Peace On Earth lyric

[StrangerTides]

I guess this could go under Musical Journey, but... well, I thought maybe it would be safer to put it here.

Regarding this line from Peace On Earth:

"Their lives are bigger than / Any big idea"

I completely agree with this line, and I think it's the key line in this great song. So I want to ask - what do you guys think is the "big idea" being referred to? I know the song is about the bombing in Omagh, and I admit I am not very familiar with the conflict, but isn't it an issue of religious differences?

See, I'm interpreting the "big idea" to be Christianity itself - that is, one shouldn't use one's religious beliefs as justification for violent acts.

But having said that (and being agnostic myself), wouldn't a Christian really have to disagree, and say that individual lives are not, in fact, more important than the core beliefs of Christianity? If the "big idea" is that Jesus died for the sins of all of humanity and rose again after overcoming them, isn't that actually "bigger" than the mortal lives of individuals? Is this possibly the justification used by the "Real IRA" and other violent groups for their acts? And if so, how exactly are they misinterpreting Christian beliefs to arrive at this justification?

I hope this is seen as an honest philosophical question, and not an attempt to stir up a religious debate - I'm really just curious what the folks here think about this. I'm new to the forum, as you can see, so admins, if this topic is not acceptable, by all means accept my apology and delete away!

 

[FizzingWhizzbees]

Interesting question, StrangerTides!

Personally I wouldn't interpret the "big idea" in that lyric as being about Christianity, or any other religion. I don't think the conflict in the North of Ireland is really a religious conflict, so I think it's unlikely that acts of violence in that country (whether Unionist or Republican) are motivated by religious conviction. (I could get into what I do think the conflict is about, but that'd be another post entirely.)

 

[FizzingWhizzbees]

Sorry, posted before I'd finished what I was going to say.

I wanted to add that I think the question of whether Christianity is "bigger" than individuals is interesting. In the one sense, you could say that it is because if Christianity is the truth then it is so amazing that it is "bigger" than any individual life. However, you could argue that what is "big" about Christianity is that it transforms people's lives...so...that would mean something different. I'm really not good at trying to articulate anything about religion, so I should probably leave this subject alone and let some people who are lots smarter than me answer your question. ;-)

 

[oktobergirl]

I always thought the line and the reference to "big idea" was a direct reference to the act of terrorism and any school of thought that those who supported it subscribed to.

 

[80sU2isBest]

Here's an interesting thought...

from Kite, we have "..in a time when NEW MEDIA was the big idea..."

then, on the same album from Peace on Earth, we have "tehir livees are bigger than any big idea..."

hmmm...so are their lives bigger than New Media? I don't think that's what it means, of course, but I thought it was interesting, nonetheless

 

[StrangerTides]

FW, yeah, your second post is what I was getting at. Of course if I'm wrong that the big idea has anything to do with religion, I guess that kind of makes the question irrelavent.

80sU2isBest, interesting connection, but as you imply, that's probably a different big idea.

oktobergirl, somehow I don't think the big idea could be terrorism or the violent act itself - even terrorists would tell you that their methods are just a means to an end. Seems to me that the real end, whatever it is they're trying to achieve, would be centered on some sort of lofty idea.

 

[Scarletwine]

I've always taken "the big idea" to be a political objective. Whether that is the result of religious beliefs, or other ideologies.

IMO this fits in perfectly with Omagh, that their lives were bigger than whatever political objective caused the act. Same can be said for war for political objectives.

 

[pax]

This is a tough one, but I think what I'm going to do is leave this in FYM for a day or two because it does verge on being an FYM-ish topic. Besides, people aren't fighting over it, which is good.

I'll also copy the thread to IAMJ, and then in a day or two I'll take this one to IAMJ and merge the 2.

Hope that makes everyone happy.

 

[tackleberry]

Here's an interesting thought...

from Kite, we have "..in a time when NEW MEDIA was the big idea..."

then, on the same album from Peace on Earth, we have "tehir livees are bigger than any big idea..."

hmmm...so are their lives bigger than New Media? I don't think that's what it means, of course, but I thought it was interesting, nonetheless

I agree with you on your connection. I don't think its a coincidence that these lines exist in two different songs on the same album. I think the big idea is New Media in both songs, but the new media could be a metaphor for the technical world we live in now. A world of fast past computers, video phones, video game systems, big TVs, even faster cars, or new home contraptions. I think Bono is trying to say that the lives of these victims outweighs the progressive advances in terms of new fangled inventions of an easier world. And EVEN I think their lives outweigh the BIg Idea of "Peace on Earth" itself. So its kind of ironic.