I have always been a huge U2 fan. I own every cd they ever produced (although I did sell “POP” to a used cd store a few days after I purchased it) and at times have traveled several states to see them in concert. I say that to admit that I have a bias in regards to U2 being the best band of all times and producing the best album of all times – The Joshua Tree. I still find the lyrics and music of U2 to be challenging, inspiring, and many times worshipful, not to mention the humanitarian issues that Bono has championed the past several years. I found this video be a good summary of all the above. Be sure to watch it through as there is a short portion from Bono’s talk at the national prayer breakfast.
Here’s a related thought to this post.
Rustin
Excellent word over on your site. Yes art (all kinds of art certainly including music) does as you say communicate to the world in “inspiring and attractive ways.” Its funny that art communicated to me in many ways years before I ever heard a typical verbal “public proclamation.” Part of it, I think, has to do with the way art touches our emotions, but I also wonder if part of it is related to the issue of story in that art in the form of music in most cases tell a story. Do you think that is true?
Ah yes! The power of story! Where we’ve been. What is wrong. Where we’re going. Story. I think that is precisely what makes U2 such a powerful (and prophetic) band. They intuit the world through the story of God and therefore can not only move people through the resonant frequencies of metaphor, images, sign & symbol, even parables (all these are the language of story), but they also point us to was has been lost and what can (and will) be recovered if we are willing to allow our lives to be a part of that great story. This is how story awakens us to truth and why it is so powerful.
Jesus, being the smartest human being to ever live, seemed to get this. I wonder why we struggle with it so much?
Rustin
The more I have thought about story from our network meeting last night and the other group from last week I simply don’t understand why we so many times miss the story aspect of everything. Telling our story, telling the stories of others, “preaching” the story in a coporate service setting, but most of all reading and understanding the story of God as the STORY of God. Next week I want to blog on this whole concept of story, maybe we can do some together somehow.
Sounds fun to me!