Bono Fatigue

I caught this the other day:

http://www.bonofatigue.com

This site is really quite funny. I still don't believe it's not trumped up - the comments are just too much! Really put its finger on the Bono phenominon and its effect musically, politically, religiously, and socially.

Bono... I went to such a church that celebrated Bono during his G8 summit days, especially before this when he first went on a church tour to promote such admirable and needed causes as 3rd world debt forgiveness and helping the poor.

I have been thinking about posting about Bono for awhile and here it goes...

Pro-Bono

- God can indeed use unlikely people to say unexpected things
- Genuine social concern is godly, ever hear of the beatitudes?
- Rock stars usually are not concerned with social welfare
- God seems to enjoy using rock stars and others who are offensive to religious types
- It takes a rock star to make many materialistic Americans concerned about poverty
- The guy can write darn good rock & roll, much of it from an agreeable worldview

Anti-Bono

- God can indeed use unlikely donkeys to say unexpected things
- Suffers from acute potty-mouth during live performances
- You never get bad press when you talk about helping the poor
- Buys into a philosophy which equates societal disapproval of "alternative" sexual behavior with historical oppression based on poverty, race, and creed.
- Occasionally propogates such beliefs from cultural bully pulpit to an adoring media
- Who wouldn't want to have a rock star's influence and use it for the common good?
- Enjoys immunity from a sympathetic press corps while Pat Robertson, Franklin Graham & others are demonized due to a less politically correct message despite good works for the poor.
- Money given in sincerity can alas be hoarded, misspent, or used by corrupt groups for their own purposes or for objectionable agendas that "help" via abortion, etc...

My conclusion:

It is pretty obvious to me that many of my anti-Bono rationales are laced with various degrees of jealousy and perhaps religious pride (gasp!). He seems to have been granted free license by his circumstance and by the press, while more right-wing type figureheads are vilified.

For now, I'm going to pray for his potty-mouth and thank God that he's trying to help people. I am stoked that he is trying to make a difference other than writing songs glorifying lust, greed, and violence, and step back for awhile, wait, and see.

As for judgments concerning the character and motives of Bono, I'm officially neutral. How about you?

Vote Pro-Bono or Anti-Bono in comments.