Are U2 a christian band ? Your opinion please .

[nadroj1985]

Well I wouldn't go that far, we have some core essentials

Like what? Honestly, I think I've probably seen every one under debate at one time or another. Check out the Liberal Theology forum right now, and you'll find a thread Loki started about whether or not belief in God is essential to Christianity.

 

[Arwen Undomiel]

That's like saying peanut butter is not essential for a PB&J sandwich. Like hydrogen is not essential for water. Like Trey Anastasio is not essential for Phish.

 

[nadroj1985]

That's like saying peanut butter is not essential for a PB&J sandwich. Like hydrogen is not essential for water. Like Trey Anastasio is not essential for Phish.

Perhaps, from your viewpoint, but you might want to read the thread. There are other interesting ways of looking at it, IMO.

 

[oldrooster]

My whole core in all of this is that I would rather have Bono representing Christianity than Benny Hinn.....

 

[Shannonkish]

Here Here OR! I concur.

 

[rainbowprism]

I realize that Bono's faith is not necessarily the born-again, evangelical understanding of Christianity, but I do think he believes himself to be a follower of Christ, and it is his understanding of what that means that leads him to do the things he does for the poor and sick - which is certainly Christian.

His lyrics inspire me tremendously. I find that his honest questioning/struggles, etc., speak more to real-life than a lot of the music that the CCM industry turns out. I think of him as a modern "David". Like David, he's not afraid to question God when he doesn't understand, or to show his anger over things like the bombings in Ireland, etc. But then he writes great praise songs like "Forty", "Gloria", "Grace", "Beautiful Day", etc.

QUOTE]
double

 

[rainbowprism]

I realize that Bono's faith is not necessarily the born-again, evangelical understanding of Christianity, but I do think he believes himself to be a follower of Christ, and it is his understanding of what that means that leads him to do the things he does for the poor and sick - which is certainly Christian.

His lyrics inspire me tremendously. I find that his honest questioning/struggles, etc., speak more to real-life than a lot of the music that the CCM industry turns out. I think of him as a modern "David". Like David, he's not afraid to question God when he doesn't understand, or to show his anger over things like the bombings in Ireland, etc. But then he writes great praise songs like "Forty", "Gloria", "Grace", "Beautiful Day", etc.

QUOTE]

Exactly my sentiments. And what's amazing is that they have so many clear Biblical allusions and references in thier songs but it is accepted by secular and Christian...they blend the elements perfectly.

 

[rainbowprism]

Here Here OR! I concur.

Right on my brother!

 

[Arwen Undomiel]

My whole core in all of this is that I would rather have Bono representing Christianity than Benny Hinn.....

Yep, I agree totally!

 

[ps139]

Like what? Honestly, I think I've probably seen every one under debate at one time or another. Check out the Liberal Theology forum right now, and you'll find a thread Loki started about whether or not belief in God is essential to Christianity.

I can start a thread about how you do not need water or oxygen to live, does that make it valid?

 

[nadroj1985]

I can start a thread about how you do not need water or oxygen to live, does that make it valid?

I don't know. Let me see your argument. If you're just blindly asserting that, and have no basis for it, then of course it's not valid. But I'm willing to bet that there is honest, argument-based disagreement on every Christian doctrine, including which ones are most important, which ones are necessary, etc.

This is really not the place to argue this sort of thing, though

 

[ps139]

I don't know. Let me see your argument. If you're just blindly asserting that, and have no basis for it, then of course it's not valid. But I'm willing to bet that there is honest, argument-based disagreement on every Christian doctrine, including which ones are most important, which ones are necessary, etc.

This is really not the place to argue this sort of thing, though

Nadroj, to give you the benefit of the doubt I'll go check that thread and see what its about. But,
A. Last time I checked Loki was an atheist posing as a Christian on this forum.
B. To claim that you can be Christian, (worship and serve Jesus Christ as God) without believing in God, is the most ludicrous thing I've ever heard.
An argument does not have merit because it exists. It neither honest nor argument based. "You can believe in God while not believing in God" is essentially what it comes down to. There is no such thing as a Christian who does not believe in God. Atheism and Christianity are mutually exclusive. Frankly I'm surprised you are defending the validity of this argument, you are a lot smarter than that.
But yeah this is not the place to debate it although I can move this thread if it doesn't return to Bono & U2.

