Legendary Rocker, David Bowie Dies at 69—Did He Know the Lord?

Aimee Herd : Jan 11, 2016
Patheos, Reuters, Charisma News

"...All clichés are true. The years really do speed by. Life really is as short as they tell you it is. And there really is a God—so do I buy that one? If all the other clichés are true... don't pose me that one." -David Bowie

It was not well-known that he was fighting cancer in recent months; but on Sunday, innovative and often controversial British rocker, David Bowie (David Robert Jones) died at the age of 69. (Photo: AFP/via BBC News)

A statement on Bowie's Facebook page read: "David Bowie died peacefully today surrounded by his family after a courageous 18-month battle with cancer."

A 2013 Patheos article chronicles some of his tumultuous spiritual journeys, including Tibetan Buddhism, Nietzsche, satanism and even Christianity.

Author of the article, Matthew Linder writes:

In his darkest cocaine fueled days he turned towards Christianity and wrote "Station to Station" as his contemplation of the stations of the cross. In a February 1997 Q Magazine interview Bowie stated, "The 'Station to Station' track itself is very much concerned with the stations of the cross... I've never read a review that really sussed it. It's an extremely dark album. Miserable time to live through, I must say." His foray into Christianity didn't stick and ever since he has been tottering between belief and disbelief.

In a 2003 interview with Beliefnet, Bowie stated: (Photo via BBC News)

"I honestly believe that my initial questions haven't changed at all. There are far fewer of them these days, but they're really important. Questioning my spiritual life has always been germane to what I was writing. Always. It's because I'm not quite an atheist and it worries me. There's that little bit that holds on: Well, I'm almost an atheist. Give me a couple of months...

"That's the shock: All clichés are true. The years really do speed by. Life really is as short as they tell you it is. And there really is a God—so do I buy that one? If all the other clichés are true... don't pose me that one."

For those who cite the ever unique musician-producer-actor's declaration in the early '70's that he was gay, and then 4-years-later that he was bisexual; Bowie—according to Reuters—revealed in a 1980's Rolling Stone interview that the statement was "the biggest mistake I ever made," that he was actually "always a closet heterosexual." (Screengrab via BBC News)

In the final hours of his life, in the kind of "nothing else matters" clarity that dying can bring; perhaps David Bowie finally fully opened his heart to the Lord—I guess only he and God really know.

The Reuters article notes some of the lyrics from Bowie's last album, and specifically an accompanying music video in which the rocker is singing from a hospital bed...

"Look up here, I'm in Heaven. I've got scars that can't be seen. I've got drama, can't be stolen. Everybody knows me now. Look up here, man, I'm in danger. I've got nothing left to lose."