{"id":148656,"date":"2026-11-09T12:07:00","date_gmt":"2026-11-09T17:07:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kendallharmon.net\/?p=148656"},"modified":"2026-11-09T18:12:12","modified_gmt":"2026-11-09T23:12:12","slug":"ru-terry-mattingly-crossroads-podcast-u2-has-been-answering-faith-questions-for-50-years","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kendallharmon.net\/?p=148656","title":{"rendered":"(RU) Terry Mattingly–Crossroads Podcast: U2 Has Been Answering Faith Questions For 50 Years"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The New York Times<\/em> feature marking the band\u2019s 50th anniversary \u2014 the hook for this week\u2019s \u201cCrossroads\u201d podcast<\/a> \u2014 starts with U2 returning to Mount Temple to celebrate on the stage where the quartet did one of its first gigs. The lengthy interview: \u201c50 Years In, What\u2019s the Point of U2? Bono and the Edge Have Answers.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

God showed up very early in the Times<\/em> interview. David Marchese<\/a> asked this basic question: \u201cWhen you say there are ideas that you want to be in the mainstream, what are they?\u201d Bono replied:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The metaphysical thing, the gospel side of U2 \u2014 that was only allowed in rock \u2019n\u2019 roll if you were Black. You can\u2019t be white people talking about God, because generally white people who talk about God make our audience very nervous, you know? But not in the Black church in America. Coming to the United States, we\u2019d just seen those televangelists, and we were like, Wow, these people are in deep trouble. Then you walk into a Black church and you hear the abandonment of the singing and that feeling \u2014 it\u2019s fervor, but not freaky fervor. So being able to sing songs of faith and devotion and songs of doubt, to put the gospel with the blues, which is rock \u2019n\u2019 roll.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

That leads to this follow-up: \u201cYou said that talking about God in your music can be a little uncomfortable for your audience, but I would argue that U2\u2019s religious impulse is hugely important <\/em>to your audience. It\u2019s a big part of why people feel so connected to the band.\u201d The Edge responded:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I mean, yes, but we weren\u2019t seeing it as a selling point. We were seeing it as the thing we have to speak about because it\u2019s where we\u2019re coming from. But people have said that we\u2019re the band that people who don\u2019t know that they believe in God like. It\u2019s in the work in such a natural way. There\u2019s no polemic there. It\u2019s just our search, our inquiry. And it involves so much doubt. It has to, I think. Because if it\u2019s not dogma, then it\u2019s constantly in flux. I would say I\u2019m agnostic about half of the week, and then the rest of the week I\u2019ve got an incredibly strong faith. But it\u2019s always changing, ready to be upgraded.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

A \u201cselling point\u201d? This sounded rather familiar to me, for some obvious reasons….<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read it all<\/a>.<\/p>

So, @U2 has carried on for 50 years. Guess what? The big Qs in a long @NYTimes piece are the same Qs Bono and Co. faced in 1982. How do I know that? I was there and asked the Qs. @ActonInstitute @amsacramone @GetReligion @scottderrickson @Joeinblack \n\nhttps:\/\/t.co\/sv5PVN9ezJ https:\/\/t.co\/kG80vY3Wl8<\/p>— Terry Mattingly (@tweetmattingly) November 6, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote>\n