Singing For Satan---Part 6

 This week I continue my once-per-month series of posts regarding an informal study I undertook in the early 1990s regarding rock and pop music. The purpose of my study (and the background to it) can be read in the first installment of August 7, 2017. If you have not read that post, I strongly encourage you to do so before reading this installment. I will only repeat here the seven (7) evil elements that pervade today's music:

1. Violence/Murder/Suicide
2. Nihilism/Despair
3. Drug and alcohol glorification
4. Adultery/ Fornication and sexual perversion
5. The occult
6. Rebellion against lawful superiors
7. Blasphemy against God, Jesus Christ in particular, and the Church

 The exposing of the bands/artists continues.

U2 and Bono

 One of the most deceptive bands of all time, U2, was formed in Dublin, Ireland in 1976. While many people see them as a "Christian band" or " a band of Christians," because of their philanthropy and the Biblical references to which they sometimes allude, in actuality U2 is very anti-Christian. The band is composed of "Bono" (b. Paul Hewson in 1960), "The Edge" (b. David Evans in 1961), Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen, Jr. Originally calling themselves "Feedback" and then "The Hype," the group settled on "U2" in 1978 because it was open to interpretation and purposefully ambiguous. 

 The band has sold over 175 million albums worldwide, and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005; their first year of eligibility. U2 dominated the music charts during the 1980s and 1990s, and remain very active today, having released their 14th studio album on December 1, 2017 entitled Songs of Experience. They have won an incredible 22 Grammy Awards (more than any other band in history). Rolling Stone magazine ranked them #22 in its list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time," and ranked Bono #32 of the "100 Greatest Singers of All Time."  Bono and The Edge share the honor together of being listed by that same magazine as #35 on the "100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time."  

Good Voice, Evil Music

 Paul Hewson received his world-famous moniker "Bono" from his friend Gavin Friday who called him "Bono Vox" an alteration of the Latin "Bonavox" roughly translated as "Good Voice." Hewson liked it and dropped the "vox," hence being known as "Bono" ever since. Bono dubbed his friend David Evans "The Edge" because of his sharp features and sharp mind when helping Bono compose songs. Bono is indeed the spokesman and "face" of U2. 

 Bono was raised by a Catholic father and Protestant mother. His father was a nominal Catholic and (sinfully) agreed with his wife that their first child would be raised Anglican, and their second Catholic. Even though Bono was the second child he was taken to both Catholic Churches and Anglican services growing up. 

Bono has tried to ensnare people into believing that the message of Christ is about philanthropy to the exclusion of necessary beliefs. He professes to believe that Christ is God. As recently as 2013, Bono stated, "And I believe that Jesus was, you know, the Son of God,” Bono said, according to a transcript provided to Religion News Service. “I understand that for some people and we need to … if I could be so bold, need to be really, really respectful to people who find that ridiculous." (See http://www.wnd.com/2013/06/u2s-bono-jesus-is-the-son-of-god/#HBOe17ix1v4ZuzEV.99)

 He also throws some religious songs on albums to further deceive the public. U2's song 40, is a reference to Psalm 40. Here are the lyrics:

I waited patiently for the Lord
He inclined and heard my cry
He brought me up out of the pit
Out of the mire and clay
I will sing, sing a new song
I will sing, sing a new song
How long to sing this song
How long to sing this song
How long, how long, how long
How long, to sing this song
He set my feet upon a rock
And made my footsteps firm
Many will see
Many will see and fear

This is what Bono and U2 want you to think about them. Dig beneath the surface and you'll find the sinister truth. Bono has dressed up on stage as Mr. Macphisto, a play on the name Mephistopheles, a demon featured in German folklore. After the release of their album Achtung Baby in 1991, Bono "thought he needed a character point in the show[concerts], and the character was MacPhisto, the Devil, a very theatrical character. It was the first time he had done a character like that. And then we came up with a gold suit and red lamé, a ruffled shirt, the make-up and the Devil horns. Bono really took on the persona and got into character."  Even his friend The Edge described it as "disturbing."

"It was really a bizarre kind of chilling feeling seeing him," Edge says. "It was everything we discussed. It was very disturbing, very unreasonable, and nothing to do with entertainment. It was something much heavier. I thought the idea of the horns was over the top, I thought it was spelling it all out, but in fact it really works."
(See http://www.canadanne.co.uk/macphisto/who.html).

Below is a picture of Bono as Mr. MacPhisto, poking fun at religion.

Bono Reveals His True Colors

 In his book In Other Words: Artists Talk About Life and Work, author Anthony DeCurtis asks Bono about dressing up as a devil and calling the "Archbishop" of Canterbury on the phone while telling the audience religious leaders were some of his closest friends. Bono replied, "It's true. I often wonder if religion is the enemy of God. It's almost like religion is what happens when the Spirit has left the building." (See above referenced book, Hal Leonard Corp. Pub. [2005],  pg. 282; Emphasis mine). 

