Disclaimer: Kicking at the Darkness // MichealFelker.com is the personal website of Micheal Felker. Micheal has gone to great lengths to seperate this site from his employment. The opinions found on this site are those of Micheal Felker and not of his place of employment. Also, Micheal Felker is not responsible for the content on other sites listed as links. If you have a problem with Micheal Felker or any content found on this site you would do well to contact him personally. You can email Micheal Felker at KickingattheDarkness (at) gmail (dot) com.

Who is Micheal Felker and why should you read his website?
Micheal Felker is a 28 year old minister trying his best to figure out his place in the world. Micheal works as a youth minister and serves students and families in this role. This site is a collection of his thoughts, writings, musings, and any other applicable adjectives that describe what a blog really is. If you are a fan of U2, this is your site. If you, too, are trying to find your place in the world, then read on.

What does “Kicking at the Darkness” mean?
The phrase “Kicking at the Darkness” comes from one of my favorite U2 songs “God Pt 2.”

I don’t believe in the ’60s
In the golden age of pop
You glorify the past
When the future dries up
I heard a singer on the radio
Late last night
Says he’s gonna kick the darkness
Till it bleeds daylight
I believe in love

(Of course, the singer Bono is refering to is Bruce Cockburn, a telented singer/songwriter in his own right.)

Steve Stockman, author of “Walk On: The Spiritual Journey of U2.”, writes, “It is a behavioral manifesto. This is a clear code of biblical living. It is close to being a sermon against the world’s vices that the Kingdom of God opposes. In the end, there is more frightening talk against the devil and his rule against the world: “I heard a singer on the radio late last night/ Says he’s gonna kick at the darkness/ Til it bleeds daylight.” What a wonderful motto for the kingdom builder.”

That is the motto for this site. Week after week, I will strive to kick at all kinds of darkness. First, at the darkness in my own life. Confusion, pain, sin. Secondly, I will kick at the darkness around me. This is the main thrust. I’m tired of just waiting around. As MLK said, “Time doesn’t ever take care of things like that. Time doesn’t take care of racisim. Bold moves by convicted people bring about change, not time.” I’m ready for some change.

What do you mean by “meeting God without sunglasses?”
A few months ago I read Bono in Conversation, a great book with wonderful insight into Bono, the lead singer of U2. The line comes from the following section:

Assayas: So you discovered things that, on first glance, you’d rather have kept hidden? What were those?

Bono: The gauche nature of awe, of worship, the wonderment at the world around you. Coolness might help in your negotiation with your world, maybe, but it is impossible to meet God with sunglasses on. It is impossible to meet God without abandon, without exposing yourself, being raw. That’s the connection with great music and art, and that’s the other reason you wanted to join a band: you wanted to do the cool thing. Trying to capture religious experiences on tape wasn’t what you had in mind when you signed up for the job.

Assayas: What about your own sunglasses, then? Do you wear them the same way a taxi driver would turn off his front light, so as to signal to God that this rock star is too full of himself and not to hire at the moment?

Bono: Yeah, my insincerity… I have learnt the importance of not being earnest at all times. You don’t know what’s going on behind those glasses, but God, I can assure you, does. (53-54)

This conversation was quite possibly the best section of the entire book. I long to meet God with no pretenses with no ego. My sunglasses are broken.