The secular response to the Christ story always goes like this: he was a great prophet, obviously a very interesting guy, had a lot to say along the lines of other great prophets, be they Elijah, Muhammad, Buddha, or Confucius. But actually Christ doesn't allow you that. He doesn't let you off that hook. Christ says: No. I'm not saying I'm a teacher, don't call me teacher. I'm not saying I'm a prophet. I'm saying: "I'm the Messiah." I'm saying: "I am God incarnate." …what you're left with is: either Christ was who He said He was the Messiah or a complete nutcase. I mean, we're talking nutcase on the level of Charles Manson. The idea that the entire course of civilization for over half of the globe could have its fate changed and turned upside-down by a nutcase, for me, that's farfetched! …If only we could be a bit more like Him, the world would be transformed. When I look at the Cross of Christ, what I see up there is all my s--- and everybody else's. So I ask myself a question a lot of people have asked: Who is this man? And was He who He said He was, or was He just a religious nut? And there it is, and that's the question. And no one can talk you into it or out of it. – Bono (from Bono: In Conversation with Michka Assayas, 2005)
Not sure Dawkins is as brilliant as you think. Read Edward Feser, THE LAST SUPERSTITION: a refutation of the new atheism. Feser points out the absurdly of Dawkins thinking and even says, "...(his) analysis put forward is evidence not of profound philosophical understanding, but merely of being a shallow and sophomoric jackass.
Posted by: sharon pettit curtis | 09/12/2012 at 12:09 AM
Bono must not have read Richard Dawkins' brilliant insight into who Jesus is. Dawkins suggests, "Maybe he was mistaken."
Right, the most intelligent Being to ever walk the planet was mistaken about being God. "I thought I was God. Really I did. Can't believe I was wrong about that!"
Posted by: thesauros | 06/12/2012 at 12:45 PM
I find it surprising, to say the least, to hear words like that coming from Bono. This totally bucks the trend of celebrities forwarding the whole "He was just a great teacher" nonsense.
Posted by: Madison | 06/12/2012 at 01:09 AM
Good thing Clive beat him to this, otherwise your blog would be called "The Charles Manson". Not quite as catchy. ;-)
Posted by: Thatchadmiller | 06/12/2012 at 12:24 AM