Drew: I thought it was a fruit necklace.
(Laughter)
So, have you guys heard about the U2charist? It's an adapted Holy Communion service that uses U2's songs in place of hymns.
Drew: Yeah, I read about it.
What are your thoughts on that?
Jonathan: When Handel's "Messiah" was performed in opera houses, people were outraged. 'Why is this music being sung outside the church? You shouldn't do it.' With Johnny Cash - he wanted to play gospel but certain records wouldn't let him come out with that. I think it's a struggle we'll have to continue to deal with. It's a timeless struggle; you have faith, commerce, and art colliding at the same point. As musicians, we believe in God, we like music, and we also try to pay rent. This is something you wrestle with every time you pick up your guitar. But I think it's cool, it sounds exciting. It's like everything - you have different challenges you face with that kind of approach.
Would you like your songs to be sung in churches?
Jonathan: Part of me would be honoured, you know, but part of me thinks it might be taking it out of context almost. There are just so many anthems to God from celebrity rock clubs... My idea of worship is more like straight Old Testament songs. I'm a little bit more traditional (smiles), a bit conservative.You like them being distinguished?
Jonathan: Yea, like oil and water. But I like modern music. I like U2!
So how do you live out your Christian faith when you're offstage?
Jonathan: I think the term "Christian" is something that has to be said about you, from a third party, rather than boastfully saying it yourself. It's easier for me to say, 'I can fly, I can jump off of a building and live, I could do all these ridiculous things'- but the harder thing is for us to actually do it. As far as what we do offstage, we certainly don't have any book, where it goes 'do this, this, this' - and everything goes perfectly. That's the whole point of the song "Amateur Lovers" (Oh! Gravity.). The idea that I've got a lot to learn. I think all of us, we're all still learning. Screwing up daily.
Drew: Practicing faith- screwing up daily.
Jonathan: Yeah, so we're all learning from it and hopefully moving forward. I think to call yourself anything more than a sinner is a lie.
Drew: Seriously.
Jonathan: Thinking that you're better than somebody else. I think that's another thing that keeps us at where we are at. Singing songs at clubs, pubs, and bars - even churches. There is no safe place. There is no industry that is not tainted with greed, pride, lust, fear - all these negative things - including the Christian music industry. So to think that you're going to be applying a record or a product or a book that's outside of that is almost untrue.
For us, it's about living everyday to the fullest. We're trying to practice daily the Kingdom of Heaven for the Audience of One.
