From: gt6223b@prism.gatech.EDU (Jerry B. Ray)
Newsgroups: rec.music.christian
Subject: Re: U2's denomination
Date: 1 Sep 92 21:24:43 GMT
Organization: Georgia Institute of Technology

In article <Btwsv5.LGn@news.cso.uiuc.edu> djn20624@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Danielson) writes:
 
Well, first off, let me plug _Wire_, the U2 mailing list.  To subscribe, 
simply mail a message to U2-request@last.cac.washington.edu with only the
word SUBSCRIBE in the subject line.  There's a lot of talk about the current
tour, including set lists and reviews, that i'm sure you'll find quite 
interesting...

>	I know this probably been discussed before, but considering I just 
>plopped down $30 to see U2, I have a couple of curious questions :
 
I'll attempt to answer what i can.  I'm a relatively new u2 fan, so most of
my information comes from seeing them in Atlanta on the indoor Zoo TV tour
a few months back, and from the aforementioned mailing list.  I've got tickets
to the Atlanta show on September 25.

>	What denomination are the members?
 
I'm not sure, but i remember hearing that they are not Catholic.

>	What are their religious beliefs?
 
Well, three of them profess to be Christians, beyond that i don't know...

>	Do most (or a lot) of their songs have references or symbolic
>	of God and Christ (I can think of a few that don't mention God
>	specifically but may be talking about Him)?
 
A fair number of them do, mostly in their older stuff.  I understand Boy and
October have a lot of Christian references in them, but haven't heard for
myself.  War has a lot of 'Christian stuff,' including quotes from Isaiah and
a song based on the 40th Psalm ('40').  The Joshua Tree is a very 'spiritual'
album, with a lot of references that i interpret as being toward Heaven, God,
etc.  There are also some pretty blatant Christian references on Rattle and
Hum ('I was there when they crucified my Lord...' etc., When Love Comes to
Town).  The Christian stuff is harder to find on Achtung Baby, but it is there
to some extent.  I seem to remember Edge saying that 'Until the End of the
World' is meant to be Judas speaking to Jesus.  

Just as an aside, i have heard U2 songs covered by a few alternative Christian
bands, and their music has been played for intermissions at quite a few 
concerts that i've attended.  Take it for what it's worth...

>	(Very judgement statement here) Are they devoted, moral Christians, or
>	were they just born Catholic/Protestant/Whatever and sing a song or 
>	two about God?

Ok, well, i'm not really in a position to judge where they are spiritually,
but to answer your question, the impression that i get is that they were
once very comitted, but have been worn down by life and fame and all that.
Edge just went through a divorce and stuff, and the impression that i get
is that all of their faiths have been somewhat shaken.  But they still 
profess to be Christians, even in interviews with big time secular magazines
like Musician.

Here's a warning.  If you go expecting a really holy, righteous CCM concert
or anything close to it, you'll be TERRIBLY disappointed.  U2 has taken
a new direction musically, and the impression i get is that Bono is trying
to shake the 'Messiah complex' that seems to surround him.  He uses quite
a bit of language (F*** and the like, no 'GD's or anyting) and i've heard that
he took a hit off of a joint handed to him from the crowd once ('I can see!'
was his comment).  A more recent review said that he seemed to be really
smashed when he came on stage, and Edge got real pissed at him when he
blew some lyric.  Also, the DJ they have working the crowd between acts
is a prime candidate for a bullet to the brain from a sniper in the upper
deck (MHO).

But lest i sound too negative, some parts of the show were very 'spiritual'
for lack of a better word, esp. 'Pride', 'Where the Streets Have No Name,'
and other songs.  Very moving, and more worshipful than anything i've 
seen at a CCM concert in a long time.  

A final note, from some stuff i've been reading about U2 and some lyrics i
picked up on:  the band appears to be very disillusioned with the church
andorganized religion as a whole, a position i share :-)  This 
disillusionment is reflected in many of their newer songs (I Still Haven't
Found What I'm Looking For, Bullet the Blue Sky, something off the end
of Achtung Baby...).

So just turn you offensometer way down, and just accept the show for what
it is-rock and roll.  Anything else that you get out of it is entirely up to
you.  Keep looking around at the screens, the crowd, all the band, etc.
During one song they show an image of a burning cross on all the monitors 
(pride, i think).  Turn around and look at the reflection in the eyes of
the 50000 people around you.  It's really an amazing sight, and words don't
do it justice.

JRjr

-- 
'Hear the tale of a fallen people, destined to wander their broken land.
Their eyes are vacant, full of empty meaning, and what they're missing they
just don't understand.  Beyond the dark horizon, out where the people are
crying, a Morningstar will be rising, rising to show us the way...' Whiteheart
From: rhm@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM (Bob Miller)
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1992 17:38:39 GMT
Subject: Re: TANGENT: Re: Is music amoral??
Organization: Hewlett-Packard, Fort Collins, CO, USA