Bono is an ecumenist who sees the "three Abrahamic faiths" as equal, and wants them to work together for a world-wide religion. During U2's 2005 tour, Bono had the "Coexist" sign flash in the background while he led the fans in chants of "Jesus, Jew, Mohammed--it's true." (See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVoemrstxbI). 

 In their song In God's Country, the band sings that they stand with the "sons of Cain."

Sleep comes like a drug
In God's country
Sad eyes, crooked crosses
In God's country

Naked flame
She stands with a naked flame
I stand with the sons of Cain
Burned by the fire of love
Burned by the fire of love (Emphasis mine)

God doesn't feel the same way. In 1 John 3:12, we read: "Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous."

In the song Peace On Earth, the band tells us they want "Heaven on Earth" and eschew the message of Christ in the Gospel of St. John 14:27, "Peace I leave with thee; My peace I give unto thee. Not as the world gives do I give to thee. Let not thy hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid."

Heaven on earth
We need it now
I'm sick of all of this
Hanging around
Sick of sorrow
Sick of pain
Sick of hearing again and again
That there's gonna be
Peace on earth...

Jesus, in the song you wrote
The words are sticking in my throat
Peace on earth
Hear it every Christmas time
But hope and history won't rhyme
So what's it worth?
This peace on earth

Peace on earth
Peace on earth

Peace on earth

The song If God Will Send His Angels blasphemously asserts that God can't help us, and even if He could, He really doesn't care.

Nobody else here baby
No-one else here to blame
No-one to point the finger
It's just you and me and the rain
Nobody made you do it
No one put words in your mouth
Nobody here taking orders
When love took a train heading south
It's the blind leading the blond
It's the stuff, it's the stuff of country songs
Hey, if God will send his angels
And if God will send a sign
And if God will send his angels
Would everything be alright?
God's got his phone off the hook, babe
Would he even pick up if he could?
It's been a while since we saw that child
Hangin' round this neighborhood (Emphasis mine).

The tune Wake Up Dead Man, contains a profanity as it rips into Our Lord and blasphemously denies the Resurrection by calling Christ a "dead man."

Jesus 
Jesus help me 
I'm alone in this world 
And a f***ed up world it is too (profanity censored by me)
Tell me 
Tell me the story 
The one about eternity 
And the way it's all gonna be 
Wake up 
Wake up dead man 
Wake up 
Wake up dead man 

Bono: Fast (and Gruesome) Facts

• He founded the ONE Campaign, aimed at fighting extreme poverty and incurable diseases especially in Africa. How does Bono envision helping in this cause? Contraception and abortion! U2 performed concerts for the Contraception Action Campaign and the Irish Family Planning Association. Christ said, "For the poor you have always with you..." (St. Matthew 26:11) and "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God..." (St. Matthew 6:33). 

• In the Communist rag, Mother Jones Magazine of May 1, 1989, Bono was asked, "How do you feel, for instance, about abortion?" He responded, "I just have my own ideas. I believe that it’s a woman’s right to choose. Absolutely."

• He urged Ireland to legalize sodomite "marriage" and celebrated when they did make it legal, during a concert back in 2015. He said, "It’s a moment for us to thank the people who brought peace to our country, who had the courage to compromise in Ireland..."We have peace in Ireland today, and — in fact, on this very day — we have true equality in Ireland," he added. "Millions turned up to vote yesterday to say love is the highest law in the land. ...If God loves us, whoever we love, wherever we come from, then why can’t the state?" He also changed the lyrics to their smash 1984 hit Pride (In the Name of Love)--about Dr. Martin Luther King's murder--to say "They could not take away your gay pride" in place of "they could not take your pride." (See https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/05/26/u2-ireland-gay-marriage-_n_7442984.html). 

• Liberal Protestant sects and their colleges/seminaries are openly considering making U2's lyrics and Bono's ideas part of the curriculum! In the book Get Up Off Your Knees, several contributing authors, including Eugene Peterson, author of The Message Bible translation, praise Bono and U2 as a "prophetic voice." In fact, Calvin College offered a class which analyzed U2′s influence on Christians. (See "Calvin College on U2," Christianity Today, February 23, 2005). 

• While wearing the cross, he will sing the song I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For." Not exactly the message you'd expect to hear from one who allegedly follows Our Lord! In that same Mother Jones interview, Bono said, "...we don't have any answers...I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For. How much more clear can you make it?"

Conclusion

U2 and Bono are the most cunning liars and deceivers in today's world of music. They can rant and rave about how they are "Christian," and Bono can talk about his alleged "belief in Christ" until they are all blue in the face. The facts show us a group of liars who promote contraception, abortion, sexual perversion, religious indifferentism, and blaspheme Christ. Don't be taken in by charitable causes and token songs in praise of God. They fail the test set by Our Lord Himself, "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in the clothing of sheep, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.By their fruits you shall know them. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit, and the evil tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can an evil tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, shall be cut down, and shall be cast into the fire.Wherefore by their fruits you shall know them." (St. Matthew 7:15-20).