Discussing
The oblique integrity of R.E.M.

..here's to "seeking"-!..

..REM was one of my 1st intro's to music beyond the radio (though they were there) back in the mid-80s..they helped take me from Mr.Mister tunes to better musical realms..

..i guess i owe them at least 1/2 my musical sensibility (not that that's much)..and if Stipe/Buck/Mills/& Berry happen in here, i'd want to say THANK Y'ALL for ALL you did..

..i hate losing REM, but i can understand 30yrs reasoning..you guys will ALWAYS be one of the great bands (musically, artistically, & solidly) of all time..
..heck!, y'all outlasted the Beatles by 2 decades-!!..that's something, especially since your artistry endured the whole time..

..my respect for REM knows no bounds..i only hope for a reunion tour in 10yrs or so-! (ok, i may be dreaming)..

++band>>
--c.

Music first started to matter to me in middle school, thanks in large part to two albums: U2's "The Joshua Tree" (1987) and R.E.M.'s "Green" (1988). Ever since, it's been hard to imagine one band without the other. During the late '80s and early '90s, they offered astonishing one-two punches, topping each other with every new release, creating some of the best pop songs of all time along the way. For Christians engaged with popular music, U2 has always been something of a rock - sure of The Way, if always honest about the struggles and frustrations of following it. Then there was R.E.M. Askew, aslant, endlessly experimental. I had - and have - no idea what the band's spiritual leanings might be, but their music - and especially the brilliantly circuitous lyrics of Michael Stipe - always sounded to me like the cry of a seeker, someone who knows what's wrong with the world (so many of their songs are laments or rants) but is at a sonic loss as to what might restore it. Never mind U2's famous declaration. It's R.E.M. who still hasn't found what they're looking for, which makes the band's retirement all the more bittersweet.

"For Christians engaged with popular music, U2 has always been something of a rock -- sure of The Way, if always honest about the struggles and frustrations of following it."
I went to a U2 concert in 1984 when they had just released the single Pride (In The Name Of Love). Then in 1988, I saw Rattle And Hum during its original cinema release -- twice.My favorite albums used to be ...  Nah, forget it.Here's the thing. If you are a born-again believer in Jesus Christ, if you are truly his, then at some point he is going to wake you up, call you out of there.Praise the name of Jesus.(If I'm off topic, not mentioning REM, too bad I guess.)

What I meant was, if he doesn't wake you up, get you out of there, you are in deep trouble. And the question must be, do "Christians engaged with popular culture" have anything to offer anyone? Do they have a testimony for Christ?

Hi Gavin, The short answer would be Yes. The long answer can be found in my January post that touches on the mission of ThinkChristian in the final paragraph: http://bit.ly/mSSwDG

Why do I keep coming back to this website? Probably for one reason. I still believe that God, in the spirit of Jude 23, wants to see souls rescued, snatched out of the fire. And I see great danger for those who profess Christian faith yet remain captivated by a love for the things of this world (1 John 2:15). Yes, I was there at a U2 concert the very year that Pride (In The Name Of Love) was released, but today I am convinced that U2's Bono is an antichrist (Rev 13:11) and that Martin Luther King too was a false prophet (Deut 13:3, Jer 23:25, Matt 24:24, Rev 13:3). The Rolling Stones famously sang: "This could be the last time, this could be the last time, maybe the last time, I don't know." But Christians don't have the excuse, "I don't know". After all, the Bible says: "Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time" (1 John 2:18). Incidentally, if you think that's a stretch, linking the Stones' The Last Time to the King James Bible, then try this: Compare the song titles "I Just Want To See His Face" and "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" with Psalm 17:15. "As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness."

Really enjoyed your posting there Gavin.In the reciently released Jackie Kennedy tapes,she was not impressed by Martin Luther King at all at the time.Apparently,he did many ungodly things behind his wifes back.
You are on the right track.If you truly read and take the Bible seriously,the holy spirit opens your eyes to see the truth.
The only time we will every truly know is the day the Lord divides the ones who truly became like Jesus from those who rejected the gift of life.