BOOK REVIEW: Religious Nuts Political Fanatics

This work was a blessing to me in January. Through Vagacs’ insights, U2 ended up really ministering to me. U2 has always been my favorite band and I feel they are the key identifiable group of my generation. My parents had The Beatles and Elvis, we have U2.

Brain Walsh in the foreword says that the “world needs describing, yes; but more importantly, this world needs healing and hope” (pgxiii). This statement grabs what U2 is all about as well as what Christian art should be all about.

Bono famously wrote to his father “It is our ambition to make more than good music” (pg3). From the very beginning U2 had a special mission. Ironically this mission was protected by the fact that U2 was not overly influenced by the evangelical subculture. I think this says much about how evangelicalism has tried (and failed) to influence the world.

Vargacs positions Bono as a psalmist and a prophet. Bono’s lyrics are filled with references to the psalms and he is even quoted as saying, “Words and music did for me what solid, even rigorous, religious argument could never do, they introduced me to God, not belief in God, more an experiential sense of GOD.” (pg9).

The really great aspect of the book is Vagacs’ interpretations of songs and albums from a theological perspective. He opens up these lyrics and themes for us to see the soul behind them. My favorite album is “Joshua Tree” which Vagacs addresses in chapter three. Even though I disagree with how Vagacs discounts the end time hope of most evangelicals (pg38), and some of U2’s views on America’s role in Central America; I do love that U2 embraces social justice and a hope in an eschatological reality.

My second favorite album is U2’s latest (“How to Dismantle and Atomic Bomb”) where Vargacs highlights the theme of humility during our journey through life. During the vertigo of life, Yahweh teaches us how to kneel. Yahweh’s love is how we get through vertigo. Yahweh is the center of life. He is the abundant life (John 10:10) that Jesus promised.

U2 is the pinnacle of what artists are to be. They create true, lasting, and life-changing art. As I said above, this book really ministered to me and has enabled U2 to minister to me further and deeper. I recommend this book to professors, ministers, and laymen. I also highly recommend this work to seekers who want to get a glimpse of beautiful spirituality.

The special nugget that I discovered in this work was the song “40.” If you don’t know what they are talking about then figure it out. If you haven’t heard it then buy it. Make sure you buy the live version.

“I waited patiently for the Lord
He inclined and heard my cry
He lifts me up out of the pits, out of the miry clay
I will sing, sing a new song”