Did U2 bring you to faith?

[Trinity3000]

I've read posts around this forum where people mention that they were brought to faith through their love of U2.

Does anyone want to share their story?

 

[popsadie]

Back about nine and half years ago I went through a quite spiritually dark time and had basically degressed to an agnostic view on life. One night however..(and this is where the u2 comes in..lol) I was listening to a band I had just gotten interested in..and realized that their songs were really affecting me...and a good part of the reason was because they involved a relationship with God..something I thought I didn't care about anymore.

Anyway, that night I cried and prayed repeatedly for God to reveal himself to me. Strangely, throughout that week, total strangers and acquaintances began asking me about my beliefs and sharing their faith with me. For example, I had one believer who I hadn't talked with before come up to me out of the blue and asked me if I went to church. All in all I counted 6 or 7 people who shared their faith with me unprompted. This week is still very vivid to me. I believe God answered my prayer that week and I am beyond grateful that he did...that he let me into his presence....

 

[Harry Vest]

I wouldn't exactly say "brought me to the faith" but U2 certainly helped...especially with "Tomorrow" from October..."Open Up, Open Up To The Love Of God..."
Wow, that was the early 80's...so long ago.

 

[butter7]

Ironically, the opposite.

 

[The Fiddler]

Ironically, the opposite.

I'm curious to know how / why?

 

[Liesje]

Ironically, the opposite.

Ditto, sort of. Forever I believe whatever everyone around me believe. Living in a conservative Dutch community of people still thinking like Dutch Protestantism circa 1850, I was basically living in a bubble.

Because of U2 I was able to let go of parts of my "faith" that were only holding me back and closing people off. I also went to Africa and did some soul searching. That lead to more questions than answers, but all my life I thought I'd had answers and am just now asking the questions...

I'm still a Christian, just a different kind.

 

[butter7]

I'm curious to know how / why?

I've beening thinking this whole afternnon whether I should reply or not. Just don't want to offend people in any way at all. Usually I don't have the American courage to use the "free speech" anywhere, anytime.

So if you felt that you might not want to read the following contents, please ignor it. I don't want to see anyone bashing here.

Thank you.

----------------------------Start of fire line--------------------------------------

Okay, now you've go cross the line, and let me try my best to make it straight and simple.

the answer for 'Why?'

If God loves people, we probably won't have U2 at all. There would be no sunday bloody sunday, bullet the blue sky, pride, running to stand still, mother of the disappeared, Miss Sarajevo...etc, etc. Examples? Your parents might turn a blind eye when you do your daily fight with your brother or sisters, but kill them?

If God is that powerful that he could reach whatever goal he had, then at least what he would do is correct the defect human souls, the faulty products directly from his factory, and the 33 kids and teachers wouldn't die in the classroms, under the gun of their schoolmate.

The answer for 'How?'

What U2 really taught me is not sit back on my armchair, reading novels and ignor the hunger on the street, because I had too much in the dinner; to look at the world, do the research on the problems and try to find the solution. And we can fix the problems if we work closely with each other.

What U2 didn't taught me is to pray my ass off for some help that it has its own existence-problem hasn't sort out yet, and wait to die.

---------------------------------End of fire line-----------------------------------

Safe zone for everyone...

I'm not into religion ever since I was a little kid. I simply believe everyone was borned free, and we have to contribute our best to make the world a better place, therefore I could not stand most of the religous stories and stuff.

Band member's religious belief won't bother me, as long as they don't go across the line; be happy with their lifes, sometimes release a new album for the fans, there's nothing else I'd ask for.

 

[The Fiddler]

Thank you for your honest answer

 

[cobl04]

It has helped. I am still an athiest, and I think I always will be. But my mind has been opened up much more through U2's music.

 

[emzz]

If God loves people, we probably won't have U2 at all. There would be no sunday bloody sunday, bullet the blue sky, pride, running to stand still, mother of the disappeared, Miss Sarajevo...etc, etc. Examples? Your parents might turn a blind eye when you do your daily fight with your brother or sisters, but kill them?

If God is that powerful that he could reach whatever goal he had, then at least what he would do is correct the defect human souls, the faulty products directly from his factory, and the 33 kids and teachers wouldn't die in the classroms, under the gun of their schoolmate.

Well how I see it is that God gave everyone free will. God shouldn't be blamed for all the evil things men do.
That's just my point of view.

 

[andberlin]

not really, although i was aware of their spirituality and was into their music. however, after i became a christian, they became a crucial part of my relationship with god, and like liesje said previously, have helped in challenging me to see my faith in a new light, to recognise its true, often distorted shape instead of just accepting the prescribed view offered to me. they've led me to ask many questions, but, funnily enough, these questions have actually strengthened my faith - i've let go of seeing things in black and white absolutes (which i don't normally do but was unquestioningly following) - it makes life a whole lot easier/harder to realise that life is anything but a series of absolutes, i think i've discovered the colour in my spirituality.


