Christian themes in How To Dismantle

[80sU2isBest]

As far as Christian themes, there are some real gems in HTDAAB...

Some that you may not have thought of:

In "All Because Of You", when Bono says "All because of you, I am", I don't think he's saying "I am because of you". "I Am" is one of the names for God. I think Bono is saying "It's all because of you, I Am".

I think"You can make me perfect again" is a description of what happens at rebirth (when someone becomes a Christian), because the Bible says that at the moment, the person becomes a new creation and the spirit is made perfect...

Also "Original of the Species" has a double meaning for me...I know it's written from Bono to one of his children, but it could also be God's viewpoint as he talks to Adam, the first man.

 

[MadelynIris]

Beneath the noise,
Below the din,
I hear your voice
it's whispering
In science and in medicine
I was the stranger
you took me in


Yup.

 

[BVS]

Well I think the album as a whole has a spiritual context...stronger than most.

I can list a lot of specifics but this is the first that poped in my mind(besides the ones already listed in many other threads).

Now I've only really listened to it twice but One Step Closer(being that it notes Noel Gallagher) sounds like a song told from the perspective of a non believer who's maybe seeing a light.

I don't know what are your thoughts?

 

[starsgoblue]

For those that have the 48 booklet....Bono's faith leapt out at me through those pages.

Still a bit overklempt...will post more later.

 

[80sU2isBest]

These are all so good. I do enjoy reading all your ideas!

 

[shrmn8rpoptart]

Well I think the album as a whole has a spiritual context...stronger than most.

I can list a lot of specifics but this is the first that poped in my mind(besides the ones already listed in many other threads).

Now I've only really listened to it twice but One Step Closer(being that it notes Noel Gallagher) sounds like a song told from the perspective of a non believer who's maybe seeing a light.

I don't know what are your thoughts?

the idea for this song was given to him by noel gallagher. bono was talking to him about his father. bono was worried because in the final days of his life, bob had begun to question whether there was a God, and i guess noel told bono, "well, i guess he's one step closer to knowing."

 

[thrillme]

What's interesting, Adam said "All because of you" could be about God. He said it could also be about other people too, but he mentioned God first.

 

[Dreadsox]

Vertigo-Temptation/Redemption

Miracle Drug-'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

SYCMIONYO-While I think it is generally about his Father....I also wonder if it has to do with not being able to make it without God.

LAPOE: Middle East

COBL: I feel this has to do with the fact that in our human condition we are somehow broken (SINFULNESS)...."What happened to the beauty inside of me?" The City of Blinding Lights is what our Soul will become when we reach heaven, and the Blessings of Heaven are not just for those who pray....Grace of God opens heaven to all.

All Because of You: Definitely agree I AM is a reference to God. I also feel that this again is a song about redemption. We are born children of grace. The world has uglyness (SIN). I think the middle part is about how opinionated we are, that we do not hear others, making us slow to learn, while life is speeding along. through life our soul, born of Grace becomes cracked but not broken, and God can fix it when we are at the door to heaven. "I'm alive, I'm being born, I just arrived, I am at the door of the place I started out from and I want back inside." It almost sounds like we start as souls in heaven and are sent to earth, and when we die we are back home to be repaired....

Man and a Woman: Not my favorite song, but I think it makes reference to the fact that when the soul finds a soulmate, God is present. maybe? "I've been trying to feel complete again but you're gone and so is God."

Crumbs from Your Table: political/biblical..... The song is in my opinion a slap at the developed world/USA(the brightest star) consuming more than is necessary (the blackest hole) instead of giving what we had to offering to the less fortunate of the world, we sacraficed our soul. We take what we need without thinking of the needs of the others. We try to make our world beautiful, defvouring up everything, including our friends. The poor need more than just stories about miracles of the world, miracles of religion, the need FOOD. Then we can talk about believing in miracles. Being born to a nation in poverty should not be an excuse for dying young in this day and age.

One Step Closer: Nothing new to say about it.

Original of the Species: Again I get a sense of the soul being so pure, like that of a child. I know as a parent I am amazed at the purity and goodness of my children. Their faith and belief in God is so good and simple....and as an adult, I would love to CAPTURE that. "Please stay a child somewhere in your heart." Praying that the child does not lose this purity. "I want the lot of what you got and I want nothing you are not". I think it continues warning the child about the dangers we as adults face, and how the world changes us....."come on now show your SOUL you've been keeping your love under control." How often do we as adults look at the world through the eyes of a child? Do we lose that childhood way of loving and showing our soul as we grow old? I think of this verse in the bible:

The Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven

1At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"
2He called a little child and had him stand among them. 3And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
5"And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. 6But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.
7"Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Such things must come, but woe to the man through whom they come!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hmmmmm........Sorry If I am rambling and making no sense.....

