Monday, February 06, 2006

Bono Speaks

Some of you may know this, but Bono, was one of the speakers for this year's Presidential Prayer Breakfast. My friend who was actually there told me that he was quite powerful and made quite an impression. Here's what he said:

"If you’re wondering what I’m doing here, at a prayer breakfast, well, so am I. I’m certainly not here as a man of the cloth, unless that cloth is leather. It’s certainly not because I’m a rock star. Which leaves one possible explanation: I’m here because I’ve got a messianic complex.

Yes, it’s true. And for anyone who knows me, it’s hardly a revelation.

Well, I’m the first to admit that there’s something unnatural… something unseemly… about rock stars mounting the pulpit and preaching at presidents, and then disappearing to their villas in the South of France. Talk about a fish out of water. It was weird enough when Jesse Helms showed up at a U2 concert… but this is really weird, isn’t it?

You know, one of the things I love about this country is its separation of church and state. Although I have to say: in inviting me here, both church and state have been separated from something else completely: their mind. .

Mr. President, are you sure about this?

It’s very humbling and I will try to keep my homily brief. But be warned—I’m Irish..."


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2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I sometimes wonder if people embrace Bono's "theology" just because he's superrich or because he's so cool. IMO, it can't be because his beliefs have any substance or depth. I think he'd be the first to admit he's all over the map---Christian, Buddhist, New-Age, etc. His #1 religion seems to be social justice, which is certainly not a bad thing, but also is not the gospel.

Jon W said...

Thank you Eve for your observations on Bono. I would agree that his theology leaves a lot to be desired. A smorgasboard of confusing mishmash is what I would characterize it as. Which makes his challenge at the prayer breakfast all the more important for us to take heed of. John Stott in an essay entitled Then What Should We Do? says,

"It is not enough for us, as evangelical people, to proclaim the gospel. We have to live the gospel. We have to embody the gospel. We have to become the kind of men and women in whom the good news of Jesus Christ is made flesh, is seen again. We lack all credibility, and our evangelical faith lacks credibility, if there is perceived to be a dichotomy between what we are saying and how we are living."