Bono's views on eastern religions? (Version II)

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Halifax

The Fly
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Since the other "Bono's views on Eastern religions?" thread descended into an all out theological slugfest while few actually addressed the main topic, I decided to hit the reset button and attempt to present the question again. This time please try your best to actually address the main question without resorting to a heated debate on Judeo-Christian doctrine interpretation or who goes to hell :wink:. I know that the question may have already been answered on the last thread, but hay, no harm in doing it again! Besides, I really do want what Bono does think of eastern religions (if he as any)!

Now here's the original topic which has been "slightly edited" to prevent explosions happening. Note: I'm not blaming anyone for the last thread, so don't attack me on that :wink:.

****************************************
While reading the "Jesus, Jew, Mohammed, it's true... " thread, a question came up in my mind: what does Bono think about eastern religions (ie. Buddhism, Hinduism, Toasm, etc)? For someone who has such a deep spiritualy connection, its surpring that he speaks so little about a big chunk of religions human beings practice.

I remember Bono saying during an interview:

"I think the Dalai Lama says", 'Begin with death, start from there, and you won't go far wrong.' "I don't think he was just having a bad day."

That's all I remember know, apart from a "Grace vs. Karma" discussion he had once before.
 
First, I do not read Bono's statement about "Jesus, Jew, Mohammed..." to mean that the three religions are equal.

Second, I have not heard a statement by Bono that would lend any credibility to Eastern religions.
 
No reading material to go off here, but I cannot imagine him disregarding such religions. He is not that kind of person, it seems. So hard to judge when we dont know him, but his compassion and ability to accept would almost contradict a belief that eastern religion was not credible.
 
Yeah its always dangerous to try and get into someones else head, so you have to go on what they say the best you can (and try not to take out of context or read to much into it). That being said however, I think its clear while he respects eastern religions, he certainly respects Ghandi, he quotes him in the HTDAAB album book, he does not seem to 'elevate' these religions to the status of Christianity. As said elsewhere, 'Conversations' gives you a pretty good glimpse into feelings on religions. He clearly thinks Grace (a Christian concept) is superior to karma (a more eastern concept. Also he says while Bhudda, Mohammed, etc. were great teachers, none of them were divine, as is Christ in the Christian tradition. So he clearly thinks highly enough of some of the teachings of eastern traditions enough to quote them in 'public' i.e. print, he also seems to imply Christianity is 'the truth.'
 
Bono is undeniably a Christian, but I would think that he respects other people's rights to their own beliefs, even if he doesn't agree with those beliefs.

And the "your religion sucks" approach that some Christians take is TOTALLY the wrong way to spread the Gospel!
 
I'll say the same thing that I did in the last thread. As much as I have read on Bono, I haven't came across anything other than what has already been stated. I guess you'll just have to ask him yourself. :wink:
 
nbcrusader said:
First, I do not read Bono's statement about "Jesus, Jew, Mohammed..." to mean that the three religions are equal.

Second, I have not heard a statement by Bono that would lend any credibility to Eastern religions.

I'm sorry...I don't usually come in here, and even more rarely post here, but this comment is just funny to me.

A statement by Bono that would lend any credbility to Eastern religions? WTF? Bono is now the authority on what is and isn't a credible religion? :lmao:


Sorry if my post helps send this thread veering off again, Halifax. That just stuck me as amazingly funny. I'll go away now.
 
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i don't think this thread was started to say that Bono is the source that bestows credibility...i think it's just about if Bono believes these other philosophies have credibility....
 
I too was a bit struck by the choice of the word "credible". While I think I understand what was meant, it does have a rather negative connotation and could be insulting to those who find their worldviews and beliefs quite credible.
 
Good grief, people. NB used the word "credibility", but by looking at the context of what he and others have said, I was able to deduce that what he meant was that Bono hadn't said anything in support of Eastern Religion.
 
In the book U2 at the End of the World, Flanagan talks about how Bono isn't into New Age mysticism because it has views "at odds with his Christian beliefs."
 
sulawesigirl4 said:
I too was a bit struck by the choice of the word "credible". While I think I understand what was meant, it does have a rather negative connotation and could be insulting to those who find their worldviews and beliefs quite credible.

To my knowledge, Bono has not made a statement that would lead someone to follow any Eastern religion.

If we are not pluralistic, we are pious?
 
He certainly seems to have sufficient respect for the other major religions as to have actually read their holy books. He has stated more than once that he has read both the Torah and the Koran.
 
biff said:
He certainly seems to have sufficient respect for the other major religions as to have actually read their holy books. He has stated more than once that he has read both the Torah and the Koran.

The Torah also happens to be the first five books of the Christian Bible.

