Posted on 07/29/2005 5:11:57 AM PDT by rhema
Is Bono, the lead singer and songwriter for the rock group U2, a Christian? He says he is and writes about Christianity in his lyrics. Yet many people question whether Bono is "really" a Christian, due to his notoriously bad language, liberal politics, and rock star antics (though he has been faithfully married for 23 years). But in a new book of interviews, Bono in Conversation by Michka Assayas, Bono, though using some salty language, makes an explicit confession of faith.
The interviewer, Mr. Assayas, begins by asking Bono, Doesn't he think "appalling things" happen when people become religious? Bono counters, "It's a mind-blowing concept that the God who created the Universe might be looking for company, a real relationship with people, but the thing that keeps me on my knees is the difference between Grace and Karma."
The interviewer asks, What's that? "At the center of all religions is the idea of Karma. You know, what you put out comes back to you: an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, or in physics—in physical laws—every action is met by an equal or an opposite one," explains Bono. "And yet, along comes this idea called Grace to upend all that. . . . Love interrupts, if you like, the consequences of your actions, which in my case is very good news indeed, because I've done a lot of stupid stuff."
The interviewer asks, Like what? "That's between me and God. But I'd be in big trouble if Karma was going to finally be my judge," says Bono. "It doesn't excuse my mistakes, but I'm holding out for Grace. I'm holding out that Jesus took my sins onto the Cross, because I know who I am, and I hope I don't have to depend on my own religiosity."
Then the interviewer marvels, "The Son of God who takes away the sins of the world. I wish I could believe in that."
"The point of the death of Christ is that Christ took on the sins of the world, so that what we put out did not come back to us, and that our sinful nature does not reap the obvious death," replies Bono. "It's not our own good works that get us through the gates of Heaven."
The interviewer marvels some more: "That's a great idea, no denying it. Such great hope is wonderful, even though it's close to lunacy, in my view. Christ has His rank among the world's great thinkers. But Son of God, isn't that farfetched?"
Bono comes back, "Look, the secular response to the Christ story always goes like this: He was a great prophet, obviously a very interesting guy, had a lot to say along the lines of other great prophets, be they Elijah, Muhammad, Buddha, or Confucius. But actually Christ doesn't allow you that. He doesn't let you off that hook. Christ says, No. I'm not saying I'm a teacher, don't call me teacher. I'm not saying I'm a prophet. I'm saying: 'I'm the Messiah.' I'm saying: 'I am God incarnate.' . . . So what you're left with is either Christ was who He said He was—the Messiah—or a complete nutcase. . . . The idea that the entire course of civilization for over half of the globe could have its fate changed and turned upside-down by a nutcase, for me that's farfetched."
What is most interesting in this exchange is the reaction of the interviewer, to whom Bono is, in effect, witnessing. This hip rock journalist starts by scorning what he thinks is Christianity. But it is as if he had never heard of grace, the atonement, the deity of Christ, the gospel. And he probably hadn't. But when he hears what Christianity is actually all about, he is amazed.
I disagree...
God bless you...
the subject is a testimony and witness of the "gospel" -- and it is a witness to a culture to which it is completely foreign. something most "americanized christians" are unfamiliar with as they spend most of there time preaching to each other or trying to shove their morals (hypocritically usually) down the throats of non believers (which is pointless because having good morals gets one no closer to heaven than the most hardened criminal... at least according to the gospel i'm familiar with)
"something most "americanized christians" are unfamiliar with as they spend most of there time preaching to each other or trying to shove their morals (hypocritically usually) down the throats of non believers "
Ohhhhhh, You mean the way celebs and celeb worshippers preach by shoving their politics, immorals and depravity down Americans throats. Got it. ;)
Oh Brother; Where Art Thou?
?
Ya think?
;^)
God bless Bono. May he continue to share his faith.
May ALL areas of his life become consistent with that faith.
May other people have good seed planted and watered in them by hearing his testimony, may their eyes be opened, may they turn from darkness to light, from the enemy's power to God's power, may they find forgiveness of sins, and may they by faith share with those who are sanctified and have an inheritance in God's eternal kingdom. Acts 26:18
This is a great article. I'm really surprised.
Bono had a Roman Catholic father and a Protestant mother, and he was raised in his mother's Protestant faith.
Saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.
Square up homosexuality and abortion with Christianity,Those are the sacriments of the religion of political liberalism
This is so very true. I rejoice that my brother Bono and I will sahre Heaven together. However, I respectfully disagree with him on which entity is best able to lift up the people of Africa - I hold that it is explicitly Christian ministries, not the church.
bump
Really??? I didn't know that. Thank you for the info.
Lewis was an ateist before Tolkien took him to the pub, served him a couple of beers, and set him straight.
Cheers.
"Where's the remote con-****in'-trol, I want to see what's on the tele-****in'-vision, Oh 5h1t, it's David ****in' Norris, the oul'.......!" < /profanity >
WOW! I have often wondered about Bono because of the "mixed signals" he sometimes sends. But it's GREAT to hear him lay forth the Gospel message so boldly and clearly like that!
Hold yer tongue, young man!
(Whacks Irish_thatcherite with a ruler.)
:7)
Well you know as well as I do that there are Christians who would dispute your positions and your claim that Jesus has "all" of you.
I would probably agree with you that some of Bono's positions are not Biblical, but I would be reluctant to say that you are more of a Christian than he is.
Feeding the poor and clothing the naked is that enough? I would say thats a lot more than most do and its a good thing to do but according to scripture " there is none good no not one" and "all of our righteousness's are as filthy rags."
Bono wasn't talking about his acts making him "good" or "righteous". Quite the opposite.
He was proclaiming the Gospel of being saved by grace alone.
Personally I have met Christians who I believe are much better in many ways than I am, yet they still are pro-choice.
I'm not ready to judge their hearts or whether they are really a genuine Christian based on a single issue.
I think most people know about the Gospel of being "saved by grace, through faith" but still tend to revert to a gospel of legalism in their thinking.
This is evident to me in how many times we hear Christians challenge the salvation of others on the basis of their position on this or that issue.
I think there is a tendency in all of us to want to see ourselves as "good" and deserving to go to heaven.
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