Bob and Religion

Stipey · Rat Trap

Bob and Religion

franna · V Deep

No one but Bob could possibly answer that question. I suggest you ask him when you meet him.

camilladk · Tonight

I don't think he believes in anything.

Jules · The biggest Geldof fan in the world, bar none!

Quote a line from one of his songs 'I wish I could believe enough to pray' maybe there is your answer.

camilladk · Tonight

I think I can remember writing somewhere, that he is an Atheist.

_johanna_ · Drag Me Down

in one of the band aid documentaries from this winter Bono said something about how many rowls they'd had about religion, and when they were recording Do they know it's christmas Bono walked in and asked Bob if he'd written his first hymn...Bob's reply was "**** off"...

don't think he is religious, but if it isn't allready there put it in the Questions to Bob thread...

oshora · CRAZY

Hello,

I agree that Sir Bob does talk a lot like he is not religious, yet I have read where he does appear to have some belief in God (or something in reference to this). I don't think he is an atheist.

Read some of his discriptions of Africa in his latest book and his autobiography - Is That It. He has had what he refers to as spiritual/devine moments in Africa and in London and he also talks about things that work out (Band Aid) as if there was some devine intervention involved.

O'Shora

floating:

kathp89 · Rat Trap

heeeeeeeelllllllllllllllllloooo their first song made it very clear

dont give me love thy neighbour

dont give me charity

dont give me peace and love from the good lord above

your always getting in my way with your stupid ideas

_johanna_ · Drag Me Down

kathp89 wrote:

heeeeeeeelllllllllllllllllloooo their first song made it very clear dont give me love thy neighbour dont give me charity dont give me peace and love from the good lord above your always getting in my way with your stupid ideas

yeah...well, don't think we should take this one as a certain sign of Bob's religion, or non-religion.. this was written around -77 sometime and I think it's just a reaction to being brought up in catholic Ireland. after all, it's been at least 27 years since it was written, things are bound to have changed...

but, the only person who can give an answer to this is Bob himself..

Kieran · She's So Modern

He did an interview on the Late Late Show before Christmas. He was talking about his first appearance on Irish TV, when he sung Rat Trap, and slated the church. Pat Kenny asked him if he believed in any religion, but I cant remember what he said...

-- Edited by Kieran at 19:05, 2005-08-12

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

oshora wrote:

I agree that Sir Bob does talk a lot like he is not religious, yet I have read where he does appear to have some belief in God (or something in reference to this). I don't think he is an atheist.

No, he has declared himself atheist.

Geldof was interviewed live on the 19 Oct 2001 edition of "The Late Late Show" on RTÉ (Irish national television). When asked if he was an atheist/agnostic (the presenter used both terms) Geldof said yes; he then confirmed that he doesn't believe in an afterlife.

Retrieved from "http://www.celebatheists.com/wiki/index.php?title=Bob_Geldof"

BTW as I searched I found this gushing thread! Crikey, even we don't love him this much

http://www.healthypages.net/forum/tm.asp?m=136375

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

http://www.atheistalliance.org/aaw/atheistmusicians.html

If u are bothered!

Tango · In the Long Grass

Their mental!!!!!!!!!!!!

rekamakovics · In the Long Grass

-- Edited by rekamakovics at 16:28, 2006-06-12

Tango · In the Long Grass

that makes quite a lot of sense really.

Lady_Zylpha · Someone's Looking At You

wrote:

Is Bob religious? meaning does he believe in God or Not? I was reading the other night and although I'm quite aware that talk is cheap and all. I was readling that he turned away from being catholic. huh? I dont believe it myself at all. But, does he believe in God?

There's a book (I'm sorry I don't remember the title or who, but next time I see it _ I'll quote it...) that lists a number of celebrated people's thoughts on "God". Bob is one of the people interviewed and asked a series of questions related to God and Spirituality.

In answer to the question "Do you believe in God?", Bob in one of the shortest answers says "No, I do not". Do you believe in after life? "No, this is it". "Do you believe in Karma? "Not if it involves reincarnation, but in the sense of money as a power that binds people which is why I never lend money to a friend" (these are not word for word quotes). Ironically in answer to another question Bob states "No, thank God". I agree with Rekamakovics. I think Bob started life in Catholic religion, went through a number of traumas as a child involving death, abandonment and grief, and as many do who go through these types of experiences, became angry ("I just want to punch the world's lights out") with his idea of "God". In that same book he states he does not believe in God as a Man on a Chair, or a Woman or some unseen force.

Yet he does not relate the power of self, music or natural creativity to the God statement. in other words he separates intellectually the idea or concept from personal feeling experience. He states when he leaves the world that he wants to state "that was interesting", another statement that denotes separated intellectual emotional states. Angry children often detach from feeling to cope. They defy and dare their God or position of authority who took their cherished belief away to "prove" themselves or deny their existence. Angry children then grow up to become men and women who still have wounded children hiding inside that impact the way they face and act in the world. This can have a negative and a positive side - without the anger, perhaps the driving force and motivation to achieve greatness would not be there.

The negative side is that old beliefs can be played out and reinforced, and create much unhappiness in a person's life. Iwould like to see him let go more and reclaim his "Godhood" through his constant connection - harmony and service to people. I think it is horrible the way the media keep bringing up old stories about his life, as if to keep him remembering, down and low. He should be able to look forward and enjoy his life without reliving his past every day.

