Angel or Devil?
Someone has turned off his irony-sensor:
Pastor Joel Schimmel, author of They Sold Their Souls For Rock And Roll, formerly titled Rock & Roll Sorcerers of the New Age Revolution, has produced an 8 minute video you may be interested in watching.
The thesis is — you guessed it — U2 have sold their souls and become Satan’s minions.
You should be able to view it directly here or if you’d like to see some other work of Pastor Joel, you can go to
http://www.goodfight.org to find the U2 video.
In all seriousness, viewing this piece kind of makes me wonder why there hasn’t been more anti-U2 backlash from those who like their religion a little more black-and-white.
calebu2 said,
February 10, 2006 @ 8:45 pm
I would not want to be the person that goes through the email that the website receives! Talk about potential for a fan-backlash (and the record company backlash for unauthorized use of copyrighted video material).
There are so many points in the video and on the website where Pastor Joel has completely missed the point. Sadly, the quotes and lyrics are taken out of context. The characters of The Fly and MacPhisto are taken out of context as those were personae Bono used to illustrate points about faith, the evils of this world, and how media manipulation can take words and images and place them out of context. It is rather ironic that U2’s artistic goal of ZooTV was the muse in the video feature on the site, and in doing so it proves U2’s point - anything can be taken out of context and twisted to fit an argument.
The video is bad (almost amusingly so) but what is really sad is that goodfight.org thinks that there is more value in “Exposing” the artists that youth identify with rather than using them as a starting point for meaningful conversations. How about using the “good” that is in the music and actions of secular artists (such as U2) to get people thinking and talking about altruistic and heavenly issues?
I can understand why many artists/groups make their list (e.g. Marilyn Manson, Iron Maiden, Britney Spears) but why U2?
Pastor Schimmel would do well to read the great Bono’s Prophetic Vox interview with Eugene Peterson posted on the main @U2 site before painting with such broad strokes.
hibricc said,
February 12, 2006 @ 2:14 pm
LOL! Pity all we poor humans who aren’t as sure in their beliefs as Pastor Joel.
Tim said,
February 12, 2006 @ 4:38 pm
Actually, there is a clause in the copyright law that allows duplication of copyrighted material for criticism.
Aurelius said,
February 25, 2006 @ 2:08 pm
Haha. Loops make me laugh!
Mortified Penguin said,
June 8, 2007 @ 10:04 pm
That pastor Joel guy must have gone on some big which hunt thing. “Ahhh its Bono! he’s a which!”