A few thousand years removed from the empty tomb, some of the most influential folks in the world are still talking about ol’ JC. Here are some Easter sentiments from our favorite rockstar and geneticist.

Bono:

“It’s a mind-blowing concept that the God who created the Universe might be looking for company, a real relationship with people, but the thing that keeps me on my knees is the difference between Grace and Karma.

“It’s clear to me that Karma is at the very heart of the Universe. I’m absolutely sure of it. And yet, along comes this idea called Grace to upend all that ‘As you reap, so will you sow’ stuff. Grace defies reason and logic. Love interrupts, if you like, the consequences of your actions, which in my case is very good news indeed, because I’ve done a lot of stupid stuff…

I’d be in big trouble if Karma was going to finally be my judge. It doesn’t excuse my mistakes, but I’m holding out for Grace. I’m holding out that Jesus took my sins onto the Cross, because I know who I am, and I hope I don’t have to depend on my own religiosity.”

Dr. Francis Collins, director of the Human Genome Project:

I had always assumed that faith was based on purely emotional and irrational arguments, and was astounded to discover that one could build a very strong case for the plausibility of the existence of God on purely rational grounds.

My earlier atheist’s assertion that “I know there is no God” emerged as the least defensible. As the British writer G.K. Chesterton famously remarked, “Atheism is the most daring of all dogmas, for it is the assertion of a universal negative.”

But reason alone cannot prove the existence of God…Ultimately, a leap of faith is required.

I have found there is a wonderful harmony in the complementary truths of science and faith. The God of the Bible is also the God of the genome. God can be found in the cathedral or in the laboratory. By investigating God’s majestic and awesome creation, science can actually be a means of worship.

I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit.
- John 15:5

Hope you have a happy Easter. And by the way, Pinot goes realy well with honey sliced swine. Mmm.