Bono Gives Thumbs Up

Back to Bono…

Bono is somebody I have a great deal of respect for. He is not your stereotypical rock star by any means. Has been granted many gifts and privileges, (and no doubt suffered many hardships growing up in Northern Ireland), but he is doing a very honourable job, IMO, of doing God’s work with the gifts God has granted him. Here’s an interesting article that touches on some of what he’s been able to do.

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2002/114/52.0.html
Christianity Today, Week of April 15

'A Rock Band That's Good for Something'
The author of Walk On: The Spiritual Journey of U2 talks about why politicians listen to Bono.
Interview by Todd Hertz | posted 04/19/2002

By the time that Bono announced the formation of his political advocacy group DATA, met with evangelical leaders about world need, and turned the Super Bowl halftime show into a spiritual event, a book chronicling the Christian message and mission of U2 had already been released.

Walk On: The Spirtual Journey of U2 (Relevant Books) was written by Belfast Presbyterian minister Steve Stockman, who has used the work of U2 in his sermons and writing for 20 years. This week, Christianity Today spoke with Stockman about the influence—and faith—that U2 and its frontman have brought to the world.

What makes Bono stand out among other socially active celebrities?

I think he is unique, and I would like to think he is unique because of his faith. The people who used to talk about political and spiritual things are not around now. U2 is one of the few. Bruce Springsteen is still around, but not with the same relevance he had maybe 20 years ago. Bob Dylan is still around but not in the same way. R.E.M. is now singing about dragonflies, and I don't think they have much to say.

I think the excessive living of some other pop stars has distracted them from the issues of the real world. But I don't think Bono has ever been distracted; he is still pretty well plugged into that. I think his faith has kept him away from excessive living and has also given him a mission.

Bono is unique in that world because he has integrity, he's famous, he has a brain, and he has this spiritual mission of wanting to bring in the kingdom.

Why do politicians listen to a rock star like Bono?

When the political door was opened for Bono, all these politicians said, "Who is this guy?" But when he got in there, he knew his stuff. He didn't come in with a three-line stance that someone outside in the hall gave him to read. He was able to engage with these people.

I recently read an article in which Bono discussed how he was able to approach President Bush and other American politicians with a conservative Christian background.

He said, "These men are based on the Bible. And I know my Bible, so I just talked to them about the Bible. I told them how many verses are about poverty, I told them what Jesus said about poverty, and from the Bible I showed them this should be on their agenda." He won them over with biblical proof.

I certainly do think that when it comes to the life of Bono, his faith has been the thing that has energized his interest in justice issues and poverty issues and AIDS issues.

Why do evangelical Christians like U2?

It probably starts with liking good rock music, but then they also take hold of exactly what the band is trying to do. [After their first album,] they started to ask questions from the place of faith.

Everyone wants to be born again, but what about the process of growing up again? Where does our faith take us, what are those questions, where are those dilemmas? U2 went headlong into the middle of that dilemma. They said, "This is what the world is about, and we will say both what we believe and what we don't believe."

U2 went out and lived in the heart of the storm, and now they can sing about the storm. They have lived in the real world, so their message is more relevant to the real world.

Certainly the new album and the Elevation Tour have been of great encouragement to evangelicals who have gone to the concerts and sensed an infinity with the spiritual energy that Bono is exuding at the moment. I think if you like rock music and you are an evangelical Christian, U2 must be something you can latch on to with pride.

But there's another group within evangelicals who has decided against U2. And I haven't really thought of it, but it would be an interesting thing to see why there's that huge difference of opinion in evangelicals.

When looking back 30 years from now, how will U2 be seen both in a musical and spiritual context? What is their legacy going to be?

I think when you look back at U2, it will be for more than their rock music. I think Woody Guthrie said, "Music has to be more than good. It has to be good for something."

I think modern music is sometimes rubbish. Sheryl Crow's new album is very good, but it is not good for anything. It is not saying anything. It's shallow.

When people look back at U2 they will have to say, at this period of rock music, they are the band that contributed the most socially, spiritually, and politically. They will be remembered as more than just a rock band, but as a rock band that was good for something.

Todd Hertz is assistant online editor for Christianity Today.
Copyright © 2002 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.


See also:
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2002/005/14.18.html

 

does pretty much single handedly financially supporting the UN and supplying a large amount of the troops when the UN needs them count for anything?

 

I actually wrote a paper freshman year of high school about how U2's music was influenced by Christianity.

 

Trivia time:

What on the cover of <I>All That You Can't Leave Behind</I> is symbolic Biblically?

 

Thanks for the link, dimsie. I wonder what % of GNP the U.S. contributed 30 years ago? I suspect that it was quite a bit larger. Foreign aid makes a difference, makes an impact, and is not forgotten by the people helped by it. It's so easy to be cynical these days. I know from personal experience how much others appreciate it and what it can do.

 

I think the US underspends in foreign aid, but lets keep things in perspective.

The top provider of foreign aid in real dollars is the US. Should we be held 'accountable' for the size of our GNP? Denmark gave $1.6 B, we gave almost $11 B. Who said it shouldn't be a graduated tax rate?

The other confounding factor is net tax rates. If Denmark taxes their citizens at twice the rate of the US, then their Federal budget is twice as large as a % of GNP. It is much easier under those circumstances to spend more on foreign aid (that is, w/o fundamentally changing the nation's tax structure).

http://www.globalissues.org/TradeRelated/Debt/USAid.asp

I would also like to see the aid rate w/ military aid included. Say what you will about military aid, but if used properly, it can have a stabilizing effect and save lives.


That said, I wouldn't mind seeing our rate at least double , but it won't soon because many Americans mistakenly believe we use a sizable chunk of the Federal budget for foreign aid.

 

I don’t have the CD and the online pics aren’t very big. I can’t see it.

I give up. What is it?

 

This fan knows his stuff.

The J33:3 on an electronic board is a reference to Jeremiah 33:3-"Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not."


It's God's phone number

 

MadMax said this wasn't intended to boost Bush, so I didn't feel like pointing that out and starting another Bush rules!/Bush sucks thread.

 

They are the biggest, most popular Christian Rock band in history.

That's why I don't own any of their CDs and never will. Some may like it but it's not for me.

 

Sorry to get off track, but I just finished a Bible Study on the Book of Acts and it was incredible. It was a 33 week course although I am Pentecostal so we pretty much have to know that book inside out Good Luck!!

 

Because of specific lyrics?

Curious, do you own any ACDC?

 

So that's it.....Blues is my favorite genre, so I've always taken great interest in your music opinions. I was shocked one day to read that you thought U2 was the most over-rated band ever.

I think the press over-plays the whole Christian thing for U2. Hell, I don't even think Adam Clayton considers himself one. Offhand, I can't even think of one song where Christianity is a theme. Most of the themes are fairly liberal ones that I think you would approve of.

I know they are popular and get a bunch of radio airplay....which you seem to possibly be opposed to, but I think you should open your mind to them. They really put out some good music.

 

Yeah it accounts for pretty much owning the UN.

 

basically he aligns with people....it's a simple, but great and effective technique. I wish Christians used it more often, even on other Christians as Bono does here with political leaders.

thanks for posting this, grizzled!

My pleasure. You are very right that that technique is very powerful. You can even feel it when you think about that conversation Bono had with GWB. And the technique is really just telling it like you see it, passionately but in a respectful, non-judgmental, non-manipulative way. Unfortunately, our egos all too often get in the way and we end up screwing it up, and I most certainly include myself in that group. Instead of trying to overly craft the message by our own wisdom (ha ha) what we really need to do, more often than not, is to get out of the way and let the message speak for itself.