidents, and then disappearing to their villas in the south of France."
The gospel according to U2
IN HER sermon, the Rev Paige Blair quoted from both Bono and the Bible and included the singer's line: "Where you live should not determine whether you live or die."
As an opening hymn, the service played one of the U2's earliest hits, Pride (In the Name of Love).
On a screen behind the altar, pictures of famous believers such as the Rev Martin Luther King jnr were flashed up as the music played.
Other songs included in the service were Peace on Earth, inspired by a fatal bombing in Northern Ireland and which questions why God does not halt human suffering.
Another song was 40, in which Bono echoes the 40th Psalm when he sings: "I waited patiently for the Lord. He inclined and heard my cry."
I agree. To a large degree, I think that it is the American church that doesn't. Unfortunately, the wall of separation hasn't been strong enough to keep preachers allowing political issues, parties and candidates from clouding the laserbeam focus Christ had on the issues of poverty, hunger, etc., while He walked the Earth.
Nobody does Charity better than the American Church. Nobody.
If U2 is Christian, more power to them.
If one cannot tell from their music if they are or not, then I'd say that THEY are the ones going out of their way to prevent themselves from being labeled as Christian.
In which case, I'd go with their own desires and say that they are not a Christian group.
I have no problem with rock, rap, soul, etc. being having Christian lyrics and coming from Christian singers. I just think that if you're gonna be one, then don't be coy about it.
Coy to me means that you've not made up your mind.
Depends on how you define "charity." American Christians are alright about giving a little to charity; but only a precious few are actually doing something to help the poor. I have to plead guilty as to not doing enough either.
I've been thinking lately - Christians seem to have retreated to all-white suburbs. We're a group of hemogeneous white, middle-class Republicans. Not a lot of Evangelical Churches meet downtown, but rather on sprawling suburban campuses. I've decided, if I ever get involved in a church plant, it'll meet downtown.
You are a calvinist.
Christians meet where they do because that is where they are.
Am I missing something?
Oh, they're anything but coy. They wear their faith - struggles and all - on their sleeve. I think they're not labelled as Christian, however, because they don't fit into the Christian music cliche.
If they are, then they are.
I haven't listened to them.
Yeah. Not everything God predestined would occur is the right thing for us to do. For all I know, God predestined me to try to get something going on in the inner city.
I think you've confused Calvinism and Fatalism.
Nope, I've confused what is with what I've been told has been planned.
There were no Native American Christians in 1362 AD.
Someone should've started a mission.
That's a borderline-ecstatic experience live. Similar to Peter Gabriel's closing with "Biko."
Someone did in 1492 AD - as soon as practicable.
Honestly, I've been told that it was "as soon as planned."
I'm not sure that practicality is an issue in planning when one is omnipotent.
Now, I've either been told that or I haven't been. I've either understood what I've been told or I haven't.
Why God waited till 1492 is above our pay grade.
Which is why you either will or won't open an inner city church in your area.
It's above your pay grade.
"If Bono, then why not Little Richard, who is a certified minister hisself?"
Or my husband who is an Internet Minister. His "diploma" hangs proudly on our fridge, next to pictures drawn by the kids, our UW Hockey Season Ticket Holders Calendar and our current bills to pay, LOL!
Bono. Bono. Just shut up and sing!
I'd actually listen to Creed over U2 for soul-splitting spiritually-driven music, though I did go to a U2 concert in the past. But then, I've also seen Steve Miller, Elvis (shortly before he died, in Las Vegas), Journey, Cheap Trick, Van Halen & Pink Floyd in concert.
I'll leave my Final Judgement up to God, as far as my past musical tastes go. I'm pretty sure that if he can forgive my Rock-n-Roll past, he can forgive anything. ;)
Our Jimi, Who Art in heaven, Hallowed by Thy soloes...
Honestly Jude, does the European Church do a better job at Charity than the American Church? No way. It is the American Church that leads the world in feeding the poor of this earth. While obviously we could do better, the principle problem in getting food to the hungry is not the fact that the American Church is not doing enough, it is because the governments of the countries where people are starving will simply not let the food in without stealing it or killing those who bring it.
And right now nobody in America is starving. If anything poor children in America eat too much. The number of poor children that are overweight is much higher among the poorer classes in America than among the higher classes.
The priniple reason there is starvation in the world is not a lack of Charitable giving by the American Church, but because of the politics of corrupt dictators and corrupt governments and the inability of Christians to go into Muslim countries because they will be killed.
It would take up too much space to list all the American Church charities that are busy caring for the poor of this world. You'd be hard pressed to find any country where the Church is even a fraction as charitable.
Don't project your own guilt on the rest of the Church. If you feel that you are not doing enough, then perhaps you are not doing enough. Your job is to put what is in your heart into the coffers and God will provide the increase. Your job is not to rag on everyone else because they don't do as much as you would like them to do. They don't have to answer to you, they only have to answer to God.
I've been thinking lately - Christians seem to have retreated to all-white suburbs.
I don't know where you get your ideas, jude. Are you saying that blacks are not Christians?
If Christian families can afford to live in peaceful suburbs, it is not because they are greedy, it is because they work hard and God has blessed them. Tell you what jude, when you become a successful attorney, why don't you move to downtown Compton California and and do your part to whiten up the neighborhood.
Sheesh.
BTW my "white suburb" is about 30% Hispanic and 10% to 15% black and about 10% Asian. It is fairly typical for a middle class "white" suburb in California. the fact of the matter is that the higher you go in home prices, the higher the percentage of Asians and Middle Easterners you see. As far as I know there are no more middle class white suburbs in California. None.
I've been to three of their shows, and they got better each time. The best performers of their era certainly, maybe ever.
I vote for "ever"! 2,500 years of Western Civilization and here come Freddie and the Dreamers! (You're talking about them, aren't you?)
LOL. No, of course I meant Herman's Hermits!
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