Imagine

Have you listened to the song Imagine by John Lennon? Its a beautiful song that I have always enjoyed. Whenever I hear it I have to fight the urge to sway back and forth with a lighter in my hand. If you had asked me yesterday what the song is about I would have told you its about World Peace. Well thats true, but today I think I actually listened to the song for the first time and I was a little surprised. I really thought about what the words mean. I find that I often listen to songs and memorize the words without really thinking about what those words means. If its catchy, its in my head. I was flipping channels this morning and I landed I think on the Today Show and Brian Boitano was skating to the song Imagine and as I watched him skate fluidly I listened to the words.

Imagine Lyrics » John Lennon
Imagine there's no heaven. It's easy if you try. No hell below us. Above us only sky. Imagine all the people Living for today...Imagine there's no countries It isn't hard to do Nothing to kill or die for And no religion too Imagine all the people Living life in peace...You may say I'm a dreamer But I'm not the only one I hope someday you'll join us And the world will be as one Imagine no possessions I wonder if you can No need for greed or hunger A brotherhood of man Imagine all the people Sharing all the world...You may say I'm a dreamer But I'm not the only one I hope someday you'll join us And the world will live as one

I did as John Lennon suggested and imagined what the world would be like with no heaven and hell, no countries, and no religion. Would that really be an idealic world? If people had no religion and no heaven and hell to worry about would they be better people? Would there be fewer wars? I don't really think so. Would people have hope if there is no heaven? Would be people be good to each other?

The next part of the song makes me understand why John Lennon was called a communist. No possessions, no need for greed or hunger, a brotherhood of man. Imagine all the people sharing all the world. Its a nice concept but not realistic. Even if we divided up all our possessions and lived like that way there would still be famine and the natural environment impacting our resources. People would still go through tough times. We have seen in communist societies such as the Soviet Union that the concept had flaws. It wasn't a beautiful utopia as John Lennon makes it sound. When disaster strikes how would people bounce back without the hope that God gives. You see it time and time again when you watch coverage of devastating natural disasters such as the Hurricane Katrina floods or when people have lost everything in a fire. They turn to God and realize "I have everything I need and if things are hard here on Earth at least I know that I am promised a spot in heaven through his Son Jesus Christ." I imagine the world would be a bitter place without God and without the hope that God gives us. Do I think the world could do a better job at putting aside differences and sharing with each other? Absolutely! Do I think we should all give up on God and religion in general to get this great world? Absolutely not!