The spiritual life of U2

'I still haven't found what I'm looking for'

There has been much speculation on the Christian life of the members of U2. Christian friends and family members have shared with me the confusing message that the music of U2 has left with them. Some have chastised me for even giving U2 the time of day.

Several books have been written, including Walk On: The Spiritual Journey of U2, New Edition, by Steve Stockman,. published this year.

Stockman, in speaking of the beginnings of the group in the 1970s, notes that the three teenage Christian members of U2-vocalist Bono (Paul Hewson), guitarist The Edge (Dave Evans), and drummer Larry Mullen Jr.were immersing themselves in Bible studies while making efforts to create an impression in the local music scene in Dublin, Ireland. (The fourth member of the band, bassist Adam clayton, has reportedly also become a Christian in recent years.)

According to Stockman, "For many years the band members said that their faith-not their rock 'n roll lifestyle-was the real rebellion.

"In 1983, Bono told Rolling Stone magazine: 'I think that, ultimately, the group is totally rebellious because of our stance against what people accept as rebellion. The whole thing about rock stars driving cars into swimming pools-that's not rebellion.... Rebellion starts at home, in your heart, in your refusal to compromise your beliefs and your values. I'm not interested in politics like people fighting back with sticks and stones, but in the politics of love.'

"For this band, it was more rebellious to be reading Bibles in the back of the tour bus than it was to be doing drugs. But being from a place where those with intense spiritual faith were the minority helped the band members grab hold of the radical edge of following Jesus."

The song "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" has really struck me. I love the music, and the words are intriguing. It is very similar to the Book of Ecclesiastes, in that it is a song that sees a broken world and identifies many pursuits that have not brought healing to it. Bono knows Jesus, but is still looking for righteousness and justice to be fulfilled in his world.

It is interesting that Daniel Lanois, one of the producers of the Joshua Tree album (1987), suggested that Bono write a gospel song. I quote from Stockman's book: "Up to that point, the band had been writing songs with Christian content. A gospel song was another category entirely, and Lanois seemed to have seen it as a natural place of inspiration for a band that was so wrapped up in all things Christian. Bono listened to his producer's advice and wrote 'I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For,' calling it 'a gospel song for a restless spirit.'"

This very song drove the nail in the coffin for U2 in the minds of fundamentalist evangelical America, who claimed the group was still looking for Jesus. What Bono was really saying in the song, though, is that since he has found Jesus he is looking for more evidence of God's Kingdom here on earth. By this .understanding, I too have not yet found what I am looking for. I am on a journey of discovery.

[Author Affiliation]

Garry Janzen

The author is pastor of Sherbrooke Mennonite Church, Vancouver. He can be reached at gjanzen@sherbmoke.mennonitechurch.ca.