Bono "Focus on the Family" program
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Mrs. Garrison
Rock n' Roll Doggie ALL ACCESS
I think the real reason Bono appeared on this evangelical show is because he can identify with them because they too are tax cheats. See, Heaven is full of "takers". That's right, takers. Nobody pays taxes in heaven, nobody works, nobody does a damn thing to help Heaven's yards get mowed, pay the rent, nobody does the dishes, nobody does the laundry, etc. They are all a bunch of takers! They lay around and feast and live in Paradise while its up to God and his Angels to do all of the heavy lifting.
Bono can sort of identify with this, as he himself is a tax cheat, like the people in heaven.
Now I personally don't have a problem with that, because id like to be a taker too someday. And I don't blame the takers, its not like I wont do it myself if given the chance. I just think it all started with God, he kicked the hard working people out of Heaven and sent them to a very bad place. Then he kicked his only son out of Heaven before he was even born, waited till his son became a lazy hippie, and then he invited him home to the kingdom of Heaven.
This is backwards to me, but whatever, im hoping to be a shiny happy lazy fucker when I die too. Heaven is where its at, two turntables and a golden microphone, the rest of us are just amatures. Except of course for Bono.
Bono can sort of identify with this, as he himself is a tax cheat, like the people in heaven.
Now I personally don't have a problem with that, because id like to be a taker too someday. And I don't blame the takers, its not like I wont do it myself if given the chance. I just think it all started with God, he kicked the hard working people out of Heaven and sent them to a very bad place. Then he kicked his only son out of Heaven before he was even born, waited till his son became a lazy hippie, and then he invited him home to the kingdom of Heaven.
This is backwards to me, but whatever, im hoping to be a shiny happy lazy fucker when I die too. Heaven is where its at, two turntables and a golden microphone, the rest of us are just amatures. Except of course for Bono.
Nick66
Rock n' Roll Doggie ALL ACCESS
Man I miss university.
Also, at risk of turning this forum into FYM (I guess I also managed to help turn it into a book club), Bono really talked about the things that I love about Christianity, and that continue to try to pull my heart back to it, even after theoretically having left it.
gvox
Ghost of Love
jeevey
Rock n' Roll Doggie Band-aid
Well, he doesn't believe in the inerrancy of the Bible or that God ordains all events. That's pretty unorthodox for evangelicals, even though it's not at all within the historical scope of Christianity in general.
jeevey
Rock n' Roll Doggie Band-aid
Dealing with mainstream celebrities and newsmakers like Bono is quite a trick for groups like FOTF that grew out of the Moral Majority. On the one hand they really want to have a separate kingdom and be really pure, and consider folks like Bono to be less Christian, less faithful. But they also care about influencing the world and get really jazzed about big media breaks and celebrities who give them attention and seem to justify them or help publicize their causes- which is why Kirk Cameron still has a career of sorts. So an interview with Bono is a huge score- just look at all the hits they've gotten from interference! media attention from people who would normally never give them the time of day! but potentially a double edged one. Because in becoming close to someone, you open yourself to influence from them. So there will definitely be some concern from within the camp about listening to Bono, about the implication that he could be a role model or someone to listen to.
lov12113
The Fly
Some Christians, including some (not all) evangelicals, believe in having open dialogue with various groups, including those you don't agree with or those that are on the other side of the political spectrum. I attend an evangelical seminary where this type of dialogue is promoted. Not all evangelicals are fundamentalists. In fact, many are not. That's like saying all left-wingers are communists or all right-wingers are racist bigots. It's just not true. Fundamentalists are an extreme wing of Christianity, and many Christians are not that extreme (i.e. Bono).
It is pretty obvious that Bono welcomes the opportunity to talk to different political and religious groups on both sides of issues. Hence, he meets with the Pope, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Focus on the Family, and all kinds of people.
It is pretty obvious that Bono welcomes the opportunity to talk to different political and religious groups on both sides of issues. Hence, he meets with the Pope, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Focus on the Family, and all kinds of people.
BVS
Blue Crack Supplier
But they can't chance being associated with it, they have to learn how to draw lines. Sure they might be able to find common ground with those Texans, and maybe even open some minds, but can you imagine how it would look? No way man, stick to your own kind.
See what happens when you only associate with people who think exactly like you? You become detached from reality. You only need to go as far as FYM to know this isn't true.
popacrobat
Rock n' Roll Doggie FOB
Peterrrrr
New Yorker
Jesus had a strange view on women...