 

[nadroj1985]

Nadroj, to give you the benefit of the doubt I'll go check that thread and see what its about. But,
A. Last time I checked Loki was an atheist posing as a Christian on this forum.
B. To claim that you can be Christian, (worship and serve Jesus Christ as God) without believing in God, is the most ludicrous thing I've ever heard.
An argument does not have merit because it exists. It neither honest nor argument based. "You can believe in God while not believing in God" is essentially what it comes down to. There is no such thing as a Christian who does not believe in God. Atheism and Christianity are mutually exclusive. Frankly I'm surprised you are defending the validity of this argument, you are a lot smarter than that.

Were I in your position, deluded as you are about my intelligence ( ), I would look into it more. Generally, when someone who I recognize as intelligent has a viewpoint that appears silly to me, it means that I haven't investigated it enough. I'm not saying you'll come to think that a "Christian atheist" is a possibility, but you might find out that there is at least honest debate over the issue.

Here's the thread for those who want to check it out: http://www.christianforums.com/t736993

But yeah this is not the place to debate it although I can move this thread if it doesn't return to Bono & U2.

Do you feel the power coursing through your veins?

Edit: Forgive me, Conor, for derailing your thread somewhat. But a realization of how heavily debated Christian doctrines really are is, IMO, an important thing to keep in mind when you're talking about whether or not someone is or is not "Christian."

 

[Conor]

I am in regular contact with steve stockman the author of the book " Walk on a spiritual journey with U2 so if any of you want his personal e mail address i will gladly pass it on

He is a nice guy although he bends over backwards so far to accomodate U2 that any further and we would have to call an ambulance

I should tell you a story about bono . Dont worry i am not always as serious as my last few posts just nearly always .

Anyway to get on with the story i myself live just five minutes from him in a place called sallynoggin which borders his locality of kiliney .
His house faces the beach we like to go to in the summer .
Anyway a lady from our locality was trying to loose weight and so she went for walks along kiliney beac very early in the morning ( about 6 am which is insanely early in Ireland )
Every morning she would see this guy with a scruffy beard and a small round hat sitting on the beach staring out into the see . She took him by his appearance to be a down and out .
She decided to bring him some hot soup the next day being thre friendly Irish lady she is .
He took the soup nodded and said thanks and she went on her way .
she told her son about the "bum on the beach" and he said she should be more carefull so the next day he accompanied her only to find out that ...yes you guessed it
that was the richest bum on any beach cause it was bono .

By the way someone keeps correcting my grammar on this thread . Hey i speak the english language but i am Irish so forgive me . a lot of people in america and elswhere think ireland is part of britain however we in fact are not . Scotland and wales are though .
Well if i am getting grammar lessons then i will dish out some geography ones of my own .

God bless all here Conor Ireland (as opposed to britain

 

[Conor]

Message for nadroji1985

Nah your not hijacking my thread . I dont adree with everything you posted but i find your posts interesting nonetheless . As you may have guessed i am an evangelical christian but i like hearing different views .

In fact sometimes i visit atheist websites as i find them interesting , not that i am saying you are atheistic .

There are so many liberal views in christianity that almost anything goes within those camps .
In recent times in england a fairly high ranking cleric in the church of england said that he did not believe in the resurection .
Christianity does have some absolutes . Some people would argue with this and say there are no absolutes not even in religeon .
To which i ask are you sure ? hastily someone replys ABSOLUTELY !

Conor

 

[nadroj1985]

Message for nadroji1985

Nah your not hijacking my thread . I dont adree with everything you posted but i find your posts interesting nonetheless . As you may have guessed i am an evangelical christian but i like hearing different views .

Good I don't care what people's beliefs are, as long as they are willing to hear the points of view of others. Your open-mindedness is commendable.

There are so many liberal views in christianity that almost anything goes within those camps .
In recent times in england a fairly high ranking cleric in the church of england said that he did not believe in the resurection .

Yes, that's become the position of quite a few liberal Christians, although not all.

Christianity does have some absolutes . Some people would argue with this and say there are no absolutes not even in religeon .
To which i ask are you sure ? hastily someone replys ABSOLUTELY !

