Bono's Solace

[Katey]

I find solace in places I never could have imagined?the quiet sprinkling of my child's head in Baptism, a gospel choir drunk on the Holy Spirit in Memphis, or the back of a cathedral in Rome watching the first cinematographers play with light and colour in stainglass stories of the Passion. I am still amazed at how big, how enormous a love and mystery God is-and how small are the minds that attempt to corral this life force into rules and taboos, cults and sects. Mercifully God transcends the Church." Bono

I love this quote by Bono and I find it right on.. but thats my opinion. I am amazed though to steal some of his words on how small are the minds that would try and judge Bono's Christianity.. he has never claimed to be an example of it, he is stumbling through just like the rest of us... I adore Bono to death for his work and think like I have said a million times that is the finest examples of a humanitrian I look up to how he has fought the good fight .. but he is human and I really get a little scared when people put him up on this religious level and then claim to be dissaponted or judge him.. Last I checked he was not claiming to be Mother Theresa but simply Bono. He was brilliant and I adore him and I think we whould leave him to find his own solace and each of us do the same.

God is our one and only judge , God is our Grace and the truth shall set us free

I think when you listen to U2 and their lyrics you hear the honesty you see a bit of them and maybe yor hear they are searching for the truth just like the rest of us.

 

[FizzingWhizzbees]

Great post Katey! That's a lovely quote and I like your interpretation of it too.

 

[Katey]

He was brilliant and I adore him and I think we whould leave him to find his own solace and each of us do the same

Ha!! there is example of my brilliant spelling .. It should say ..

He is brilliant and I adore him and think we should leave him alone to find his own solace and each of us do the same...
( big sorry to Bono for putting him in the past tense before ughh)

 

[verte76]

I agree Katey. I think Bono is doing his best to try to figure out God's will for his life, and to him it's not particularly in one church. It's in a "philosophy of life", certainly a legitimate exercise in spiritual conscience. Other people's mileage may vary. That's OK too.

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

That is a wonderful quote. Amen, Bono. I couldn't have said it better myself.

Angela

 

[Jamila]

Thanks, Katey, for starting this thread.

Bono has always found solace in the simplest of places and the most humble of people. He has always said how comfortable he is in Africa where he can walk amongst the people and simply be valued for WHAT'S IN HIS HEART and not for his popularity or money.

Wherever Bono finds his solace, let those of us who TRULY care about him help him to protect his private time, his "time to heal, desired time".

Bono needs his Solace time to keep himself together. It is his time to be with God.

Love and Respect to you always, Bono!

 

[Inis]

I love this quote by Bono and I find it right on.. but thats my opinion. I am amazed though to steal some of his words on how small are the minds that would try and judge Bono's Christianity.. he has never claimed to be an example of it, he is stumbling through just like the rest of us... I adore Bono to death for his work and think like I have said a million times that is the finest examples of a humanitrian I look up to how he has fought the good fight .. but he is human and I really get a little scared when people put him up on this religious level and then claim to be dissaponted or judge him.. Last I checked he was not claiming to be Mother Theresa but simply Bono. He was brilliant and I adore him and I think we whould leave him to find his own solace and each of us do the same.

God is our one and only judge , God is our Grace and the truth shall set us free

I think when you listen to U2 and their lyrics you hear the honesty you see a bit of them and maybe yor hear they are searching for the truth just like the rest of us. [/QUOTE]

I love this quote from Bono and also your reply. I totally agree! Also the words you use, "Solace Time," is truly beautiful! Thank you for sharing this, with us.

 

[Soul Always]

Wow! Bono has a lot to learn!

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

Wow! Bono has a lot to learn!

About what?

Angela

 

[Soul Always]

About what?

Angela

"I am still amazed at how big, how enormous a love and mystery God is-and how small are the minds that attempt to corral this life force into rules and taboos, cults and sects"...about being close-minded, I guess.

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

"I am still amazed at how big, how enormous a love and mystery God is-and how small are the minds that attempt to corral this life force into rules and taboos, cults and sects"...about being close-minded, I guess.

Are you saying he's close-minded?

Angela

 

[BVS]

Wow! Bono has a lot to learn!

Because you've cornered the market on knowing and explaining God?

I think Bono has a greater knowledge of God than most church going people I know. He's obviously not perfect, but I'm not sure what about that quote bothers you.

 

[Soul Always]

Are you saying he's close-minded?

Angela

In this area...yeah. Either that, or he just hasn't seen everything yet. And at the rate he's going he WON'T see anything different or new.

 

[Soul Always]

Because you've cornered the market on knowing and explaining God?

I think Bono has a greater knowledge of God than most church going people I know. He's obviously not perfect, but I'm not sure what about that quote bothers you.

