Waiting for the Dawn (U2's verses of hope)

~ by Samir Selmanovic

Monotheistic religions have been a blessing to the world. Each in its own time and in its own way, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam not only transformed religion by decrying the plurality of gods but they also changed the history of the world. The concept of one God made all humans equal.

Our common creaturehood made us all brothers and sisters of one human family. This unity superceded fragmentations of religions, races, and tribes of the time. A new way opened for a radical respect of “the other” no matter how “the other” differed in possessions, status, gender, or other accidents of birth. Every human being was now conceived as created, sustained, and blessed by one God, given the liberty to live under the same Mystery. By recognizing our common lot as finite human beings living together in the universe we can never fully understand, these religions were a foundation for present-day democracies.

Under One God we became One.

The world has also endured a lot from us over the centuries. I’ve spoken about these three monotheistic religions to non-believers for years, and they say: “At best, Jews, Christians, and Muslims look like three religious stooges slapping each other. At worst, they look like three brothers with hands clasped in prayer and soaked in blood.” We have colonized the name of God with our religions, and many in the world have simply had it with us. They believe we have nothing more to say. That's why they are turning other places to seek and understand God.

If we cannot move beyond our own tradition’s views of God, if we cannot hold something more sacred than our own religions, if we cannot keep on believing in our God while having a sense of creaturely self-doubt about the way we understand not only God but anything at all, then we all have turned away from one God. We, through our own religion, have betrayed humanity and are not to be trusted.

We all ought to take time and grieve about this.

Monotheism must change, or wither away. I believe that it can, must, and will not merely correct, but evolve. The only question is whether we, the three greatest hopes and disappointments of history, will come to our senses, kneel down along with all creation, and accept to be a part of something larger than ourselves.

We all ought to take time and grieve about this--so that we can hope again.

Since 9/11 I have seen many glimmers of hope. One of them is the work of Bono and U2. Enjoy animated excerpts of their song called Yahweh (from their album How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb). It can be sung by a Jew, a Christian, a Muslim, even by a person who questions the whole enterprise of God. All of us have lost our way and are "waiting for the dawn."

      Yahweh (excerpts, by U2, from How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb)

      Take this soul
      Stranded in some skin and bones
      Take this soul
      And make it sing

      Yahweh, Yahweh
      Always pain before a child is born
      Yahweh, Yahweh
      Still I'm waiting for the dawn

      Still waiting for the dawn, the sun is coming up
      The sun is coming up on the ocean
      This love is like a drop in the ocean
      This love is like a drop in the ocean

      Yahweh, Yahweh
      Always pain before a child is born
      Yahweh, tell me now
      Why the dark before the dawn?

      Take this city
      A city should be shining on a hill
      Take this city
      If it be your will
      What no man can own, no man can take
      Take this heart
      Take this heart
      Take this heart
      And make it break

Comments

[Nathan Brown]

Having seen U2 in concert twice a couple of months back when they were here in Australia, the one disappointment (and only one) was that they didn't play Yahweh at either of them. It is a wonderful song and a wonderful prayer. And what a way to worship—with Bono and the U2 gang, with a support act of 70,000. "Good liturgy doesn't come to town often."

[Danielle Fitch]

This is actually a question.

Please don't take this cynically. I'm really concerned not cynical- I swear.

Why did you choose only monotheistic religions to unify here? I've been to Ethiopia and I believe that the unification of religions such as Orthodox, Muslim, and Jew is beautiful. Ethiopia is a perfect example- the dang fighting that happens there is ridiculous. But, I still don't think it's all inclusive if you're discluding other religions. Are the purposes of faith house to include all religions who follow Yaweh, or to reconcile the problems of the world through unification? (Or, are my questions totally off-based?) I just don't see how you can unify the world if you are not including all of it. Obviously you couldn't just make a list of every possible religion to be a part of "the faith house club." But, you could say that they could all be included. OR, is your point that a lot of concentrated problems in the world (esp. in the middle east) come from the division of the largest, monotheistic (ironicallly, all yaweh following) religions?

OK.... that's a lot. sorry about that. please write me back. I don't care about getting posted as much as I care about getting an answer.

[Samir Selmanovic]

My heart is in the same place as yours regarding this. Everyone will have a full place at the table, including atheists. Please look at the more extensive answers on the top left column of the blog and go to the post entitled Seven Questions.

There will be a lot more about this in the future, especially when we soon publish the logo of the Faith House that is being designed right now.

Your questions are not at all off-based, they are pointing right into the center of the issue with religion. Thanks for voicing them.

[jranae]

I'm glad to see this question and answer. I too was wondering about the place of the "atheist" or agnostic around the Faith House table. I live in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada and have long wanted to bring many voices together around any number of topics, including various faith/meditative traditions, but know that many (including myself) struggle with and do not identify with the three "major"/"yahweh-following" religions that seem to be the most represented by Faith House. Today I wondered: is it possible to bring together, in familial compassion and understanding, people "of faith" and people of "no fixed faith" for communion with each other and the mystery/ies? I don't know. But I'm glad to see Samir Selmanovic's hopeful and hope-giving response here. Thank you again and please keep up the good discussions. ~j.