You should never be afraid to express even the darker side of yourself, or ourselves. The chemistry was there and the pilgrimage, forged by predictable fundamentalist opposition and mind shattering experiences, exposed the group to mega issues of human rights by the Central American Mission Partner's guided tours through the wreckage of El Salvador. The 'unforgettable fire' remains kindled by first hand experience of the Bosnian disaster, but the responses are a puzzle to those who neither understand the nature of artistic pilgrimage, nor the manipulations of the media age which are brilliantly exposed by the cynicism and satirical brilliance of the Zoo TV tour. U2's Zooropa show is not merely music or entertainment but art that is full of symbolism. Manipulations of the mass media are exposed by a kaleidoscope of contradictory TV images.
Most fans seem to miss the dark humour and cynicism.
The problem for many Christians is their ignorance of modern art forms. This leads to a literalist interpretation of symbolism and satire, perceived as embracing rather than exposing the demonic. Since then I have continued to follow the development of the band with keen interest and from time to time renewed contact both in Australia and Dublin. U2 has an intellectual native drive to reflect on culture in innovative and outrageous ways. They have done this to the point where the medium is substantially the message.