 

[BostonAnne]

Crumbs from Your Table: political/biblical..... The song is in my opinion a slap at the developed world/USA(the brightest star) consuming more than is necessary (the blackest hole) instead of giving what we had to offering to the less fortunate of the world, we sacraficed our soul. We take what we need without thinking of the needs of the others. We try to make our world beautiful, defvouring up everything, including our friends. The poor need more than just stories about miracles of the world, miracles of religion, the need FOOD. Then we can talk about believing in miracles. Being born to a nation in poverty should not be an excuse for dying young in this day and age.

I hope the slap wakes some people up. The theme that I constantly hear these days from Bono is the theme of indifference. If there scripture stating that indifference is wrong when people are dying and you are not lending the hand you should?

 

[BostonAnne]

For those that have the 48 booklet....Bono's faith leapt out at me through those pages.

I was especially thrilled that the Ave Maria lyrics were there:

Ave Maria
Where is the justice in this world?
The wicked make so much noise, Lord
The righteous stay oddly still
Without wisdom, all of the riches in the world leave us poor tonight

And strength without humility
Is weakness or untreatable disease
And war is always the choice
Of the chosen who will not have to fight

The righteous stay oddly still

I believe this line is another comment to the indifference in Christians especially.

 

[80sU2isBest]

I believe this line is another comment to the indifference in Christians especially. [/B]

Christians aren't more indifferent than anyone else (in fact, I'd say they're less indifferent, based on how many charities are started and run by Christians); it's just that Christian indifference that does exist is so much sadder because one would expect Christians to have the love of Christ.

 

[Dreadsox]

I believe this line is another comment to the indifference in Christians especially.

It almost seems we could start a separate thread about the book...

I think it is a message to the righteous of any faith. It is one thing to be righteous in human terms, and another to be righteous in godly terms. Abraham, someone I probably would not like as a person, was considered righteous because he answered God's call.

I would say that being righteous in man's terms is going through the motions of acknowledging God. Even the devil does that.

I would say that godly righteousness is present when people, Christians, Jews, Muslims, answer God's call.....the call that I feel Jesus calls us towards, but I find in the psalms as well.

Maybe I am not making sense, but I believe God has been calling a LONG time.....

 

[BostonAnne]

Christians aren't more indifferent than anyone else (in fact, I'd say they're less indifferent, based on how many charities are started and run by Christians); it's just that Christian indifference that does exist is so much sadder because one would expect Christians to have the love of Christ.

I just read an interview today that Bono did with Hot Press, which is why I sited Christians. He specifically calls on the Church, thus I converted that to challenging Christians that are indifferent. I agree that Christian indifference is sadder because we are supposed to Love Thy Neighbor.

http://www.hotpress.com/

Bono's Quote in Hot Press

As I was trying to say earlier, the songs that you want and the songs that you get are often very different. I don’t really have much control over it – and if there are lyrics that offend some of the people I work with, so be it. ‘Crumbs From The Table’ is one of the most vicious songs ever. It’s full of spleen about the church and its refusal to hear God’s voice on the AIDS emergency.

 

[Jamila]

So many excellent ideas about the spiritual themes present in HTDAAB that I don't feel that there is much more that I need to offer except to say that this really is the most completely open album that U2 has ever produced.

It is full of the major themes that every human being faces in life - temptation, confusion, frustration, anger, despair, forgiveness, hope, love, light, peace and the grace of God.

And, in true U2 style, each song leaves you with a sense that life can be better and that we CAN BECOME BETTER.

For me, U2's underlying spirituality is bigger than Christianity - it encompasses spiritual ideas from many religions and blends them together very well. But U2's underlying Christianity is apparent in HTDAAB.

A personal note: some of you may know that currently I am undergoing some medical treatment for what I'm hoping is a reversible condition.

I have already found TREMENDOUS COMFORT AND RENEWED STRENGTH from listening to HTDAAB - not just because it's U2's latest album, but because the songs on it RESONATE IN MY HEART AND SOUL and bring me comfort and upliftment.

I am holding on especially tight to songs like "One Step Closer to Knowing" (beautiful), OOTS, Miracle Drug, Crumbs and Yahweh.

I thank God for bringing this MAGNIFICENT ALBUM into my life at a point when I really needed to hear the messages in these songs/psalms.

I just wish that I could thank U2 for this gift of their music which is a ray of Hope and Love for me right now.

Hopefully, I just have.

ORIGINAL OF THE SPECIES....