Has U2 Influenced Your Choice of Faith?

[financeguy]

I respect U2's faith but it hasn't influenced me one way or the other. I do find it interesting that many musicians appear to have a strong religious faith (not all though).

 

[the soul waits]

In a way, they have made me aware of God, yes.

I was an atheist being unfulfilled and was subconsciously searching for a light and something substantial to have faith in.
As I have been a U2-fan since the age of 10 (am now 31), I always listened to them, but lately, the lyrics have touched me and that's what prompted me to look for a U2-forum and that's how I ended up here.

A friend, a Christian, told me yesterday that he believed that God was speaking to me through a medium that I was openminded towards - U2's music.

If that's true, I feel blessed!

Babysteps for me in all of this, but I feel better every day.

 

[the soul waits]

To quote Bono "Words and music did for me what solid, even rigorous, religious argument could never do -- they introduced me to God, not belief in God, more an experiential sense of GOD."

 

[80sU2isBest]

I think your Chistian friend may be right on. I think the Holy Spirit may be calling you.

Matthew 7:7-8 - Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

Revelation. 3:20 - Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, then I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with me.

 

[80sU2isBest]

I've been a Christian since Summer 1979. I didn't start liking U2 until 1983, I think. It was largely U2's faith that made me a U2 fan. I remember early on, reading a quote from Michael Stipe, insulting U2 and The Alarm for using spiritual messages in their songs.

I think I became an ABBA fan around the same time I became a Christian, so maybe ABBA influenced my faith...after all, Abba does mean "Daddy" in Hebrew....

 

[Ethlyn]

I think U2 has influenced me. I was a total atheist as well, but when I started listening to U2, they changed my views. Now I respect religion.

 

[80sU2isBest]

Ethlyn, I'm glad to hear that. I'll pray that God will reveal himself to you more and more in the days, years and months that follow.

 

[youtooellen]

U2 was more of an emotional influence for me
but i think my religious beliefs made me love them more

they were more of an encouragement rather then influence though. ISHFWILF was one of the few songs i knew by them at first when I didn't know much about them and it encouraged me to be active with my religion, rather than be inactive....

I'm sure I make no sense. but basically, no they didn't influence my choice of faith.

 

[the soul waits]

Thank you for your kind words, 80sU2isbest

 

[learn2kneel]

I was a Christian before I discovered U2, but they have encouraged and inspired my faith. Walk On, ISHFWILF, and Yahweh, Where The Streets Have No Name, in particular, have all been great influences on my spritiual life.

 

[daygloeyes2]

I would say U2 has influenced my faith. I'm not a fan of orgainized religon, but I do believe in God. Though before I began listening to U2, my belief in God was not very strong. In fact I was quite cynical about the whole idea of there being a higher power. But after I began listening, my belief in God did strengthen.

 

[scottyT]

there is powerful faith at work in this music.

it's awesome.

 

[blueeyedgirl]

No.

Interestingly, I got into U2 when "October" came out, when they were overtly "Christian" and I had become an atheist, having decided that after being raised Catholic I really didn't believe in any of it.

I respect U2's views on faith but I don't share in them.

 

[For Honor]

Nah. I was already a heathen when I started listening to U2.

Even though I don't share their religious belief I am interested in their exploration of it in their work. I don't necessarily need to agree with their premise or conclusions to find the journey compelling. I enjoy the work of many artists without sharing their viewpoint or beliefs. It's a great way to expand your mind.

I agree completely.


As far as I personally go, I choose not to align myself with a religion, or political party for that matter. I can't honestly say I completely believe in a certain religion, so therefore I don't say I am a follower of one. But I respect religions a great deal. If anything, U2 has made me consider Christianity more. For instance, my favorite song (favorite is an understatement to the level of praise and respect I hold it to) is "PRIDE (In the name of Love)".

I see that as being a more than slightly religious song. But the core elements - passion, sacrifice, love, etc - are what draws me to it. I think there are some essential and universal truths, and a lot of raw beauty there, too. And those things are not solely containtained within one religion or another. But PRIDE is the only song of it's kind for me, and that is why I think of it so.



One of the reasons I am reserved about religion is that so many people close their mind on this subject. I fear a narrow mind much more than a religion I don't understand or endorse.... but that is a story for another time, perhaps.

 

[onebloodonelife]

I guess that U2 has made me more open minded to religion...though I'm still not ready to accept a single religion as my own, but I do believe in God strongly, just not the organized religion thing. I see U2's music as more spiritual, not just Christian, so that helps me to not be turned off by the lyrics.

 

[VertigoGal]

U2 have made me think about a lot of things that I'd maybe been putting off before. They've helped me find questions, but not any answers, which is fine. It's better than when I was a few years younger, blindly accepting whatever parents/sunday school teachers said. I find they're many struggles with faith and transformations (Gloria to Wake Up Dead Man, yknow?) very interesting and relatable. So I guess they haven't really influenced my "choice" of faith, but after I started listening to them I have started questioning it more. Don't know if that's directly a result of their music, or just a natural phase.

 

[xtihn]

no. u2 had nothing to do with my faith, and when i first got into them, i didn't know anything or really care about their spirituality/faith/religious views. for me, initially, it was all about the music.

as i became more familiar with u2, their music has definitely influenced my faith over the years, and i think my faith helps me to appreciate their music.