I guess what bothers me is that he is assuming that he knows every religion out there, and has all the answers...and clumps them all into one huge group and doesn't bother to look any further or deeper. To me that's close-minded and naive. I've always known Bono was naive in this area, but that just smacks of close-mindedness a little more than usual.

But, this explanation may not even be satisfactory to me.

Just, his comment of clumping religions and religious people all together so matter-of-factly and resolutely and stone cold finally, I guess. Like there's no more and there will never be more. Period. That's it. That's the way it is. I'm out of here.

 

[BVS]

Yeah. I do have a corner on the market on knowing and explaining God. I'm not the only one.

Sure, I agree, he does have a great knowledge of God than most church going people, but not all.

Ok, well I'll choose not to comment on the first part, but I would still like to know what exactly about that quote bothers you?

What would make you say that someone has a lot to learn?

Do you not believe we are extremely feeble minded compared to God, or do you belive that you can find God in "rules and taboos, cults and sects"?

I'm not trying to attack you, I'm seriously curious and would like to understand.

 

[Soul Always]

Ok, well I'll choose not to comment on the first part, but I would still like to know what exactly about that quote bothers you?

What would make you say that someone has a lot to learn?

Do you not believe we are extremely feeble minded compared to God, or do you belive that you can find God in "rules and taboos, cults and sects"?

I'm not trying to attack you, I'm seriously curious and would like to understand.

I edited my last comment and tried to explain it. But, I'll try again because maybe I can do a better job the second or third time. I'm interested what caused me to react like that, too.

It had to do with how finitely and arrogantly he stated his views of religion, religious people, God, etc.

Those words "rules and taboos, cults and sects" are what bother me the most about what he says. I guess because it's close-minded. When you label something you put them in a box, and close the lid in your own mind. It's not smart. It's not enlightened to label and categorize. It only categorizes something, labels something...you don't really learn about the specific members. You assume an awful lot. You assume that everything in that group will be the same, when maybe it will not.

I hate and resist labels, and I especially bristle at labels like cult, and sect, which I find to be hateful, and yes, close-minded.

 

[BVS]

I edited my last comment and tried to explain it. But, I'll try again because maybe I can do a better job the second or third time. I'm interested what caused me to react like that, too.

It had to do with how finitely and arrogantly he stated his views of religion, religious people, God, etc.

Those words "rules and taboos, cults and sects" are what bother me the most about what he says. I guess because it's close-minded. When you label something you put them in a box, and close the lid in your own mind. It's not smart. It's not enlightened to label and categorize. It only categorizes something, labels something...you don't really learn about the specific members. You assume an awful lot. You assume that everything in that group will be the same, when maybe it will not.

I hate and resist labels, and I especially bristle at labels like cult, and sect, which I find to be hateful, and yes, close-minded.

Yeah I think I responded before you edited your last statment.

I see what you're saying, but I don't exactly agree that that is what Bono was trying to say.

I too hate labels, but I understand what Bono's getting at here. For I have found my beliefs to be very close to his, one of the reasons I was drawn to U2.

I don't think this comment was so much an attack on religious people. He's not attacking the people who attend the church, he's making a comment about the organizations themselves.

It's the organized religion that he struggles with. Take a look at Christianinty, how many hundreds of denominations are there? They all claim to believe in the same word and the same God yet they are divided. Divided by what? They are divided by rules and interpretations. This church said you must baptize this way, this church says you can't dance, this church says you have to go through a priest to be forgiven. When it comes down to it religion is defined by the different rules. It shouldn't be, but it is.

Adam and Eve didn't have religion. They walked with God, but as soon as they cast God out of the garden man invented religion to fill that void. Man invented religion, not God.

The disagreeing over how to perform communion or who should receive, the division over what actions are Christian or not, all of this is not of God. Yet this is what divides and defines most organized religion. Now it goes much further than this, I think there's a lot of hypocricy, judgement, and selfishness in most organized religion but that's for another day.

I think this is what he has a problem with.

 

[Soul Always]

Yeah I think I responded before you edited your last statment.

I see what you're saying, but I don't exactly agree that that is what Bono was trying to say.

I too hate labels, but I understand what Bono's getting at here. For I have found my beliefs to be very close to his, one of the reasons I was drawn to U2.

I don't think this comment was so much an attack on religious people. He's not attacking the people who attend the church, he's making a comment about the organizations themselves.

It's the organized religion that he struggles with. Take a look at Christianinty, how many hundreds of denominations are there? They all claim to believe in the same word and the same God yet they are divided. Divided by what? They are divided by rules and interpretations. This church said you must baptize this way, this church says you can't dance, this church says you have to go through a priest to be forgiven. When it comes down to it religion is defined by the different rules. It shouldn't be, but it is.

