Thanks Be to Bono. Brent Barton
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I raised my voice.
I raised it up, alright.
I’m sorry if I screamed and yelled.
I know it’s rude, to some. But I can’t help myself. I’m just excited about being alive in the world today. It’s not my intention to offend. I’ve been told that I am a very poor judge when it comes to determining what is or is not appropriate to say or do. I’ve always wanted to be the good guy here. That’s all I’ve ever wanted to be. If all that is good were to ever form an alliance, I want to be an enthusiastic member. I want to be a part of that team. Helping out, for good, for others, not just myself, spreading goodness to all and to everybody. I’m not a bad guy.
Now I know that all of this talk, over justice, and freedom, and religion, all this yadda yadda bleep bleep can be a little bit unsettling for some. It can get uncomfortable. And that’s okay. It’s become common for us to see life as an oppositional exercise. We see all of these hard lines all over the place. Lines that separate us. Lines that define our horizons. In fact, there are no lines. None! No lines. There are no lines. That’s what we were telling people. We were telling people and we were asking them to be all grown-up about it. Get over this illusion that we’ve succumbed to. Theses line appear as obstacles. We must remember, as a people, that obstacles can be overcome.
Please.
This moment, here, now, needn’t be an awkward moment.
None of this needs to be.
This moment, let’s follow it.
Let’s check it out.
Hear it. That beat, beat, beat of a song beat, thumping.
U2opian Ministries. TEMPLE™. URBAN TEMPLE™. TEMPLE SUBURB™. ELEVATION: RETREAT™. CENTER CENTRE™. Our faith developed many branches. We were something blooming, a garden for sure. As a religion, as a global phenomenon, we invigorated new meaning to the word massive. We spread our ideas so far and so wide. We touched a deep nerve, no one can deny it. I suppose that the true impact of our ministry is actually beyond calculation. We left a meaningful impression on things. We got a conversation started. And that’s something worth noting. We got people engaged. We stirred up some passion, uh huh, alright. And that’s very important to have in life. We opened up a thought process. We opened up channels for communication. The fire of the U2opian movement swept around the world and into the hearts and into the minds of all people everywhere.
I’ve been told that the joy of our celebrations has brought a little pain, to others. It saddens me to think that my life’s work has caused any discomfort or unease to anyone.
Our beliefs, our convictions, and our faith in their certainty, were too much (too much, too much) for some to bear.
And for any troubles that our freedom and our expression may have caused, I am sorry.
Oh, I enraged a few. From the evangelical right through the ranks of all the jihadists and all the so-called whitey-tighty-righty cultural warriors. From the guerrilla anarchist street punk and up, along each rung of the corporate ladder, to the top peak of the global political elite. I’ve pissed off the leaders of fan clubs, activist groups, trade unions, international charities and development organizations, and the legislative and judicial branches of governments on each continent. Not to mention rock stars. I’ve pissed off a rock star or two in my day.
I meant no offense and I do apologize.
I certainly meant no offense to Jesus.
I by no means meant any offense to Mohammed (Peace be Upon Him).
Please understand that I have a great deal of respect and admiration for the wonderful people, culture and industry of China.
To the band: I am sorry if I misinterpreted any of the lyrics or used your music out of a context that you intended. I acknowledge, celebrate and salute the rights you hold over your magnificent creative and intellectual properties!
To Bono and his family, I am sorry for intruding upon your privacy. I crossed that line and I shouldn’t have. Please forgive my indiscretions.
This crazy journey of mine subjected my own family to trials and tribulations. I am so grateful for their love and patience. I have made things terribly difficult for my loved ones. Offstage and on, the wild scandals and globe trotting antics were poor repayment for the gifts given to me. To write of each blessing I’ve received would take several books. Thanks be to the blessings of a broad definition of family: aunts, uncles, cousins once, cousins twice, cousins three times removed. Thanks be to the blessings of friends and friends of friends. There is a community to thank. Thanks be to all in my life who have shown me that the differences between people should not be just tolerated or accepted, but celebrated. It’s the common ground, the one shared by all of humanity, that is the real ground. This is our ground.
This is our ground.
We share it, together.
Although there may be times when we may feel that we walk alone, I tell you brothers, sisters, sons and daughters: we’re all walking through this world together. The universal story is our story. To all the people who hold convictions close to their heart that are different from mine, I mean you no disrespect. I value you and your beliefs! Peace, health and prosperity to you all. I am sorry. And I will be sorrier still I if I fail to communicate this message to you effectively now in this collection of my thoughts and stories. Communicating the idea of love to you is what I want most in life, and knowing that it has brought anger or hate into your heart, in any way, troubles me deeply.
I like to think that I have had my own taste of perspective now.
Time away from the world can give that to you.
It can bring a better sense of balance.
After the hoopla, and the brouhaha, many have asked me to write this all down.
People deserve an explanation, they say.
It’s true and I agree.
So I’m going to be completely honest here.
I’m going to wash myself and come clean.
It’s time to set the record straight about where I’m from, exactly, and how the music found me. That part is pretty tame. Nothing too shocking or controversial there. The gossip, the conspiracy, the accusations and lies can end because here it all is, laid down: the essence of U2opian philosophy. Here it is: the purpose and intention of TEMPLE™.
Here it is!
Words, transcribed.
Here’s how a great TEMPLE™ grew so big from something so simple – an idea –that started off so small. People have been wondering, they’ve been curious. They’ve wanted to know how our message traveled the globe, capturing the hearts (and minds) of all the masses, and how we picked away at the pus encrusted scab of intercultural holy war. “Holy” war. Good god, what a joke that is. But here it all is. Here it all is. In these pages I will share all I believe to be true about U2 and Bono. And I’ll share what I really think of all the Bono Haters out there. I’ll remember the tragedy of URBAN TEMPLE™ Eastside. And the tragedy that continues each and every day, when the children of that distant village, the innocent babies, suffer and die, in agony, all too real and true. They die for lack of food, clean water and medicine. I’ll remember them. I’ll remember their pain. I’ll ask lots of questions, about myself and the world around me. In these pages I will lay it all down. I will reveal all the detail that I can recall of my spirit vision while out lost, wandering, in the dry and inhospitable desert. For the first time ever I will describe the vision’s final verse. And I’ll briefly explain