Bono for breakfast
Now here is one for the books! Bono preaching at the Presidential prayer breakfast. Check this out.
I did go to see U2 last week. I must admit it felt like we were worshipping at a very charismatic church. And the preaching was great! We were all moved….all 60,000 of us.
I honesly love and respect this man.
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There’s no doubt that there were a couple of moments in that show where it stopped being about entertainment and started being about worship - for me at least. They sure do put on a decent show! Very moving.
[...] Thanks to Alan for the pointer to Bono at the American Presidential prayer breakfast. [...]
[...] Thanks to Alan for this link to Bono at the American Presidential breakfast. [...]
being a fellow of celtic birth and influence, i have followed the career of bono since early times… there has been much to love over many years… my first attendance was at a concert in 1981 where they played to about 300 people.
bono is now a man of incredible influence and to be part of an audience, of 70,000 or so people, a couple of weeks ago was awe inspiring. i must admit though that the chant he began, for Jews, Christians and Muslims to “coexist,” on the basis that all three religions are descended from Abraham touched a nerve. i have an eclectic mind that has the ability to connect apparently disparate thoughts… a conspiracy theory or two always makes for interesting discussion even if (perhaps especially if) they’re not really true!
it was not so much the fact that bono made the statement, he has every right to his opinion, my concern was more in the way it was done. the sight of 70,000 people, in the height of an emotion charged concert, swaying with bono to his leading, on chants around his concept of “coexist,” without any critical awareness of the deeper issues… well it spooked me - it was very cult-like to say the least… enough to refuse the kool-aid my friend offered!!
it’s always a good thing to be aware of the influences of those who influence you! interestingly when paul hewson was a kid he was so energetic and active (today he’d be diagnosed ADD/ADHD and prescribed ritalin!) that one of his dad’s nicknames for him was “the antichrist!” - move over henry kissinger, bono’s about
the ramblings of a celtic son
I fully understand your reaction Celtic son, as I must admit to having a bit of that myself when that came on. But I think I can understand what he was saying. He was simply saying that we don’t need to kill each other. Monotheism has a lot in common…at least enough to keep us from killing and hating each other. We can do with more peace and understanding at the very least!
point taken mr hirsch…
peace and understanding is certainly more consistent with the teaching of jesus than violence and hate… though jesus does make claim to be the way the truth and the life; an exclusive claim not appreciated by abraham’s other sons…
in sydney, bono followed up his chant by pulling the headband he had on, with the word “coexist” on it, down over his eyes and crawling around on the floor… as if the concept itself was the cause of an artificial form of blindness… had me reflecting on statements about blind men leading the blind into a ditch…
pax
the rambling celt
Would be interested if anyone has thought to respond to these:
The Bonofication of Theology (I’d add quite a lot more to his list but the guy is a self confessed Zwingli fan. But his point stands.)
Do we worship the same God?. This is a book review by a Jew of a book written by an Aussie Christian but the key points are there. The earliest extant Christian witness to Islam (St John of Damascus) and plenty of others through Christian history would agree.
In one sense everyone is a theologian. I’m not sure Bono’s theology is as good as his music.
as one who does have concerns about bono’s influence, and has posted them here, i equally have concerns about any approach to “theology” that implies any engagement with our culture risks contamination of the christian message.
i’d suggest that dr west’s post on the bonofication of theology, reveals more about his own narrow minded christianised mindset than it does about bono’s! i’ve posted a response to the good doctor to make that point… don’t know that it will be appreciated - amd hey maybe i’m not the one!
but… people in ivory towers still have to eat an elephant the same way as the rest of us…
beannachd dia dhuit
a celtic son
perhaps it was self fulfilling prophecy to state that i didn’t think my post to dr west would be appreciated! following “saint’s” post, i posted my response to dr jim west, on the “bono-ification of theology” on two occasions. the doctor, though he continues with his own comments, has not seen my comments worthy of publication… perhaps he’s right and alan hirsch should be more judgemental and censor some of the comments on his blog too…
i’ve expressed, in comments on this post my own concerns about bono’s influence, but that doesn’t mean that he’s not a smart man, or that his comments are not a useful place to start a discussion. i mentioned those thoughts to the doctor - perhaps they upset him…
i accept that i can be a trifle confrontational when dealing with bigoted opinions presented as though they were fact in a superior manner… jesus is still assisting me in the grace area!
i’m not sure whether my statement that “efforts to disengage theology from connection with contemporary culture seem, to me, to fly in the face of the reality of the incarnation” was offensive to him or if it was my concern over the uncritical idolisation of classic theologians, “as if subsequent history, theological understanding, archaeological discovery and research never happened.”
perhaps it was some other comment that was just a touch too fierce… another blogger commented that the doctor was dismissive of others thinking… no point in commenting since i’ve already been dismissed…
in time i’ll get over the pain of rejection
beannachd dia dhuit
a celtic son
I just posted this in reply to the post at http://drjimwest.wordpress.com/2006/12/07/the-bono-ification-of-christian-theology/
As far as I know, Bono has never claimed to be a theologian. But, what he does claim to be is a man pursuing Christ and putting his money and time and yes, his popularity to use for what he believes is a mission that Christ would have him engaged in. How many theologians, plumbers, preachers, or teachers are engaged in mission for and in Christ? How many have spent their time and money in Africa, or anywhere else that Christ would have them be? I would venture…not as many as should be. This is where the genius of Bono shines! He is about LIVING his faith, not just THINKING about faith.
hi carl…
i’ll be interested to see whether doctor west actually posts your comments.
initially he refused to post my initial comment which i re-sent twice, he then introduced a new comments policy and i posted again complying with his policy. his response to my post was no response at all, simply dismissed my thinking as “mistaken” with no reason, argument or evidence.
since then he has simply not posted anything i have written to him, despite his comments policy saying he would. i had considered making a post on all of the blogs he has links to, but it’d simply be descending to his level of inadequacy.
in all honesty i don’t think there’s any point in attempting to enlighten such narrow-minded, limited thinking… just pray that his monologues remain within the walls of the ivory league, then they’ll continue to have absolutely no impact in the real world…
you may be interested to note that doctor west maintains an unbiblical lack of responsibility for truth. subsequent to Carl’s comments (see above) the doctor added a disclaimer to his “comments policy” stating his inability to deal with rational discussion, preferring just to publish postings that agree with him.
sadly his blog is simply a place to post the rather narrow-minded, irrelevant and outdated opinions he espouses, compiled with a superior, pharisaical attitude… i’m sure the good lord himself would have a problem with plank removal!
if you genuinely want to engage in discussion and be enlightened, then his blog would be a good one to stay away from, though fortunately it will have no impact in the real world anyway
yeah… i know i’m revealing an ugly personality lacking in grace, but sanctimonious, pharisaical religion is the one thing that infuriated Jesus and destroys true ekklesia… hmmm! does anyone have a mirror i can borrow?
a cranky celtic son