New Bono book contribution? Ten Eternal Questions

[imogen]

Hey everybody. Saw this book at the bookstore today and thought it looked interesting, so I bought it.

I did a search on here and didn't find any evidence of it. Forgive me if this has been posted before though.

It's called Ten Eternal Questions - Wisdom, Insight and Reflection for Life's Journey.

Bono, amongst others, answers the 10 questions. Most of it I have heard before, but if this really isn't out there anywhere, I'll see if I don't have time to type them out tomorrow.

They cover "What is your concept of God?" , "What is your moral code in reguard to what is right and wrong?" and "What has life taught you so far?'' (which actually has an answer I had not heard Bono say before).

Let me know.

Share the Bono love! lol

 

[bonocomet]

I'd like to see it. I haven't seen it before. Thanks!

 

[Galeongirl]

I've never heard of it before! would love to read it if it contains unnusual answers

 

[SimplyConfused]

Oooh! Oooh!! That'd be interesting. I'm going to go look up on t'internet now.

 

[Golightly Grrl]

Oooh, this sounds like an interesting book. I'd love to read it. I hope it's at the library soon.

 

[longingforBono]

My mom told me about that book a week or so ago but I haven't shopped one yet.

 

[Jamila]

Thanks for the info on this new book.

I found out more about it in Amazon.

I'm going to see if I can get a copy of it this week.

Looking forward to your next post, imogen.

 

[imogen]

Okay, I will have to do this in parts. I have to type it all out because I don't have a scanner. So bear with me please! lol

What is your concept of God?

BONO: The idea that there is love and logic behind the Universe is something I hold dear. The idea that it should express itself as a child born in shit-and-straw poverty is one that gives me a reason to get out of bed in the morning. It's just mind blowing to me. I came home once at Christmas, from tour, and I went into St Patrick's Cathedral to hear the boys'choir sing the carol service. I was tired and I was just doing this as a romantic thing, not really thinking about it as an act of worship or anything. I was given a bad seat behind one of the pillars in this huge hall and I couldn't really hear the words the choir was singing. So, to stop falling asleep, as I hadn't been to bed in days, I concentrated on the sheet in front of me, and it really did dawn on me how perfect it was that this thing we call God would choose to express itself as a child born in a barn, as we say in Dublin. That's the most striking idea I think we have of God. I think that wherever you look for God you'll still have to pass through that door of humility and that door of complete vulnerability that a child has. There are very few musicians who don't believe in God.

More to come.....

 

[imogen]

Q: Do you think this life is all there is, or do you believe in an afterlife?

BONO: I'll be very disappointed if this is all there is. I'm having such a great life. I'm never surprised at the ugliness in the world, nor by the beauty of it. I understand the survival of the fittest, but people who have a lot less fun still glean from their lives the precious stones of friendship, insight and knowledge that they will take with them forever, no matter what their circumstances. I do think they are the eternal things. I love that idea of hell as a flame that will burn away all the crap and only the precious stones will remain. I think that is probably where things get evened out and I think that's probably what the idea of "the first will be last"means, that if you have spent your whole life accumulating material things and material ideas about yourself, you will be lrft with very little. I feel I have a lot of faith. Musicians tend to have a lot of faith. When you hear one note in your head you have to have faith that there is another one around the corner. If my first life is going to be my last, then I am in trouble.

Q: Do you accept the concept of karma in the sense of cause and effect?

BONO: I think karma is at the very heart of the Universe, but Divine Grace can intervene. I'm much more interested in Grace. You can't escape the effect of your actions. But the idea that people go through several lives and that people are born better off in this life because of what they did in the last life, I think is bullocks. This idea has produced the caste system and a lot of other useless heirarchies.

Q: What is your moral code in relation to right and wrong?

