Monday, May 24, 2010

U2 devotionals #8: Shuffling Sound and Death


Listening to U2 on shuffle (which is way better than listening to Gaithers on crack) is enlightening. Time becomes relevant in a fresh way when it's not linear..

I just heard "Breathe"

back to back with "Mercy,"




and this learned by holy juxtaposition that God is both:

  • "the Roar on the other side of silence"

and


  • "Silence looking for a sound."

It works both ways. Physics has well established that the arrow of time runs both directions; Bono might preach that it carries sound with it. An Escher Loop of sound. God sounds good going and coming.
But he meets us in the Sound either way.

-------------------
Then came "Tomorrow" (Common Ground mix) which faded out with:
  • "Oh boy, stop your crying/Soon it'll be death that's dying"

which merged unexpectedly in a smooth cut and paste into:

  • "Sleep, sleep tonight, and may your dreams be realized"
("MLK," on MLK's death)

And so it is. "God will make a new type of material not subject to death out of the old material." (NT Wright)





Shuffle on into holy randomnity

2 comments:

  1. I love doing a U2 shuffle. I love the unexpected. When I work a night shift I shuffle all night from U2 to The Call to Johnny Cash to Sufjan Stevens. Amazing nights and amazing mixes.

    have you heard about Bono's injury that has caused the cancellation of their US tour and Glastonbury? A back injury apparently.

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  2. Yeah, Paul, I usually have shuffle with a variety of groups (like the ones you mentioned), but my player got stuck on a U2 only shuffle: not a bad problem!

    Yeah, heard the news. will be praying
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment_and_arts/10154682.stm

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Hey, thanks for engaging the conversation!