Adam and Eve didn't have religion. They walked with God, but as soon as they cast God out of the garden man invented religion to fill that void. Man invented religion, not God.

The disagreeing over how to perform communion or who should receive, the division over what actions are Christian or not, all of this is not of God. Yet this is what divides and defines most organized religion. Now it goes much further than this, I think there's a lot of hypocricy, judgement, and selfishness in most organized religion but that's for another day.

I think this is what he has a problem with.

I'm going to respectively say that you're wrong. First of all, I don't think it's any better if it's just an attack on religious organizations. That is STILL being close-minded and resistant.

I agree that there are a lot of denominations with different rules, all different, but that doesn't mean that there isn't one that is right, that knows the right things, has the right standards, etc. It's so close-minded to assume that because of all the chaos there isn't some truth to be found somewhere.

I agree that it's chaotic and that for the most part it looks very bad. But, I come from a different point of view, therefore, it doesn't bother me.

You're wrong about Adam and Eve not having a religion. They did. There was no specific name for it but they had one. They worshiped God, they understood His laws.

Man did invent most of the religions...but not all of them.

You're right. All the chaos and disagreement is NOT of God. But that doesn't mean that no one is right, and that everyone is involved in the chaos and disagreement.

There is a lot of hypocrisy and judgement, etc., in some organized religions. I know because I've experienced it against me and MY religion. Some religions outright teach this. Others I think it's the members at fault.

I think that's what he has the problem with, too, and I have charity toward him, but he isn't going to learn anything new with a closed mind.

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

Ditto all BVS has said.

Besides, we have to keep in mind where he came from. He's seen how religion can tear people apart.

Angela

 

[nbcrusader]

Man did invent most of the religions...but not all of them.

You're right. All the chaos and disagreement is NOT of God. But that doesn't mean that no one is right, and that everyone is involved in the chaos and disagreement.

Well said. I think there is a fear that there may be One Truth....

 

[Soul Always]

Ditto all BVS has said.

Besides, we have to keep in mind where he came from. He's seen how religion can tear people apart.

Angela

But not ALL religion. It is very prejudiced, biased to say that "religion can tear people apart." Put a qualifier in there, like, "some religions can tear people apart." Or, "some people in some religions can tear people apart."

 

[Soul Always]

Well said. I think there is a fear that there may be One Truth....

There is One Truth, and not everyone fears it.

 

[BVS]

I agree that there are a lot of denominations with different rules, all different, but that doesn't mean that there isn't one that is right, that knows the right things, has the right standards, etc. It's so close-minded to assume that because of all the chaos there isn't some truth to be found somewhere.

So you're denomination holds the key while the rest are wrong? And he's the close minded one? Sorry but it's impossible that there's only one denomination which holds the truth. They have splintered off of each so much and changed so much over the centuries that the original denominations don't even exist.

You're wrong about Adam and Eve not having a religion. They did. There was no specific name for it but they had one. They worshiped God, they understood His laws.

Well I guess it depends on how you are defining religion. I define religion as an institutionalized system grounded in such belief and worship of a supernatural power. Adam and Eve didn't have this. They had a personal relationship with and spoke to God without the constraints of ritual or traditional practices. They didn't hold baptisms, they didn't fast on certain days, they were no rituals. They worshiped God personally without regulations until the temptation.

Show me where God layed out the path of religion. God layed out a path how to live, but I've yet to see where God tells us to cross our chest during these times, get baptized at this point, don't eat this on this day, Christmas is on Dec. 25th, your priests should stay celibate, don't dance, it's really blood not a symbol, etc.

If your definition of religion is different than mine I'd like to know.

 

[biff]

I agree with everything you've said BVS. Excellent post!

 

[Soul Always]

So you're denomination holds the key while the rest are wrong? And he's the close minded one? Sorry but it's impossible that there's only one denomination which holds the truth. They have splintered off of each so much and changed so much over the centuries that the original denominations don't even exist.


Well I guess it depends on how you are defining religion. I define religion as an institutionalized system grounded in such belief and worship of a supernatural power. Adam and Eve didn't have this. They had a personal relationship with and spoke to God without the constraints of ritual or traditional practices. They didn't hold baptisms, they didn't fast on certain days, they were no rituals. They worshiped God personally without regulations until the temptation.

Show me where God layed out the path of religion. God layed out a path how to live, but I've yet to see where God tells us to cross our chest during these times, get baptized at this point, don't eat this on this day, Christmas is on Dec. 25th, your priests should stay celibate, don't dance, it's really blood not a symbol, etc.