I've also studied and read most of Koran but it doesn't necessarily mean that I have 'sufficient respect' for Islam.
 
Bad Templar said:
I've also studied and read most of Koran but it doesn't necessarily mean that I have 'sufficient respect' for Islam.

I've read the Bible.

It doesn't necessarily mean that I have 'sufficient respect' for Christianity.
 
financeguy said:
I've read the Bible.

It doesn't necessarily mean that I have 'sufficient respect' for Christianity.

Thanks for aiding my illustration, financeguy. :wink:

This thread is in danger of assuming Bono is a pluralist with the lack of evidence supporting that conclusion.

i.e 'Oh, Bono is such a cool guy...he wouldn't believe that good people or people of other religions are going to hell if they don't accept Christ.' Despite the fact he is not on record as saying that.
 
Who, in this thread, has assumed that Bono is a pluralist, Bad Templar? Perhaps you would enlighten me.

Do you even know what pluralism means? Do you, Bad Templar?

I am PROUD to call myself a Pluralist. I consider it an immense compliment. I ASPIRE to pluralism. I consider all religions to offer false hope.

Let's say I am an "equal opportunity" pluralist. Don't worry, Bad Templar. I do not specifically reject Christianity. Far from it! I view ALL religion as utter and complete fantasy. The moral relativity of religion to me is outdated. I look forward to its final and complete rejection by the enlightened, the intelligent, the educated. That's why I'm a pluralist.

I am also proud to call myself an agnostic. So put that in your pipe and smoke it.

Now here is some reading material for your perusal.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pluralist
 
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financeguy said:
I am PROUD to call myself a Pluralist. I consider it an immense compliment.

I am also proud to call myself an agnostic. So put that in your pipe and smoke it.

Maybe you should tell someone who cares.

I wasn't demonising pluralism at all, I support elements of it....however I personally believe in a single universal truth.

Pluralism also arguably denies the existence of a single universal truth, and therefore by its very nature it can be considered an attempt to unintentionally invalidate many of the very creeds it proports to be attempting to have co-exist (such as the secular notion of women's rights coupled with acceptance of strict Islamic conventions against parity between men and women).

'Contradition is balance'....remind you of anything?

My point is...and I made it on the other thread....it is useless trying to ascribe beliefs to Bono when he's not on record as advocating them.
 
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financeguy said:
I am PROUD to call myself a Pluralist. I consider it an immense compliment. I ASPIRE to pluralism. I consider all religions to offer false hope.

Let's say I am an "equal opportunity" pluralist. Don't worry, Bad Templar. I do not specifically reject Christianity. Far from it! I view ALL religion as utter and complete fantasy. The moral relativity of religion to me is outdated. I look forward to its final and complete rejection by the enlightened, the intelligent, the educated. That's why I'm a pluralist.

So why are you here, financeguy?

You believe religion offers false hope and you look forward to its final rejection...why do you stalk the religion and spirituality boards?

Have you come in search of something? Or have you come to save our deluded souls? What do you offer us?
 
Bad Templar said:
So why are you here, financeguy?

You believe religion offers false hope and you look forward to its final rejection...why do you stalk the religion and spirituality boards?

Have you come in search of something? Or have you come to save our deluded souls? What do you offer us?

Nothing dude! I'm just here for the craic. Life is a cosmic joke to me, and always will be.
 
Bad Templar, anyone has the right to post in this forum, in case you think that it belongs only to a certain group.

:yes:
 
Jamila said:
Bad Templar, anyone has the right to post in this forum, in case you think that it belongs only to a certain group.

:yes:

Don't remember questioning anyone's right to post.

:no:
 
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Bad Templar said:


Don't remember questioning anyone's right to post.

:no:

perhaps you were too ambiguous in the following post, but you must see how you could have given that impression.

Bad Templar said:
So why are you here, financeguy?

You believe religion offers false hope and you look forward to its final rejection...why do you stalk the religion and spirituality boards?

Have you come in search of something? Or have you come to save our deluded souls? What do you offer us?
 
nbcrusader said:
If we are not pluralistic, we are pious?

I'm sorry if I gave you that impression. I should have clarified my statement. I guess when I hear the word "credible" applied to a religion it makes me think that the only standards we are using to judge it are those of reason. And by definition a "faith" can be attractive to someone for reasons other than strictly rational thought. That's what makes it a faith.

So, no, I am not arguing that all religions are the same, but I would say that given the fact that we don't know for certain which one(s) are correct (as none of us have died yet and see what's on the other side) a certain amount of tolerance and "pluralism" might be in order. Everyone is entitled to their own faith and in the end it is between them and the Almighty as to whether they made a good choice or not.
 
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