/end rant. sorry guys!

 

[U2isthebest]

I've been a Believer since I was 6, so I wouldn't say they brought me to faith. However they've definitely helped me more than any pastor, church leader, or even family member (Many pastors, and family have been big helps though!!) I feel like I've been going through a transition in my relationship with God. I haven't been spending the time in prayer and Bible study (personal) as I used to. I feel like they've kep me holding on. I see such an outpouring of the Love and Grace of Jesus in their lives. I've learned to loosen up from their passionate faith. It's not about me, it's not about my perfection, it's about what God did for me. Their example of surrender and pure trust WHILE questioning has inspired me, and their music is simply pure love and adoration of God to me. It's indescribable!! Thank God for them!

 

[butter7]

Well how I see it is that God gave everyone free will. God shouldn't be blamed for all the evil things men do.
That's just my point of view.

Many many people share the same opinion with you, believe me on this.

If God can see the things and still let them happen by saying that it's their free will, then you should follow him.

For instance, you walked pass by a dark street and see a guy raping a girl, and you should be able do what God did, walk away doing nothing, without guilt. Because it was the guy's free will to rape, and it was your free will to walk away.

If we all believers, no one would balme you.

 

[popsadie]

The difference is that God has knowledge that we don't have. God sees all time at the same time. God, as the Judeo Christian tradition believes in is omniscient and omnipresent. Humans are confined to time and since we are, we are supposed to do the thing that seems right in the moment. God isn't bound by time.....what might seem 'right' at the moment might not be right according to God all time seeing eyes.

 

[butter7]

So that proved he did know what exactly happened during the wars, he just ignored the death right? And for that he still not getting the blame?

Good on him to ignor the twin tower crush, 33 kid killed in the campuse. Or should we say, these people died because God simply want them to die?

Guess who is the biggest murderer of all time?

It's also interesting to think if God will get everything done when it need to be done, then we have completely no need to save the extincting animal species (because if he want them to live, he could have already done that); no need to fight for poverty and AIDs (because God want these Arican to die). No matter what we do, it's competely right, because if God didn't say no to you, you can assume that you've got the permission and what you did would be good in the long run which only God could see.

Anyone want to rob a bank? God is with you.

 

[popsadie]

hmm...I think one thing that needs to be looked at is the Church. According to Christianity, the Church is the body of Christ. I sometimes wonder if some of the pain etc in this world isn't because of the Church's ineffectiveness and inattention in certain areas.....Look...you are welcome to believe whatever you want about God, but I happen to believe that we live in a fallen world full of fallen humans who have been given the gift of free will. I do think that there is an ultimate plan, but I don't believe that anyone without a complete knowledge of eternity would be able to understand it completely.

 

[butter7]

Oddly, we actually got some similar opinion.

Let's bring U2 back to the discussion.

The biggest benefit that I've received from U2 is they actually re-build my trust on human, which somehow lost along the way I growing up. I never believed in God, when I started losing trust in human. It was an awful feeling.

I thought the world has completely no hope because everyone is self-centered, could do anything bad to benefit oneself, and I was far too small to do anything about it. Little kindness might make your neighbor a good day but won't change the fact that thousand of people are dying everyday. I was glad U2 was there to draw people's attention to these problem off God. It is really our problem, no matter what God wants, I just don't want to see these beautiful faces covered by tears.

So, rock on, U2!

As I wrote in my high school note book: If God dare give us bad luck, I gonna kick his ass.

 

[Rachel D.]

So basically you're saying that God can't be real because bad things happen? That's like saying that medicine isn't real because some people are sick. Bad things happen because people who don't believe in God think that it doesn't matter what they do, so why shouldn't they destroy others' lives? Who do they have to answer to? Also, if the world were perfect, then there would be no reason to believe in God because no one would feel that they need Him.

Sorry to get off topic. I just feel sorry for you as you seem to have wounded faith.

 

[coemgen]

I myself grew up in a Christian home, and I've always liked music. I remember my parents (mainly my mom) threw away a mix tape of heavy metal I had as a young boy because it was too dark. It dealt with death, drugs, sex, etc. The funny thing is I didn't care about the lyrics, I just liked the songs. So then they bought me some Michael W. Smith and Stryper. I thought the lyrics were interesting because they dealt with spiritual stuff, which I loved, but the music was complete crap. We had battles over my music for years. Later in high school, my best friend asked me to bring my Bible over. It wasn't like him to even say the word "Bible." I brought it over and he had the book to "Achtung Baby" over and told me some verses to look up. He showed me how lyrics from "Until the End of the World" and how they were plucked from the Bible.