Also Jesus says in the bible that he havent come to change anything in the Old Testament. gods word is eternal, also jesus is god. god did all those horrible things.
God created the evil, god is the evil. god is almighty therefore he can see in the future wich means that when god created lucifer he knew that he would betray god and be satan. When god created human he already knew that adam and eve would sin. In other words he created human so he could punish them for the sin...
So yes Bono still praising the worst murder of al time which makes him immoral in some views...
BVS
Blue Crack Supplier
I'm guessing you studied the Bible just as much as you've studied music theory, eh?
gvox
Ghost of Love
hope you interpret it better than that
Ok well the thing is primarily about Christ returning and destroying his enemies.
I think a person..or millions..gets slaughtered in that tale, but what do I know?
MrsSpringsteen
Blue Crack Addict
Thanks for sharing (honestly I appreciate that perspective), but what are you doing promoting such rational non stereotypes here?
You're swimming against a tide of sorts, that's all 
To be fair though, the image of focus on the family is not in line with that. What I know about them isn't. Honestly I don't feel quite right going on their site to hear the interview, maybe it's available elsewhere. As a Christian and just as the type of person I aspire to be, I'm just not comfortable with them. I'm not Bono and he can do whatever he wants-I like his music, I don't worship him as any sort of deity. All entertainment "idols" will fall short of expectations, it's in the news on a daily basis.
I also think Bono would see it an an ultimate challenge, to get certain ideas across to their audience. I think he still probably believes that he can do that, that certain fundamental ideas can transform hearts and minds. He enjoys that challenge, that's just my guess.
Peterrrrr
New Yorker
Yes, I have study the bible. Dosnt matter what Theologians say, you can read in the bible about all the slaughters. The bible is very clear about his almightyness...
Or do you have any other answers?
But sure, you can find alot of funny lies in that book, luckily we have the scientists who proven that the bible is wrong about many things...
BVS
Blue Crack Supplier
Then you would have known that passage has nothing to do with Jesus' view on women and your theology about how God created evil is either simpleton or really twisting. I've seen your attempt to discuss the Bible in FYM, I seriously doubt you have studied it at any level. Look, there's plenty of reasons not to believe or be religious, and I completely get that and respect that, but don't pretend to have studied something you haven't. You angrily attack, I've seen you do it on several occasions, just let people be if their beliefs aren't getting in your way. But seriously your knowledge on the subject is ridiculous.
Yeah, I guess if you really want to take everything literally. Luckily we have you to interpret it for us.
Peterrrrr
New Yorker
No it isnt twisting. If he cant see into the future he isnt almighty? Give a little time and I can show you a few verses from the bible that shows his bad atitude on women...
You mean all should cherrypick whats fits their life? Why dont you tell us how you determines what is thruth and what is not in the bible.
BVS
Blue Crack Supplier
No need, just the fact that you are arguing that the one that created women hates women is entertaining enough.
There's no need to cherrypick. I know enough about the Bible and science to know that the story of Genesis is an analogy and that the two do not have to conflict.
Nick66
Rock n' Roll Doggie ALL ACCESS
Without getting too much into the weeds on this, I do have to say I always find it amusing when non-Christians presume to tell Christians what it means to be a Christian, or what the bible says. It's just as ludicrous as a Christian telling an atheist what it means to be an atheist.
In any event, when discussion religion, when you take faith out of the questions, you come up with some very different answers. And I'm speaking as someone who isn't particularly religious, but I do get weary of people who have no faith mocking those who do.
In any event, when discussion religion, when you take faith out of the questions, you come up with some very different answers. And I'm speaking as someone who isn't particularly religious, but I do get weary of people who have no faith mocking those who do.
Peterrrrr
New Yorker
So you mean that god killed all the people because he love them?
Tell me how you can get science and the story of Noah's ark togheter?
Writing this show that you dont know much about science...
Let take evolution for an exmaple, we know today that it is a fact that we have evolved and share a common ansestor with the apes, therefore the myth of adam and is prooven that it didnt happen which means that the human sin didnt happend...
Well you know that alot of studies shows that atheists know more about relgion then religious people, so your argument falls...
BVS
Blue Crack Supplier
Listen you'll find scholars and believers who interpret these things in a number of ways.
Did you not read my post? Analogy! I am not one that believes the story of the Ark to literal.I'm seeing why you're having such a hard time understanding this, you aren't reading my posts, that or you're not good at comprehension.
I'm out...
