WATCH: Bono's Unexpected Response to 'Who Is Jesus?' Question

Charisma News ^ | 31 March 14 | Charisma News Staff

[21twelve]

“...and my lawyer in the courtroom of God.”

He could also be the guy that steps in and says “Hey Judge - I'll serve his time.”

The other week we were jotting down all of the names of Christ. Lots of “contradictions” in there. Of course, it just means He's done it all and knows ALL that we go through.

Counselor
Servant
King
Shepherd
Sheep
Ruler
Refugee
Mediator

[A_perfect_lady]

In fact... let me see if I’ve got this: you believe that the Old Testament prophecies a Messiah who will come and convert Jews away from Judaism.

[houeto]

I haven't seen anyone really point out flaws in my observations, because my observations are very simple:

They are simple observations indeed. They do lead me to ask a simple question though. What information do you use to make your four simple observations?

[RichInOC]

Not entirely a surprise if you’ve listened to U2 for any length of time.

[A_perfect_lady]

There was a historian called Josephus who documented various events around that time, and he mentions Jesus. That in itself isn't enough, but if you take it along with the Bible, it seems enough to suggest that there was a man named Jesus who lived, and was politically active. He also mentions John the Baptist.

If you take the Bible to be at least partially accurate, the things most likely to be true are the ones without the magical elements about them: that he lived, taught, and was arrested and sentenced to death.

[BenLurkin]

THat wasn’t Bono that Falsani was interviewing.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Well... fine. Some prophecy has to wait. What would you expect if there is prophecy concerning the very end and the very end isn’t here yet.

It’s difficult for us humans to yield to the Lord enough to see His work carry on through our lives. I’m proud. You’re proud. We’re all proud. But once we begin to do that, we begin to get another point of view.

[HiTech RedNeck]

This is a reasonable view. When He was transfigured, His audience got a preview.

[SkyPilot]

Not entirely a surprise if you’ve listened to U2 for any length of time.

That's true. Allow me to state that the reason I posted this thread regarding what Bono said about Christ was that I found it encouraging. In 2014, trapped in Obama's Nightmare, some days there is very little to be encouraged about. But, faith in Christ is all about hope - real hope, and real change.

Especially today (Good Friday). The cross was an instrument of torture and horrible death. Yancey wrote that he could not imagine people wearing little electric chairs or gold guillotines hung on chains around their necks, but millions wear the cross.

Christ took something that was horrible and evil, and turned it into the keys that set all of humanity free from Hell, if they would only accept the gift.

Regarding what you said about U2's music: I have listened to them over the years - hearkening way, waaay back. I heard their first song in 1980 or so at a friend's house. Having said that, I was never a fawning fan, some of their music I enjoyed, some I did not. But there was something different about the band both musically and in their character, even then.

In 1982, I saw them live at a college that my future wife was attending at the time (I was attending a different university). Almost no one knew who they were - Bono even said on stage: "We are not a English fashion band. We are from Ireland! And we are going to play our music for you." At the time, Adam Ant, ABC, and Culture Club were all the rage. Then they sang "Gloria" and Bono talked about God.

It was the first time I heard the song "Sunday Bloody Sunday", as their album War was just being released. I was amazed when I heard the lyric "To Bring the Victory Jesus Won" sung on stage. I was driving in my older brother's car some months later, and the song came on the radio. My brother and I (at that point in our lives) had not accepted Jesus Christ, but he remarked "It's really neat to hear a rock star sing that."

What is also remarkable is that the band members of U2 grew up in an atmosphere of Catholic and Protestant hatred. One might think that all that strife would have led Bono away from Christ - but somewhere, somehow, it would appear that Christ won the day with his heart.

I am not sure what the real story is behind Bono's spiritual journey. As I stated before, many of the things he has said and done are things I don't agree with, politically or otherwise. But, I accept him as a brother because in my opinion, he confessed with his mouth and (I believe) with his heart that Christ is Lord. Ultimately, that is up to God to discern, but I believe he is a brother in Christ.

