Bono confesses

[elevation]

I haven´t browsed this forum a lot, so I'm very sorry if this has been posted before:

http://www.atu2.com/news/article.src?ID=4011

In this article Bono truly confesses that he is Christian.. I never had any doubts about this but this article should make the sceptics shut up....

 

[Jamila]

I don't really think anyone ever doubted that Bono is a "believer" (his words) but I think that many people (including Bono) don't want any denomination or philosophical branch of Christianity to take him up as their own.

He is his own kind of Christian - maybe the best kind - the one who communes directly with his God and doesn't allow any middlemen (churches) to define his relationship with God.

Bono's relationship with God is as ours should be - highly personal.

 

[starsgoblue]

Just because someone goes to a church doesn't mean that they don't have a personal relationship with God. And there is levels of Christian-ness?

I hope I read that wrong.

 

[bonosloveslave]

That is a great excerpt from the book

 

[2Hearts]

Yes, that interview was nothing new to those who have read the In Conversation book. Even older news is that Bono is a Christian.
He's made that clear from the very start.

 

[Liesje]

He is his own kind of Christian - maybe the best kind - the one who communes directly with his God and doesn't allow any middlemen (churches) to define his relationship with God.

Actually, this isn't unique to Bono...it's called Protestantism.

 

[80sU2isBest]

Actually, this isn't unique to Bono...it's called Protestantism.

Exactly.

 

[Jamila]

I don't recall Bono ever claiming he was a Protestant or Catholic in his practice.

In fact, we all know that he has tried as hard as possible to stay away from identification with any particular denomination.

 

[Liesje]

I don't recall Bono ever claiming he was a Protestant or Catholic in his practice.

In fact, we all know that he has tried as hard as possible to stay away from identification with any particular denomination.

Yeah, but you were saying how he is a unique Christian for having a relationship w/ God without the Church.....check your church history and it's pretty obvious that this IS the reasoning behind the Protestant Reformation - they didn't believe a Church was necessary to be genuinely religious. For example, they didn't believe you had to confess to a priest for forgiveness, but that sins are dealt with between the sinner and God only. So, yes, you were describing Bono as textbook Protestant.

 

[Jamila]

Thank you for telling me what I was doing.

I really don't see the need to debate.

 

[financeguy]

So we're back to defining who is a better Christian.

Regards,

Finance guy

interference.com's Best Agnostic (TM)

 

[financeguy]

Actually, this isn't unique to Bono...it's called Protestantism.

Hmmm.... but there are Protestant Churches too. I understand the argument about not accepting the Pope as 'vicar of Christ' and all that.

 

[Liesje]

Hmmm.... but there are Protestant Churches too. I understand the argument about not accepting the Pope as 'vicar of Christ' and all that.

Actually, no, there is not a unified Protestant "Church" (with that capital C) like the Roman Catholic Church. Our elders, pastors, and officials are all appointed by our congregations and we do not have the heirarchy that the Catholic Church does.

 

[Liesje]

Thank you for telling me what I was doing.

I really don't see the need to debate.

I don't either, but I'm confused as to why you were painting Bono as "his own kind" of Christian when there's nothing unique about what you described. I don't need to debate, but I feel like the issue should be clarified so that others aren't confused about Protestantism and what it means to be a Protestant. I also don't understand why you feel so threatened about the idea of Bono being Protestant. I really have no clue what denomination he is or really care for that matter, but what he says and does is generically Protestant, not his own kind of unique Christianity.

 

[ArrogantU2Fan]

I am Catholic....but am still my own kind of Christian in that I feel mine and everyone else's relationship to God is unique. I just prefer to worship in the Catholic Church.....actually i think "THE CHURCH" is compromised of all believers in Christ be that whatever way they choose to worship....Susan

 

[financeguy]

Actually, no, there is not a unified Protestant "Church" (with that capital C) like the Roman Catholic Church. Our elders, pastors, and officials are all appointed by our congregations and we do not have the heirarchy that the Catholic Church does.

But surely the Anglicans consider themselves Protestants? They seem to have a hierarchy, with bishops, etc.

 

[Liesje]

But surely the Anglicans consider themselves Protestants? They seem to have a hierarchy, with bishops, etc.

Honestly I've never been to an Anglican service and I'm not familiar with their denomination so I can't really comment here. I'm going to read up on the Anglican church now, but that's more of an FYM thing anyway.

Either way, it's beside the point of the thread and the point I was trying to make...

 

[nbcrusader]

But surely the Anglicans consider themselves Protestants? They seem to have a hierarchy, with bishops, etc.

There are plenty of different denominations that are Protestant. Church governance varies from casual to formal. However, there is no Pope-like equivilent that speaks for all Protestants.

 

[Liesje]

I am Catholic....but am still my own kind of Christian in that I feel mine and everyone else's relationship to God is unique.

I agree. My point was simply that the example Jamila gave for Bono's unique Christianity is not unique, it's the point behind the Protestant Reformation.

We all have our own unique theology and our own unique relationships with God, and I don't think anyone here is close enough to Bono to know what denomination he is or isn't.

 

[Bad Templar]

But surely the Anglicans consider themselves Protestants? They seem to have a hierarchy, with bishops, etc.

In my experience there is not much difference between the Roman Catholic Church and the high Anglican Church (low Anglican tends to be more influenced by evangelicalism).

The major difference is the Roman Catholic tradition of sacerdotalism in which ordained priests are the essential mediators between God and mankind... which includes the power to transubstantiate the sacraments into Christ's actual blood and body.

