Over the last few weeks there have been so many interesting things going on in the world and I have been chomping at the bit to get started on this blog. We've had a new president in America, a Global Financial Crisis, the 200th birthday of Charles Darwin, the first anniversary of the National Apology for the stolen generation, and of course, the struggles going on at St Mary's Catholic Church in West End. Where to start? Where to start?...
While all of these events and the themes that surround them are worthy of attention, I think that I will start closer to my heart. U2 and their new album - "No Line on the Horizon". I hope you're not disappointed with this topic. If you are, you probably just don't get the "entertainment phenomena with substance" that is U2. Not only do they keep ensuring that their songs and musical production are amazing, they keep on the cutting edge of entertainment technology and lead the way in just about all areas of this... but most of all, they sing songs of incredible depth and substance. I just love the whole package...
For me, the best example of all this on the new album is their song, "Stand Up Comedy". It is "funky as" and has words that make you laugh and think at the same time. If you haven't heard it, you can get a 30 second snippet of it by clicking here. In this snippet, are my favourite lines: "Stand up for faith, hope and love, But while I'm getting over certainty, stop helping God across the road, like a little old lady." (for all the lyrics to this fantastic song, click here).
My friend Francis (a huge U2 fan) and I were discussing what this great lyric might mean the other day, and of course, you can never quite tell. But it had been on my mind for awhile and what it means to me is something about how I only really believe in just a few things these days. There are a lot of beliefs that I've just dropped off and even the idea of how valuable beliefs themselves are seems to have dropped off for me. What I like about these lyrics is the encouragement to "do something" rather than just believe or "be certain" of something. In this "dizzy world" it is important to stand for something solid and eternal like the "faith, hope and love" talked about in the Bible in 1 Corinthians 13. Another friend of mine, Russ, always says that "God doesn't care what we believe, he cares what we value. Because we do the things we value."
So, I guess that while there are lots of questions about why the world is like it is and lots of things that drive me to doubts about my faith at times, in the meantime, I can stand up for faith, hope and love on behalf of the God of love - and the rest I'll try to sort out along the way. God isn't some "little old lady", I think he could handle that from me for the time being...
Shalom...
PS: I also like these lines - "I gotta stand up to ego but my ego’s not really the enemy. It’s like a small child crossing an eight lane highway, on a voyage of discovery." There is substance there too, but I really just them because they are so cool...
While all of these events and the themes that surround them are worthy of attention, I think that I will start closer to my heart. U2 and their new album - "No Line on the Horizon". I hope you're not disappointed with this topic. If you are, you probably just don't get the "entertainment phenomena with substance" that is U2. Not only do they keep ensuring that their songs and musical production are amazing, they keep on the cutting edge of entertainment technology and lead the way in just about all areas of this... but most of all, they sing songs of incredible depth and substance. I just love the whole package...For me, the best example of all this on the new album is their song, "Stand Up Comedy". It is "funky as" and has words that make you laugh and think at the same time. If you haven't heard it, you can get a 30 second snippet of it by clicking here. In this snippet, are my favourite lines: "Stand up for faith, hope and love, But while I'm getting over certainty, stop helping God across the road, like a little old lady." (for all the lyrics to this fantastic song, click here).
My friend Francis (a huge U2 fan) and I were discussing what this great lyric might mean the other day, and of course, you can never quite tell. But it had been on my mind for awhile and what it means to me is something about how I only really believe in just a few things these days. There are a lot of beliefs that I've just dropped off and even the idea of how valuable beliefs themselves are seems to have dropped off for me. What I like about these lyrics is the encouragement to "do something" rather than just believe or "be certain" of something. In this "dizzy world" it is important to stand for something solid and eternal like the "faith, hope and love" talked about in the Bible in 1 Corinthians 13. Another friend of mine, Russ, always says that "God doesn't care what we believe, he cares what we value. Because we do the things we value."
So, I guess that while there are lots of questions about why the world is like it is and lots of things that drive me to doubts about my faith at times, in the meantime, I can stand up for faith, hope and love on behalf of the God of love - and the rest I'll try to sort out along the way. God isn't some "little old lady", I think he could handle that from me for the time being...
Shalom...
PS: I also like these lines - "I gotta stand up to ego but my ego’s not really the enemy. It’s like a small child crossing an eight lane highway, on a voyage of discovery." There is substance there too, but I really just them because they are so cool...
Hi Steve
ReplyDeleteLooking good mate! Will watch with interest as you get underway.