This turned my world upside down.

The coolest band has Biblical lyrics? WTF?
From this, and then the whole idea of MacPhisto and his origins coming from Bono's inspiration found in C.S. Lewis' "The Screwtape Letters" taught me one of the most important lessons in my life:

My faith can be Biblical, yet my own. I can be creative as a Christian, and find that source of artistic expression through God. Christians don't have to be boring.

I've never been the same since. These guys, with the exception of Johnny Cash, not only made Christianity cool -- they made it relevant. (Hence, www.relevantmagazine.com, whose founders have been called "U2 Christians." )



butter7 - After reading your posts I can tell you have a great heart, including a deep sense of what people go through. The world needs more people like you.
The questions you're raising are tough to answer, and worse yet, maybe their answers are hard to accept. Pain is real and we all experience it -- sadly, some experience incredible amounts of it. Without cluttering this up with Bible verses, I encourage you to do just a little research on the issue. It's a great question, and I'd hate to see you dismiss God simply because you haven't researched it enough to arrive at an answer you're comfortable with. And maybe you'll feel the same after you look into the Christian perspective - I don't know.

My personal feeling is that the evil in the world is our fault. God allows it, because of the rule of free will. If there wasn't free will, we'd be pointless robots. However, I believe God interacts with us and comes to our side during times of trouble. I believe he can give us "peace that surpasses all understanding" as the Bible says. I believe he is love like the Bible says.

I guess one question to ask your self is what exactly is bad? I know stuff like the holocaust and the Virginia Tech stuff are horrible, horrible things. Evil. But what about other stuff that seems wrong? I know people who have gone through hell -- cancer, other diseases, paralyzing injuries, etc., and they thank God for them. They're lives are better now. They're closer to God, their families and they understand life better. They're happier. That, at the very least, may answer part of your question.

On a larger scale, the same line of thinking can take place when considering Jesus. God's son, sent down here in enemy occupied territory and teaches his followers about God and love, and what happens? He dies nailed to beams of wood. Humiliation was part of it. Torture was part of it. Death was part of it. I'm sure his early followers felt like you do about God after that.

Then he rose again. He conquered death. And through that, we can, too, living eternally with God. A God who can identify with our worst pain AND provide eternal life through it is a God I want to follow, even though there's still tough questions. And without sounding cheesy, I think the reason U2 gave you hope in humanity is because through their own humanity they've shown us all what it means to live like Christ. I know Bono's relationship with Christ is his guide for the day. I wish my own relationship with God was as strong as his.

Thanks for sharing where you're at. I hope I don't sound preachy, but I did want to put that out there in an attempt to offer another perspective.

God bless, butter7.

 

[butter7]

thank you coemgen for sharing your thought with such an openness.

Just like you have been through incredible spiritual experience, I've got some even more impressive ones. Ever think about kill youself? Found the window of high tower suddently become extremely attractive to you and you just want to jump out? I always have the letter of my last words ready, ever since I decide to stand beside the death and live with it, so I could embrace it anytime when I need it. It calms me down, and really lights me up, becuase I now knew my destiny. I got the whole world to win, but got nothing to lose now. I like their tones when they say: you must have a easy life so you never worry about anything.

I'd rather believe that human, including you and me are the one, who created the problem, therefore we have to share the duty to clean it up.

Ironically, I was a bible reader, when I was much younger, and all other religious books too. I think it's simply like an object having its image reflected from a mirror. If the mirror is pink colored, then the image would be pinky. I don't have a room for God in my heart, and I guess that's why he couldn't have his imaged showed up on my mirror.

I agree on people saying that the childhood environment will have impact all along you life. I remebered when I was in junior high, one of the essay question for girls was assume ourself were the one of the most beautiful woman in the world, and we could marry whoever we want. The essay gave up a list of names of famous people from different countries, different area, good and bad. I got a good mark for that one. I remebered I was amazed the day the teacher read out what printed in the teacher's book - the purpose of this essay through the class discussion question: Will you marry Adolf Hitler. It is actually a heavy topic to discuss with teenager girls. It is about teaching kids balancing between millions people's lives and your own life and happyness. How far would you go?

One of my religious friend once told me that being an atheist is being religious, too. I guess he was right, in some extent.

I know you spend your time to write such a long post, must based on a good will. I truely enjoyed your opinions, and thank you for that. I know some people would ask why an atheist like you could enjoy U2's religious flavored music? And the answer is I really don't care which way people go, as long as they working toward the right direction. They shows me another way of doing things and a beautiful blue print of their project. I still couldn't see where is God though.