All forms of Protestant churches have a form of heirarchy but most hold to the concept of the 'priesthood of all believers' and tend not to claim that priests are essential mediators.

I think it would be interesting, now that Bono is allegedly flirting with Catholicism, what his views are on transubstantiation, sacerdotalism and papal infallability.

 

[Lemonfix]

I think it would be interesting, now that Bono is allegedly flirting with Catholicism, what his views are on transubstantiation, sacerdotalism and papal infallability.

While Catholics are supposed to believe in those things, I have in my experience, met many Catholics who don't (just as most Catholics I know use birth control). Perhaps, Bono, as a spiritual seeker who is open to all denominations, just happened to like his local Catholic Church the best as a religious community.

 

[Liesje]

While Catholics are supposed to believe in those things, I have in my experience, met many Catholics who don't (just as most Catholics I know use birth control).

The whole idea of a priest being a mediator between believers and God is really the one main reason I could never be Catholic. I've often heard people say things like the above and it leads me to wonder how we define the Catholic faith at this point.... I'm not trying to tell a bunch of Catholics they really aren't Catholic, but this really gets at the root of the Catholic/Protestant divide and at one point should one stop saying they are one thing when all or most of what they really do and believe is something else...

 

[Bad Templar]

just happened to like his local Catholic Church the best as a religious community.

This is the irony. Why would a person who believes that religion is the enemy of God choose the most 'religious' of religious communities?

Originally posted by LivLuvAndBootlegMusic The whole idea of a priest being a mediator between believers and God is really the one main reason I could never be Catholic. I've often heard people say things like the above and it leads me to wonder how we define the Catholic faith at this point.... I'm not trying to tell a bunch of Catholics they really aren't Catholic, but this really gets at the root of the Catholic/Protestant divide and at one point should one stop saying they are one thing when all or most of what they really do and believe is something else...

I know a guy from South America who has seen the negative aspects of Catholicism (ie stance on birth control) impact on his community back home.

He was telling me the other day that his priest is more of a friend that anything else, especially an essential mediator between himself and God. He doesn't recognise papal authority or believe in transubstantiation.

He is a very selfless member of the community and is tireless in helping disadvantaged young people. He is very down about being a 'bad Catholic' but I managed to convince him that he was a fantastic Christian.

 

[Liesje]

I know a guy from South America who has seen the negative aspects of Catholicism (ie stance on birth control) impact on his community back home.

He was telling me the other day that his priest is more of a friend that anything else, especially an essential mediator between himself and God. He doesn't recognise papal authority or believe in transubstantiation.

He is a very selfless member of the community and is tireless in helping disadvantaged young people. He is very down about being a 'bad Catholic' but I managed to convince him that he was a fantastic Christian.

I commend him for what he's doing, but it just bothers me that some people will continually call themselves something they're not. I'd feel pretty bothered if I tried to belong to a group of believers whose beliefs I did not actually share. It would feel wierd and I think I'd get depressed or something and struggle with an identity crisis.

I've come to believe there's a difference in finding something wrong with the faith and wanting to change that (like birth control) than finding something that gets at the core of the faith itself (like the divinity of the Church) and wanting to renounce it completely as if it doesn't really matter.

 

[GOP-Controlled Whortense]

So we're back to defining who is a better Christian.

Oh there's no debate to this question.

 

[melon]

I know a guy from South America who has seen the negative aspects of Catholicism (ie stance on birth control) impact on his community back home.

One can say the same exact things about the "negative aspects" of Christian fundamentalism in regions of America. It's been said that, particularly with Appalachian regions of the U.S., "Christianity" is often abused to ignore the real problems. And, as such, these same people keep on voting back in the same corrupt politicians who keep them poor, just because they parade around as "good Christians."

Alabama is another good example. A few years back when the governor tried to fix their inadequate tax structure, the Christian Coalition came on in to condemn it. Now what does a religious organization have anything to do with taxation?

I just wanted to say that I don't like Catholic bashing, particularly when many people are perfectly contented to ignore the same problems that happen within their own Christian religion.

Melon

 

[martha]

So many people in the world and even in this thread try to make Bono the kind of Christian they want him to be.

 

[Liesje]

I just wanted to say that I don't like Catholic bashing, particularly when many people are perfectly contented to ignore the same problems that happen within their own Christian religion.

Melon

Sorry, I didn't mean to bash Catholics because I do have a tremendous respect for the Catholic faith and traditions (I'm even a bit jealous at times) and I've actually seen what I was referring too more often in my own denomination, Christian Reformed. So many of my peers have thrown out so much of the CRC theology but still label themselves Christian Reformed. It only matters to me b/c it becomes very confusing when we're trying to discuss religion or other topics from a religious angle and they tell you off the bat "I'm CRC" but then as it progresses, they don't believe much of any of the theology and most of the discussion is wasted just trying to figure out where someone is really coming from because what they've said they are is something totally different from what they truly believe and do.

 

[BVS]

So many people in the world and even in this thread try to make Bono the kind of Christian they want him to be.

I agree. All we know is what's in his lyrics(vague at best) and a few bits here and there from interviews.

The only thing I know is, he does more to spread love to this world than most church goers I know. And I dig that.

 

[80sU2isBest]

I agree. All we know is what's in his lyrics(vague at best) and a few bits here and there from interviews.

The lyrics to Gloria, Tomorrow, October, With A Shout, Sunday Bloody Sunday, 40, Drowning Man, All Because Of You and YHWH aren't vague at all.