Perhaps, but I tend to think there are less absolutes than most do. But that's OK. Disagreement doesn't necessarily indicate a lack of truth to me.

*nadroj sighs, wonders how he got into a theological discussion in the nice, innocent Secular forum*

 

[ps139]

Christianity does have some absolutes . Some people would argue with this and say there are no absolutes not even in religeon .
To which i ask are you sure ? hastily someone replys ABSOLUTELY !

Conor

Conor, I love that!!

 

[rainbowprism]

Quote:

I find solace in places I never could have imagined…the quiet sprinkling of my child's head in Baptism, a gospel choir drunk on the Holy Spirit in Memphis, or the back of a cathedral in Rome watching the first cinematographers play with light and colour in stainglass stories of the Passion. I am still amazed at how big, how enormous a love and mystery God is-and how small are the minds that attempt to corral this life force into rules and taboos, cults and sects. Mercifully God transcends the Church." Bono



I love this quote by Bono and I find it right on.. but thats my opinion. I am amazed though to steal some of his words on how small are the minds that would try and judge Bono's Christianity.. he has never claimed to be an example of it, he is stumbling through just like the rest of us... I adore Bono to death for his work and think like I have said a million times that is the finest examples of a humanitrian I look up to how he has fought the good fight .. but he is human and I really get a little scared when people put him up on this religious level and then claim to be dissaponted or judge him.. Last I checked he was not claiming to be Mother Theresa but simply Bono. He was and is brilliant and I adore him and I think we should leave him to find his own solace and each of us do the same.

 

[One Tree Hill]

Being an expert on the subject, and claiming my identity as nothing but my own, I feel compelled to clear up misconceptions in this thread relating to U2's Christianity.

U2 are NOT a Christian band (I'm a grammar Nazi and yet I alternate between are/is - go figure). The most fascinating aspect of U2 is that they are strong and solid friends, close-knit and inseparable, and yet the band is a group of individuals. Adam Clayton, the bassist, does not claim any religion, though I would be willing to bet he believes in a deity of some description (after all, he says October is his favourite album and it's said by many to be U2's most spiritual, though I believe Pop is).

Bono, The Edge, and Larry Mullen Junior are all Christians. They have all publicly stated their faith, though like everyone, they've gone through their trials and tribulations. I'm not familiar with Bono ever saying other religions are fully correct or that there are other legitimate ways to God, though I am familiar with him saying other faiths contain some truth and that he is interested by them. I also have DVD footage from multiple eras (1981 through to 2004) where he openly professes his Christian faith, and his lyrics speak for themselves. All the way from the early days (Gloria) through U2's career (40, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, my own One Tree Hill, Mysterious Ways, The Wanderer, Wake Up Dead Man) to their latest work (Beautiful Day), his lyrics reveal his faith. I'm sure we'll see some more inspired stuff on the new album, due for release on 22/23 November. After all, I often see U2 credited as modern-day prophets and psalmists. If you don't believe the prophet part, go play Please and then get back to me.

The Edge is more interesting. He nearly left the band before the War album was recorded after having trouble reconciling his Christian faith with being in a rock band. He was probably the most religious then, though Adam felt a tad rejected from the group at times in the early days, because in the tour bus, the other three would sit up the back singing hymns and the like. Since then, I think Edge's faith has become more internal, though he still believes. During Elevation Tour concerts, Bono would introduce Edge as a "Zen Presbyterian who thinks Catholicism is just too much glam rock."

Now onto the drummer, Larry ... all I know is he is a Christian. Larry fiercely guards his privacy, and when I say fiercely, I mean FIERCELY. We don't even know the name of his youngest child.

So to conclude, U2 are not a Christian band, though the Christian faith of the majority of the members shines through in their work. I wouldn't say they are Christian or secular. They are U2, and that's all there is to it.

"We don't make old music or new music, we make U2 music." - Bono, 30 May 1983

 

[rainbowprism]

Being an expert on the subject, and claiming my identity as nothing but my own, I feel compelled to clear up misconceptions in this thread relating to U2's Christianity.


So to conclude, U2 are not a Christian band, though the Christian faith of the majority of the members shines through in their work.

I think that was the general consensus of everyone else...what misconceptions did you need to clear up?