If your definition of religion is different than mine I'd like to know.

It's close-minded to think one religion couldn't! Mine is no splinter.

They knew God and they HAD regulations and they BROKE one of them.

His true church is where He's laid it out. In the scriptures He's laid it out, which prophesies of His true church and which His true church definitely reflects.

Now, I won't get into the discussion of religion because I know...*snap*....how people's minds get. And I know *snap*, what a goat of a will I have.

What is my definition of religion? Religion is different than having the true church. Religion is a general thing...it's worship. It's a certain style of worship, I guess. A church is a structure, a set of rules, that hopefully holds up the truth. It's how the truth is spread, taught, it is order. Religion is more shapeless than that.

There isn't going to be any witch hunt here in the usual petty and catty way.

Good day.

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

But not ALL religion. It is very prejudiced, biased to say that "religion can tear people apart." Put a qualifier in there, like, "some religions can tear people apart." Or, "some people in some religions can tear people apart."

Yes, I know-and Bono knows this, too-that that is true, that not all religion tears people apart. I was just saying that the place where Bono grew up certainly would help his views on organized religion. Again, it's the few people out there who take religion and screw it up into something not so pleasant who are the small minds he's referring to. He's seen how those few people treat religion in his country, and so he's kinda wary of it. But he holds no ill will toward most religious people, seeing as most of them are good-hearted people. And I'm the same way.

Also, this "one truth" thing...as BVS said, which religion holds that one truth? No offense, but it tends to bug me when people claim that there's "one truth" in regards to religion. What if all the religions wind up being wrong? What if all of them wind up being right in some way? What if the Buddhists have the answer? What if the Christians have the answer? Nobody knows for sure. They may have faith that theirs is the right one, which is fine, but to claim they have the truth as some sort of fact...well, that can't be proven, and won't be until it's all said and done, and to some people, that can come across as rather arrogant.

Angela

 

[nbcrusader]

Well I guess it depends on how you are defining religion. I define religion as an institutionalized system grounded in such belief and worship of a supernatural power. Adam and Eve didn't have this. They had a personal relationship with and spoke to God without the constraints of ritual or traditional practices. They didn't hold baptisms, they didn't fast on certain days, they were no rituals. They worshiped God personally without regulations until the temptation.

Actually, God did give them "rituals or practices". We see this when Cain's offering was rejected and Abel's was accepted.

Our inability to agree on the One Truth doesn't negate the One Truth, it just shows our imperfection.

 

[Soul Always]

Yes, I know-and Bono knows this, too-that that is true, that not all religion tears people apart. I was just saying that the place where Bono grew up certainly would help his views on organized religion. Again, it's the few people out there who take religion and screw it up into something not so pleasant who are the small minds he's referring to. He's seen how those few people treat religion in his country, and so he's kinda wary of it. But he holds no ill will toward most religious people, seeing as most of them are good-hearted people. And I'm the same way.

Also, this "one truth" thing...as BVS said, which religion holds that one truth? No offense, but it tends to bug me when people claim that there's "one truth" in regards to religion. What if all the religions wind up being wrong? What if all of them wind up being right in some way? What if the Buddhists have the answer? What if the Christians have the answer? Nobody knows for sure. They may have faith that theirs is the right one, which is fine, but to claim they have the truth as some sort of fact...well, that can't be proven, and won't be until it's all said and done, and to some people, that can come across as rather arrogant.

Angela

I can understand your reservations...but if you know something is true, then you don't have the reservations about saying it.

You can prove the truth.

 

[biff]

Also, this "one truth" thing...as BVS said, which religion holds that one truth? No offense, but it tends to bug me when people claim that there's "one truth" in regards to religion. What if all the religions wind up being wrong? What if all of them wind up being right in some way? What if the Buddhists have the answer? What if the Christians have the answer? Nobody knows for sure. They may have faith that theirs is the right one, which is fine, but to claim they have the truth as some sort of fact...well, that can't be proven, and won't be until it's all said and done, and to some people, that can come across as rather arrogant.

Angela

That's really very well-expressed, Angela. I agree with you.

 

[popsadie]

oh boy.."the true church"...Personally, I believe that.the true church won't be found in any building and there isn't a corner on the truth from one denomination. It is true that God did lay out rules for Adam and Eve...though really only only one at first, but there aren't any required ceremonies in that part of Genesis that I can recall.
Truth be told, I disagree with both "Soul.." and Bono. Bono does seem to be somewhat biased against the institutional church...but I can see his reasons. I am a member of it, but I see many problems with its politics and concentration on things that don't really matter that much. I for one am glad that God moves outside of the church...especially considering the way we;ve made it into a club at times...