Nick66
Rock n' Roll Doggie ALL ACCESS
Perhaps. But I'm fairly certain people of faith know more about their religion than you do.
BVS
Blue Crack Supplier
Peterrrrr
New Yorker
Listen you'll find scholars and believers who interpret these things in a number of ways.
I'm seeing why you're having such a hard time understanding this, you aren't reading my posts, that or you're not good at comprehension.
I'm out...
If human sin didnt happend the whole christian idead falls...
gvox
Ghost of Love
I don't tend to "side" with Peterr very much on..anything, really..and I don't even profess to understand what his beefs or arguments about God are, really...
But as someone who actually has studied the bible, quite extensively (I'd call 20 years fairly extensive), he alludes to some worthwhile points.
Taken as it is written, the god of the Old Testament was at many times a very..exacting and vengeful god (I think Peterr would call this "cruel" or "murderer"). There's no spin or interpretation on that comment, it is what it is.
So this is where I get off the boat with Bono and religion, because he sometimes seems to want to reinvent God and Jesus into this giant bundle of love and I'm sorry, but even Jesus said he came to put a sword between brothers etc.
So it does in fact come off like a bit of cherry-picking in the end. He wants to use scripture to counsel leaders on poverty, but what about the passages just a few verses before and after that talk about segregating the believers from the non-believers, not even eating with such people, etc? It just seems that Christians with a "progressive" view do cherry-pick alot.
Here's an example of what I mean..
Non-believer says something like:
And the response (I'm assuming from a Christian perspective, BVS?):
I'm sure there are and in fact I've read them, but alot of them are "going beyond the things written" as the bible itself says. If we go by what the bible itself says, God did in fact kill probably millions of "unbelievers" over man's history.
I find it hard to listen to Bono talk about God sometimes, knowing that. It's either one big giant fairy tale or it's not, imo, in which case my rational side wants nothing to do with it all.
(also, BVS, I think the word you wanted to use to describe the story of the Flood is "allegory", not "analogy".)
But as someone who actually has studied the bible, quite extensively (I'd call 20 years fairly extensive), he alludes to some worthwhile points.
Taken as it is written, the god of the Old Testament was at many times a very..exacting and vengeful god (I think Peterr would call this "cruel" or "murderer"). There's no spin or interpretation on that comment, it is what it is.
So this is where I get off the boat with Bono and religion, because he sometimes seems to want to reinvent God and Jesus into this giant bundle of love and I'm sorry, but even Jesus said he came to put a sword between brothers etc.
So it does in fact come off like a bit of cherry-picking in the end. He wants to use scripture to counsel leaders on poverty, but what about the passages just a few verses before and after that talk about segregating the believers from the non-believers, not even eating with such people, etc? It just seems that Christians with a "progressive" view do cherry-pick alot.
Here's an example of what I mean..
Non-believer says something like:
And the response (I'm assuming from a Christian perspective, BVS?):
I'm sure there are and in fact I've read them, but alot of them are "going beyond the things written" as the bible itself says. If we go by what the bible itself says, God did in fact kill probably millions of "unbelievers" over man's history.
I find it hard to listen to Bono talk about God sometimes, knowing that. It's either one big giant fairy tale or it's not, imo, in which case my rational side wants nothing to do with it all.
(also, BVS, I think the word you wanted to use to describe the story of the Flood is "allegory", not "analogy".
)
Mrs. Garrison
Rock n' Roll Doggie ALL ACCESS
I miss waking up in a house full of strangers, naked, after a long night of sex orgies, with 6 lovely women laying around me. Fresh bosoms and flowers everywhere and the smell of love in the air. I spent many a day waking up in strange places, sometimes with the moon, others with the sun. It was a wonderful and enchanting time of my life.
Nick66
Rock n' Roll Doggie ALL ACCESS
I miss waking up in a house full of strangers, naked, after a long night of sex orgies, with 6 lovely women laying around me. Fresh bosoms and flowers everywhere and the smell of love in the air. I spent many a day waking up in strange places, sometimes with the moon, others with the sun. It was a wonderful and enchanting time of my life.
Oh, well, I didn't leave all THAT behind at university, are you crazy?
iron yuppie
ONE love, blood, life
I think this is a bit too convenient of a defense. It's one thing to have an "open mind," but quite another to associate with a group that openly promotes homophobia and aggressively pursues anti-women programs. I agree that it's well within his rights to associate with whom he pleases, but also well within an observer's rights to criticize him on that basis.
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