Despite Bob's comments above, there are other statements in this book that show he does feel a connection and a greater power, but he doesn't acknowledge it or put a label on it as God. He refers to the power of nature and the insignificance of the human race in the scheme of things. So perhaps as you say with maturity, without realising it, he has returned to God "Divine Spirit" without the religious dogma attached. Ironically - he's a bit of a Messiah and look at his fanatical best mate...

I'll post up the IBN for the book next time.

MMbullybuddyGP · Drag Me Down

Thanks for your post Lady and welcome How insightful!

It is kind of confusing b/c Bob does refer to "God" in some songs ("Cool, Blue, Easy" comes to mind first), yet, he is an athiest. Maybe he thinks there is A god, some higher power, but not a man in a chair named "God," like you were saying.

Interesting.

Lady_Zylpha · Someone's Looking At You

Hi, and thanks for the welcome. Yes he is an "interesting" character. I find a lot of what is reported about him is quite contradictory - he probably does this on purpose, or the media just likes to make wine out of water. Either that or he doesn't know which way he is facing half the time, like most of us. The book is called "Ten Eternal Questions" and I can't remember who it is by. Bono is also quoted in it, and he gives his love for Christ and God with clarity. He makes a beautiful comment when asked what advice he would give to those close to him. His reply was to say he is sorry he wishes he'd Listened more. Wonder if Sir Bob thinks this as well? He's very stubborn - the most stubborn really. It has a good side and a negative effect on his life. There's one comment in the book where Sir Bob mentions that music is his means of connecting to "inner peace" - so I guess he's got some idea. Bless his heart, he deserves to "experience" God/love rather than just have an intellectual association of an iconic image. Ironically he often comes across as such an agro, pompous arrogant twat, you have to know that underneath that crusty is a great big softy waiting to bloom. It does intrigue me. That's why I've come here to visit his fan site. I'm interested in experiencing him through the words of those who hold him in high esteem. I think I had pre-judgements about "fan" sites. I've been quite touched to read the love everyone has here for him and his music.

MMbullybuddyGP · Drag Me Down

Ok well! Just got this article a couple of days ago (thanks eBay) and it gives some more explanation & insight into Bob's religious point of views. This is probably old news but appropriate for this thread...

Taken from "Telegraph Magazine." "Picking Up the Pieces," by Neil McCormick, September 2001 :

"I am reminded of an evening in Rome, over a dinner in a piazza when Geldof (who, earlier the same day had cheekily asked the Pope for a set of rosaries for his dad) launched into a not untypical rant about the sheer ridiculousness of religious belief. 'When you come out with all that stuff it makes me laugh,' declared Bono, throwing an arm around Geldof's shoulder. 'You are so close to God. Closer than most people I know.' Geldof snorts when reminded of this. 'Well, Bono is a Jesuit priest. With a mullet hairdo,' he laughs. 'Have you ever noticed how he walks with his hands clasped in front of him a lot? And I walk with my fists clenched by my side. People attribute the African stuff to this "godliness" in me. It drives me mad. You don't have to believe in order to have a sense that things ain't right, and that they can be put right. God is such a psychedelic notion anyway, this superbeing who fixes everything. Is the whole world on drugs? It's just so improbable!'

The religious references in his songs, he says, are metaphors for the expression of ultimate goodness. 'That those qualities of God are within you, well, possibly. We all have the ability to be better people. But that isn't a trandescendent quality. The great wonder is that in all time and space, the individual exists at all. The point of life is life. You make of it what you will. Which is less than some and more than others. And you push it, that individual conciousness, you push it as much as you can, 'cos you've got a brief blip of time and afterwards it's over. GOOD! Frankly, I don't want to come back as a mahogany table or a parrot or something. I've argued with some of the great theologians and I've met some of the living gods. The idea that it's necessary to go through a purification process is essentially a masochistic notion that pain is good, the veil of tears is good and you eventually achieve understanding. I don't need it. I got the understanding, thanks very fcuking much! And when I die, blessed oblivion! That is a very comforting thought - the dark.' "

So that was in 2001 - maybe his feelings have changed a little in 4 years but it doesn't sound like much...

Lady Z., you have definitely come to the right place to express your opinions of Bob...and maybe learn some more about him as well.

Lady_Zylpha · Someone's Looking At You

Hi, well that does put more "light" on the subject (to use a weak pun sorry...) As I suspected he's a cruncy coating on the outside with soft gooey choc filling on the inside.

I believe he can't cope with compliments or "worship" so he hurls abuse to deflect the "vibes".

You are right, I have already learned a lot more about Bob than I imagined I would.

I believe in what he says, you don't need to be religious to help others. But you do need a conscience, and this is certainly typically associated with social evolvement - and spiritual awareness - if not religion. As for reincarnation - as he refers to it, it sounds as though he thinks of life as a linear process of events rather than accepting a synchronis nature of being -hence no room for amorphous parameters such as "destiny". Yet this I find a quandry and I suspect another of his foibles because he is the Musical artist. And the musical artist plays the strings of life, the unseen connection that binds us all is communicated through this medium AND his favoured paradigm SCIENCE has not almost merged with the metaphysical expression of Nature through Qantum Physics String Theory where we are all vibrating threads in the harmony of life... It all comes back to the music.

I really think that Bob just hasn't had the right intellectual opening to understand his faith which is why Bono can see it in him but Bob himslef denies it. Regardless, I guess as with all, it is really his personal belief and intimate to him. Still he could MUSE over it and contemplate his navel for awhile - might be inspired with some new music. :)