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.
Haha! Feck. Arse!
I think that a lot of the sins of the world get much less interesting as you age and gain wisdom.Most of the sins of our youth are fueled by the whole sex-violence-money syndrome.
You get to where those things finally just plain don't matter as much.You get to the point where you walk away from a fight,can take or leave a pretty body as well as understanding that the material world is a very shallow one.
As you get closer to your ultimate meeting with God,the false things of this world seem so very trite compared to the glories that are coming your way in the next life.
" I'm holding out that Jesus took my sins onto the Cross..."
That's faith, in my book. I hope this really IS an interview with Bono, and not a hoax (no reflection on you, dear poster, I don't mean it like that).
>>Should Christ be flattered by Bonehead?<<
I don't know. But I know He will accept him, if his faith is sincere.
Did you disapprove of the woman caught in adultery to the same degree?
Now on THIS issue we agree!
And that's all that really matters.
:-)
I don't recall a "Thou Shalt Not Utter Salty Language" commandment.
Bono's words and sentiments are quite beautiful and unexpected. He is a very fascinating man.
Drink! Girls!
"Life is tough, deal with it. I don't need a rock star(celebrity worship) to guide me on the right path which is what this topic is all about."
You know, I think you have a bit of an overly-Christian chip on your shoulder, along with a bad case of defensiveness about religion. What's with the constant reference to "celebrity worship" that you throw out? No one on this thread is talking about celebrity worship but you. We are talking about the man, Bono, and his faith, not his celebrity, and no one is asking anyone to follow him as if he is Christ. I don't get where you are coming from. You alternately seem to be attacking anyone on this thread that finds something good in Bono and his faith, and then insulting them as celebrity worshippers, based on no personal knowledge of any of their religious beliefs whatsoever. My vote goes to exNavyChick.
I'm not claiming to be a better Christian or more of a Christian all I am saying is that you can not comparmentalize your Christianity.
I am not saying that you have to carry the mantle of antiabortion or some such other thing but When one becomes a Christian there should be no waiver in the belief of the wrongness of such actions. Or supporting/voting/speaking out for those that support those actions. I believe Christians cannot seperate thier core beliefs and thier vote.
I could be wrong but it seems to me that Bono is probably a young Christian and is still working through some of those issues.
I pray that he is and he will be quite a witness for Christ.
...the road paved with riches for greedy dictators needs to be closed asap.
I was just thinking, he's a Lewis student....
bump read later
Yes, there are, and they've been there for many years and I'm sure they've proven themselves to be trustworthy. M
"Wrong PR agent, I haven't alternated at all, I've been quite consistent. It's Bonos position which he uses to coerce the masses with guilt into throwing their money at greedy 3rd world dictators who in turn starve and slaughter their own citizens instead of tackling the heart of the matter."
You do know you're reasonably unpleasant, don't you? Something very not Christian about you. Here's another one (me) that really doesn't want to continue the conversation, as it's a downer.
..... I'm going to climb every mountain and sing, shout, speak....
"What Bono said was a very condensed version of what C. S. Lewis wrote in his book, "Mere Christianity"."
That is what I was thinking. This article is almost too pat to be real. But I am skeptical of such stuff naturally. World is a really good magazine.
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