Is U2 a religious rock band?

Question

I love the Joshua Tree album.

Answer 1

NO!!!!

Bono would be the first guy to tell you he's no friend to religion. Religious beliefs nearly destroyed U2 early on in their career.

That is not to say that Bono is not a Christian... he most certainly is. However, there is something to be said here about the difference between "religion" and "spirituality."

Religion is man-made... a club, if you will for those who wish to feel as if they belong with others in God's graces. Religion has rules, regulations, guidelines and unfortunately has done more bad than good in this world. Look at how Northern Ireland suffered for years under violence over the Catholic/Protestant issue. Look at how the Middle East is torn into pieces over differences in Muslim/Islamic beliefs and Judiaism? Look at 9/11 for that matter. Religion has shed more blood than any other concept known to man.

Spirituality is much more personal and heartfelt. It's the blinding light that wakes you from the nightmare you were living in darkness. It's the realization that God is in the mix and you haven't missed Him and He's always been there. It's the fruition of grace, a concept lost in most modern religions. Grace states that we will never live up to God's potential... we don't have to. That's why Christianity is based on the idea of the Sacrificial Lamb... so that our sins don't haunt us the rest of our lives.

Bono has rallied world leaders like Bush and Tony Blair as well as religious leaders like Pat Robinson and Rick Warren to stand behind his campaign to end world famine. He doesn't do this because he's a celebrity looking for free publicity. He does this quite simply because he believes his Bible has told him to.

Bono spends most of his "church" time speaking from the pulpit rather than singing from the pews. He has recently spoken to Bill Hybels of Willow Creek Community Church... one of the nation's largest... to get him to involve other mega-churches in his campaign against the AIDS epidemic in Africa. He has recently said in an interview with Rolling Stone that he reads his Bible daily and prays daily.

U2 is a band made up of four Christian men. Their music and their message isn't so much religious as it is spiritual.

An easier way to define the difference is this... religion is for people who don't want to go to hell. Spirituality is for those who have been there already and don't wish to go back.

Answer 2

In a sense, yes.

In the early 80s, Bono, Edge and Larry were involved with a Christian group in Dublin. The group was trying to get them to quit the band because they felt that "rock band" and "Christian" couldn't co-exist. Thankfully, Adam Claytyon and manager Paul McGuinness reasoned with them and we're album to enjoy 27 years of great U2 music.

Many of U2's songs have religious undertones. For example, "40" of their 1983 album War is based on Psalm 40 from the Bible (if you compare the two you can see it!). Also, "Until the End of the World" off 1991's Achtung Baby is about how Judas identified Jesus by a kiss on the lips in the Garden of Gethsemane and how Judas committed suicide after being overwhelmed with guilt. There are loads of other examples like this.

They certainly have their Christian roots, but I don't believe any of them regularly attend church.

Answer 3

U2 can be a considered a religious rock band but I would call them a Secular rock band with some of their songs having a Christian message in them. I love U2 and I love songs like One, Sunday Bloody Sunday, The Saints Are Coming, and many more.

Answer 4

I think there are some religious overtones on that album (joshua tree, which by the way is one of the BEST albums of all time!!!!) but most of their other albums don't seem to concern religion so much at all, so no, I wouldn't consider them a religious rock band.

Answer 5

Since I am sure none that answered are of the age to even know U2.

They started out as a christian band but due to pressure were forced into more of a rock stream. Over the years they have stayed in the rock scene but have done songs that have a slight christian tone. Now that they are retired, no longer need of a major record company, etc. They are going back to their grass roots of being a christian band.

I say more power to them.

Answer 6

I wouldn't categorize them as a "Christian Rock Band", but I think one of the principals the band was founded on is God. They are doing God's will by promoting peace and ending famine around the globe.

Answer 7

ok ill checklist thrash: we've been given the huge 4: Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, Anthrax we've been given the huge Teutonic 3: Sodom, Destruction, Kreator we've been given another previous college bands: Nuclear attack, Overkill, S.O.D, testomony, Annihilator, Exodus,Artillery.. we've been given some new wave thrash: Havok, Hexen, bonded via blood, fog of conflict, Evile, Lazarus advert, Lich king. which will do.

Answer 8

Bono has made it very clear many times that he dislikes organized religion and the band is not a religious band. While Bono is a person of faith and that faith makes its way into his life and lyrics, there is a BIG difference between faith and religion.

Answer 9

U2 is a Christian topic band, very much like Lifehouse and Alterbridge (Creed). They are not overtly Christian but do have lyrics with overtones of Christianity.

Answer 10

Not really, but they have many religious themes to their songs.

FOr eample in the song: "I still haven't found what i'm looking for" he contains many verses from the bible in the lyrics.