BONO: You know instinctively, always, what's the right thing to do. And the greatest enemy of that instinct is the din of too many choices. Noise. I think of that story in the Bible of Elijah who was told he should go up a hill and wait to hear from God. A mighty wind springs up and he thinks: "Here it comes, God's on his way." Then there's an earthquake, but no word from God. Then comes a great fire and he thinks God will speak from the fire, but no. The wind calms down and in the stillness he hears God's voice. My idea is sometimes you have to quiet your life to hear what is the right thing to do.

Q: Do you believe you have a destiny, and do you see yourself as here to fulfill it?

BONO: I believe you create your own destiny. You choose it everyday. For me, one of the most important ideas is that you can begin again. It's one of the reasons I was attracted to the Jubilee 2000 idea of the poorest countries having their debts to the richest cancelled. The ability to start again is enshrined in any worthy philosophy. Putting the past behind youdoesn't always mean ignoring the past, but learning from it and moving on.

 

[imogen]

Q: What has life taught you so far?

BONO: I've l;earned that I am a slow learner, but when eventually the penny drops, I hold onto it very tightly. I catch it in my hand and I hold onto it. I just wish I was quicker on the uptake.

Q: What advice or words of wisdom would you like to pass on to those close to you?

BONO: I wouldn't say it is advice but to the people close to me I would say that I wish I had listened to you more.

Q: Do you believe that our survival on Planet Earth is being threatened?

BONO: The Armageddon scenario is probably a little less of a threat than it was 25 years ago, but we still live in a world where mutually assured destruction is seen as a solution to problems, and I think that is ridiculous.

Q: Who do you most admire in this world, historical or living?

BONO: The person I most admire is Jesus Christ.

Q: How do you find peace within yourself?

BONO: I find inner peace by drowning out the noise.



Well, that's it.

What did we think? Not much was new, but I enjoyed it none the less. I am just so pleased to see Bono working in so many different ways to get the message out there.

 

[bonocomet]

Oh my gosh you typed the whole thing for us! That is so nice of you! Thank you very very much.

 

[greety]

thank you for posting

Some of those questions seem familiar though, I think the first one comes from the Bono in Conversation book (Michka assayas)

 

[oliveu2cm]

BIG thanks for transcribing that for us!

 

[Galeongirl]

thanks for typing it
the grace vs karma thing was in the Mischka book, and also the firs thing, but the rest I hadn't hear much... I liked the advice he gives

 

[imogen]

The author says she personally interviewed everybody for the book, except for the Dalai Lama.

And it was no trouble really!

 

[Bono Mot]

Thanks for typing all that! I liked this bit: "I find inner peace by drowning out the noise." Don't know how to achieve it, but I like the sound of it. (oh, and LOVE the avatar, imogen!)

 

[cg]

thanks imogen - that was very cool of you to type it out. i think those were great questions he was asked. very interesting!

 

[pattip2000]

Thank you so much for posting this imogen.

Amazon says the book is 216 pages, I guess the other people gave longer answers than Bono

 

[Babydoll]

Thanks a ton for typing, imogen!

Bono is really smart and philosophical, each interview I read reinforces that opinion in me. I mean we all know he's smart, but to me he is brilliantly smart, a 'scratch beneath the surface' kinda guy. I love him more n more each day.

 

[thankyou]

thank you for sharing and all your time in typing it!

In a world where cynicism grows rampant and people shy away in talking about faith and god, it's good to see someone who doesn't care what they think of his beliefs. It's hard to imagine going through life without anything spiritual in it.

Thanks again!!!

 

[U2Soar]

Thanks Imogen!

 

[JCOSTER]

Thank you so much for all the typing. I am very touched by his answer to this question. I guess this is part of the reason why I am fond of him so much, He is never afraid to state what he truly believes.


Q: Who do you most admire in this world, historical or living?

BONO: The person I most admire is Jesus Christ.

 

[VicksSs]

Hey thanks so much for typing this!!! It really inspires me a lot and I know there-s no possible way I can get that book, so thanks!! Speaking words of wisdom...

 

[u2trinity]

Thank you Imogen , for taking the time to type this for us .
I love to hear Bono talking about grace .


Thank you .