The Thing Greater Than Me: A 'Jewel of Elul' By Lady Gaga

Editor's note: There is a great Jewish tradition to dedicate the 29 days in the month of Elul to study and prepare for the coming high holy days. The time is supposed to challenge us to use each day as an opportunity for growth and discovery. On each of the 29 days of Elul, performer Craig Taubman posts a "jewel," or story, from some of today's most celebrated visionaries. Past contributors include President Barack Obama, Desmond Tutu, Sarah Lefton, Eli Wiesel, Deepak Chopra, Ruth Messinger, and Jeffrey Katzenberg -- among many others. Today's reflection comes from Lady Gaga:

It's hard to believe that G-d hasn't been watching out for me when I've had so many obstacles with drugs, rejection and people not believing in me.

It's been a long and continuous road. But it's hard to just chalk it all up to myself.

I have to believe there's something greater than myself.

Lady Gaga, an American recording artist, has sold over 15 million albums and over 40 million singles worldwide (www.ladygaga.com).

If Question: If you had to name the number-one motivating force driving your life forward, what would it be?

Comments

[DJ Koolkat]

02:44 PM on 08/23/2010

If I had to name the number-one motivating force driving your life forward, what would it be?

Metabolism

[PlayTOE]

10:45 AM on 08/22/2010

Lady Gaga: (paraphrased)
I've had so many obstacles with drugs, rejection and people not believing in me.
SO, that proves G-d has been watching out for me

?????????????? REALLY ?????????????????

One might think that if God was really watching out for you then people would believe in you and you would AVOID drug addiction!
(and avoid a drug fooled self delusion of being god's special friend who is looked after and protected by the master of the universe)

If I had to name the number-one motivating force driving your life forward, what would it be?
~ learning more about reality.

.. I luv Gaga's songs, she is a talented performer, but egotistical self delusion is far too easy to slide into, even for the brilliant ( Smart people are better at justifying their beliefs).

[Lifencompass]

10:41 PM on 08/23/2010

I don't think that the god-mind-connection really works that way. IMO it's the driving for the of the emotions and the subconscious that creates the wish list that whatever you want to call it, responds to. That's not the Secret. The Secret is a rip off, it's way older than that.

[PlayTOE]

11:19 PM on 08/23/2010

Lifencompass, if you are saying that God is just a self-delusion due to listening to your 'inner self' (your emotions and subconscious) ... then we might be on the same page ...

[dianeferritto]

04:46 PM on 08/19/2010

Really? Gaga?

Question: If you had to name the number-one motivating force driving your life forward, what would it be?

Answer: Curiousity

[Name Not In Use]

05:19 AM on 08/19/2010

What a great tradition!

Question: If you had to name the number-one motivating force driving your life forward, what would it be?

After much reflection I would have to answer: "It's due tomorrow."

I better work on that.

[agentklf]

04:44 PM on 08/18/2010

She's so deep and meaningful.

[fredex]

10:25 AM on 08/18/2010

Lady Gaga? Craig Taubman? How poor Elul looks from here with barely a thin veil to cover her.

[LMPE]

09:01 PM on 08/17/2010

whoa

[brooklyncitizen]

07:38 PM on 08/17/2010

"If you had to name the number-one motivating force driving your life forward, what would it be? "

Grace.
All is grace....all things are grace.

[blogisti]

04:45 PM on 08/17/2010

I know that you are young,
And i know that you love Judaism,
But you cannot be together like this anymore... Lady Ga Ga

[Nichole Boultas]

11:07 PM on 08/17/2010

Why can't she? What's wrong with what she said?

[moutonnoir]

10:39 PM on 08/16/2010

wait. was there an article to read here somewhere?

[Weirdwriter]

01:12 AM on 08/21/2010

Did you have a point in there, somewhere?

[Bittern1980]

07:41 PM on 08/16/2010

HP sure likes to keep its Gaga articles on lock-down. Censorship for the sake of censorship!

[JoeLeland]

04:22 PM on 08/16/2010

Hey gaga read Job and get lost.

[gcomeau]

04:15 PM on 08/16/2010

Yes, because if there were a higher power what it would really, really want for you would be for you to be a super-rich pop star. I mean what was it Jesus said... something about how the rich man could easily enter heaven by buying a camel to take him there?

No... that's not it... it'll come to me in a second though. I mean the general concept has to be right, everyone knows if there's one thing everyone agrees on it's that the most important thing to God is that his followers make lots of money.

[Name Not In Use]

05:26 AM on 08/19/2010

I don't think he cares IF they make a lot of money at all.
I think it's HOW one makes a lot of money that might be an issue.
For some reason "money changeing" - whatever that is - seems to be on his s*** list.
I don't know why.

[MajorKong]

03:15 PM on 08/16/2010

So for there to be something greater than yourself requires an omnipotent all-knowing being that created the entire universe?

Your humility is staggering.

[Bob Wood]

12:15 PM on 08/16/2010

Dear, Dear Lady...Mayhaps you're smart and you work hard ?

[brooklyncitizen]

07:36 PM on 08/17/2010

eyes rolling.

of course she does. she however has taken risks (drugs and bad decisions) that could have landed her in a worst place.