Posted on 07/30/2005 11:03:54 AM PDT by mhuye
Salty dogma
Bono gives an explicit confession of being saved by Grace, not Karma | by Gene Edward Veith
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.
In your best theologian voice, explain the bold type.
You can't parse every single sentence, and say HA!!!!. He is clearly setting up the to say the others were teachers or prophets and Jesus was more than that.
I don't do nuance and double-entendre. And neither does God.
I agree. I only wish I were a better Christian.
In this context he just means that Jesus was not merely a teacher. He is just paraphrasing C.S. Lewis here who himself parapharsed G.K. Chesterton.
"I only wish I were a better Christian."
Don't we all?
Have a great weekend.
In the early 80's, Christian radio and TV was playing at least one of U2's early songs. They had a video with spiritual lyrics (don't remember the details, it wasn't specifically Christian) that got a lot of airplay on "Lightmusic", a Christian video program produced in Pittsburgh PA (WPCB-Channel 40, Wall PA), and distributed nationwide.
Thanks for posting that. I was unaware of it. I'm not sure what our foreign aid is, but I'll bet it's massive. On top of that our citizens donate to millions of causes, many of them directed out of the United States.
The United States holds 1 in 20 of the world's inhabitants. The idea that it could eliminate poverty world-wide is silly, if based simply on donations.
The way to reduce poverty is to increase capitalism. I don't care for the way our corporations are going about that. What I'd like to see is the miracles of capitalism sewn like seeds within nations.
There's no need to strip one nation of manufacturing to build up others.
You take the poorest nations. If you build up business there, it will mean more jobs and more jobs means more money that is available to spend on products. I can't believe our nation doesn't spur this globally. That would be the real raising of all boats.
I hope that's what he meant. The first thing I remember about Jesus as a little girl, was sitting in my Sunday room class with the teacher reading to us about Jesus being a teacher for the word. As I got older, I knew Jesus was more than a teacher...he was the Son of God.
I'm Baptist by the way so don't anybody hassle me about my childhood teachings.
Thank you and may God bless you and yours.
Ok. The let me categorically state...I don't like paraphrasing. :-)
Thanks, You too.
It is rare for a popular figure to give such clear testimony regarding the grace of God in Christ Jesus. His comments are clear and true. He is saying the same thing that has been spoken by the Church throughout all ages, and he is correctly stating the distiction between Christianity and all other religions in the world. Remarkable.
Religious KOOK Alert!
I am a little like Jefferson, a sect of one.
But, brother of all.
I have been in Mormon!? services, listened to baptists, obviously Lutheran (Norway, duh ;-)), but mostly I try to witness in front of the secular mainstream here. Last saturday I was telling an Iranian woman about Christ. She was a refugee from Iran, who had left Islam, and had become an atheist. She was extremely negative to religion, but who can really blame her after her experiences. After our talk though, she agreed that the message of Jesus was something that we all should heed.
Babysteps, babysteps...
But Mormon and Jehovas witness missionaries should be careful when they knock on my door, because the roles are quickly reversed. :-)
No one who has listened to U2's music could ever doubt their spirituality.
... 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."
If you're claiming something to be a fact on FR, you'd damned well better be able to prove that it's a fact.
Gee whiz, an exact copy of the same article that was posted yesterday.
No. Not all of 'em anyway. I saw 'em last month (Jun 21) in Glasgow, Scotland. Was really looking forward to hearing that song as I had heard they had ended their earlier shows with it. They ended with the same song they started with- Vertigo.
It was a really good show though. We were about 25 feet from the stage barrier (within the dual catwalks they have). Really good experience.
He is the Messiah. I don't know where the confusion is coming from. I thought Bono said,"Christ says, No. I'm not saying I'm a teacher, don't call me teacher."
To pharaphrase someone elses paraphrase is confusing as it comes down the pike. I was stating that Jesus WAS a teacher. His being the Messiah didn't enter my thinking. I was addressing the subject of teaching.
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