[Elsie]

Thomas didn’t deny anything.

Yes; he did.

---

John 20:24-29

24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.

25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the LORD.

     But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.

26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.

27 Then saith He to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.

28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My LORD and my God.

29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen Me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

 

He 'denied' the truthfulness of EYEwitnesses' reports.

 

 

 

...blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

[Elsie]

This is what is going to happen?

OK; I'll look it up for you...

---

Revelation 21  (NKJV)

All Things Made New

1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. ² Then I, John,^[a] saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. ³ And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. ⁴ And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

⁵ Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me,^[b] “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”

⁶ And He said to me, “It is done!^[c] I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. ⁷ He who overcomes shall inherit all things,^[d] and I will be his God and he shall be My son. ⁸ But the cowardly, unbelieving,^[e] abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

The New Jerusalem

⁹ Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me^[f] and talked with me, saying, “Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.”^{[g] 10} And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy^[h] Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, ¹¹ having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. ¹² Also she had a great and high wall with twelve gates, and twelve angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: ¹³ three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west.

¹⁴ Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names^[i] of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. ¹⁵ And he who talked with me had a gold reed to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. ¹⁶ The city is laid out as a square; its length is as great as its breadth. And he measured the city with the reed: twelve thousand furlongs. Its length, breadth, and height are equal. ¹⁷ Then he measured its wall: one hundred and forty-four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel. ¹⁸ The construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. ¹⁹ The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones: the first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, ²⁰ the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. ²¹ The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.

The Glory of the New Jerusalem

²² But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. ²³ The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it,^[j] for the glory^[k] of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. ²⁴ And the nations of those who are saved^[l] shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it.^{[m] 25} Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there). ²⁶ And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it.^{[n] 27} But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes^[o] an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

[Elsie]

The Bible may say that, but there is no independent confirmation.

'Bible' is merely a Greek word meaning book.

It is made up of all kinds of writings from various sources.

Your concerns were noted early on, by a fella named Luke; whose occupation was doctor.

---

Luke 1:1-4 (NKJV)

1 Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, 3 it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, 4 that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.

[Elsie]

So either there are some 2,000 old disciples quietly tottering around Israel today, or...

...your understanding of what 'the kingdom of God' means is a bit faulty.

[Elsie]

The most plausible explanation is that it is a made-up story, like the apple of discord in Greek mythology.

I guess you should have been around between 34 AD and later; to WARN those fooled people who DIED, many by quite HORRIBLE deaths, for the Message that they had been told.

---

(You might want to check with some of your co-workers, in the History department, for independent reports.)

[Elsie]

The last one is in Heaven after the Earth is gone. Do I understand correctly?

A word of warning.

There is NONE of us on FR that 'understand' correctly; for there are VAST amounts of things that are, well, unknown.

There is an enormous industry, in the religious world, that thrives on filling in the blanks for people who want to 'know more'.

Many CULTS have spring up to fill in the blanks and they PREY on folks who want to 'know more'.

Just a word to the wise.

[Elsie]

...let me see if I’ve got this: you believe that the Old Testament prophecies a Messiah who will come and convert Jews away from Judaism.

In simple terms: no.

[Elsie]

If you take the Bible to be at least partially accurate ... then you've set yourself up as a JUDGE to determine just which bits you'll accept into your world.

[HiTech RedNeck]

I’d tend to agree. There seems to be a lot of personal tendentious axe grinding in the Christian world. If I wasn’t convinced I had seen the proof of being personally approached by God, I’d be tempted to call it a lot of hooey.

But the God-shaped vacuum remains. Even on the worst view, to consider it imaginary, where are we getting any command to shun the imaginary? It would be a self contradiction. In our most honest moments, we see how proud we are, and if there were not a “humble” God, we would forever be in a fix.

[Elsie]

I doubt that I could identify ANY song that U2 made popular.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Believing yourself able to accept part of it is a start. Now it’s a very reasonable question to ask: why is the rest credible?

Ultimately a personal encounter with God is needed.

Only God can perfect the Lady.