Niamh_Saoirse
Rock n' Roll Doggie FOB
STILL Haven't Found What You're Looking? Maybe U2 can help, because a leading theologian has dubbed the rock band as one of the world's finest examples of a spiritual organisation.
Dr Margaret Benefiel, who is one of biggest-selling religious authors in the world, has named the band as an organisation that is "profoundly aware of spirituality" in her book Soul at Work. Guitarist The Edge names tough love as one of the ways the superstars live a Christian life in an interview with Dr Benefiel. He also said big egos are frowned upon in the biggest rock band on the planet.
"It's a very healthy wayto live your life not to beso wrapped up in yourself but actually to think in terms of 'us'," he said. "Your ego in our case gets subsumed into a kind of a band ego. You know if you get the chance to compliment somebody else, in the end, you are complimenting the whole band.
"There's a stability there and a trust that is pretty indestructible at this point.
"A very miniature community like we have is a great model for success. It's a very effective form of co-operation for everybody involved."
U2 famously almost split up just as they were about to hit the big time after joining a born-again Christian grouping, because rock'n'roll clashed with their religious beliefs.
Bono, the Edge and Larry Mullen were on the verge on breaking up the band as a sacrifice to God in the early Eighties. The three band members regularly attended meetings of the charismatic Christian group called Shalom in the early Eighties, although fourth band member Adam Clayton didn't share their beliefs.
While they were touring America in 1981, the band's Christian friends were urging them to split from the band in order to lead a more religious life. But after much soul-searching, they decided to stick together.
The stars are named alongside a homeless organisation, an airline, a health group, a New York bakery and a manufacturing multinational in the book Soul At Work as spiritual organisations.
Dr Benefiel, who occupied the O'Donnell Chair of Spirituality at the Milltown Institute in Dublin in 2004, says the awareness of soul can play a profound role in the running of organisations.
Dr Benefiel said: "Soul at work is not a theological abstraction or a dogmatic mantra but the way that sustained purpose, culture and identity can transcend and enhance an organisations performance and success."
In the book, The Edge said the band have their own Christian way of living.
He said: "There is that community sense that I would associate with the Christian ideal of looking after your neighbour.
"But it isn't always pretty. In fact it's often very rough. Like do you care enough to risk confronting someone with the truth even if it is going to hurt them?
"That's love in action, real commitment to one another, real community and it has nothing to do with being nice to everyone at all times."
The guitarist says in the book, published by Veritas, that the band do bring their strong faith to their award-winning music.
He said: "We throw everything in - politics, religion, sex, everything that is us."
Dr Margaret Benefiel, who is one of biggest-selling religious authors in the world, has named the band as an organisation that is "profoundly aware of spirituality" in her book Soul at Work. Guitarist The Edge names tough love as one of the ways the superstars live a Christian life in an interview with Dr Benefiel. He also said big egos are frowned upon in the biggest rock band on the planet.
"It's a very healthy wayto live your life not to beso wrapped up in yourself but actually to think in terms of 'us'," he said. "Your ego in our case gets subsumed into a kind of a band ego. You know if you get the chance to compliment somebody else, in the end, you are complimenting the whole band.
"There's a stability there and a trust that is pretty indestructible at this point.
"A very miniature community like we have is a great model for success. It's a very effective form of co-operation for everybody involved."
U2 famously almost split up just as they were about to hit the big time after joining a born-again Christian grouping, because rock'n'roll clashed with their religious beliefs.
Bono, the Edge and Larry Mullen were on the verge on breaking up the band as a sacrifice to God in the early Eighties. The three band members regularly attended meetings of the charismatic Christian group called Shalom in the early Eighties, although fourth band member Adam Clayton didn't share their beliefs.
While they were touring America in 1981, the band's Christian friends were urging them to split from the band in order to lead a more religious life. But after much soul-searching, they decided to stick together.
The stars are named alongside a homeless organisation, an airline, a health group, a New York bakery and a manufacturing multinational in the book Soul At Work as spiritual organisations.
Dr Benefiel, who occupied the O'Donnell Chair of Spirituality at the Milltown Institute in Dublin in 2004, says the awareness of soul can play a profound role in the running of organisations.
Dr Benefiel said: "Soul at work is not a theological abstraction or a dogmatic mantra but the way that sustained purpose, culture and identity can transcend and enhance an organisations performance and success."
In the book, The Edge said the band have their own Christian way of living.
He said: "There is that community sense that I would associate with the Christian ideal of looking after your neighbour.
"But it isn't always pretty. In fact it's often very rough. Like do you care enough to risk confronting someone with the truth even if it is going to hurt them?
"That's love in action, real commitment to one another, real community and it has nothing to do with being nice to everyone at all times."
The guitarist says in the book, published by Veritas, that the band do bring their strong faith to their award-winning music.
He said: "We throw everything in - politics, religion, sex, everything that is us."
