Imagine

Doug Matulis said:

[COLOR="Blue"]Imagine there's no Heaven Jesus would not imagine this
It's easy if you try
No hell below us Jesus would not imagine this
Above us only sky Jesus would not imagine this
Imagine all the people
Living for today Jesus would not imagine this, this is clearly unbiblical. Earth, Creation is only temporary and not all there is.

Imagine there's no countries An Isrealite would never imagine this
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for Jesus would not imagine this, what greater love that one lay down is life for another
And no religion too Jesus would not imagine this
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace Jesus would not imagine this, he knows our hearts all too well.

You may say that I'm a dreamer Jesus would definitely say this
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one Jesus would say, not the tower of Babel again!

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 Jesus would you are describing my kingdom, foolish man, you will never attain this on your own.

You may say that 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 [/COLOR] Jesus would say John is a communist.

John Lennon

You could be right on "possessions, organized religion and nationalism", but there is a lot more to Lennon's song than these. In a perfect world perhaps his utopia could be a reality, but a perfect world never has nor never will existing until Christ returns and reigns. The reality of his song is that it is very dangerous and very antithetical to the American way of life, he was basically a new age one world government proponent.[/quote]

Yikes Doug, do you speak for Jesus now, kind of like his PR man, or do you think you are Jesus? I didn't know Jesus was into politics by the way. Do you suppose he'd be into NASCAR if he were living as a man today?

The key part of John Lennon's song is profoundly "Christian". As a matter of fact I doubt that you could find any pop lyrics or even Gospel music lyrics that so beautifully sum up the most important part of Christ's teaching as these:


[COLOR="Blue"]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 that 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 [/COLOR]

John Lennon




Funny how rare it is to find someone who actually states the most important part of Christianity. Ironic that it would be John Lennon, who certanly was not a fan of organized religion.

[COLOR="Maroon"]"I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ."[/COLOR]

Mohandas Gandhi

Jim Brown said:

Doug Matulis said:

[COLOR="Blue"]Imagine there's no Heaven Jesus would not imagine this
It's easy if you try
No hell below us Jesus would not imagine this
Above us only sky Jesus would not imagine this
Imagine all the people
Living for today Jesus would not imagine this, this is clearly unbiblical. Earth, Creation is only temporary and not all there is.

Imagine there's no countries An Isrealite would never imagine this
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for Jesus would not imagine this, what greater love that one lay down is life for another
And no religion too Jesus would not imagine this
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace Jesus would not imagine this, he knows our hearts all too well.

You may say that I'm a dreamer Jesus would definitely say this
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one Jesus would say, not the tower of Babel again!

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 Jesus would you are describing my kingdom, foolish man, you will never attain this on your own.

You may say that 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 [/COLOR] Jesus would say John is a communist.

John Lennon

You could be right on "possessions, organized religion and nationalism", but there is a lot more to Lennon's song than these. In a perfect world perhaps his utopia could be a reality, but a perfect world never has nor never will existing until Christ returns and reigns. The reality of his song is that it is very dangerous and very antithetical to the American way of life, he was basically a new age one world government proponent.

Yikes Doug, do you speak for Jesus now, kind of like his PR man, or do you think you are Jesus? I didn't know Jesus was into politics by the way. Do you suppose he'd be into NASCAR if he were living as a man today?

The key part of John Lennon's song is profoundly "Christian". As a matter of fact I doubt that you could find any pop lyrics or even Gospel music lyrics that so beautifully sum up the most important part of Christ's teaching as these:


[COLOR="Blue"]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 that 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 [/COLOR]

John Lennon




Funny how rare it is to find someone who actually states the most important part of Christianity. Ironic that it would be John Lennon, who certanly was not a fan of organized religion.

[COLOR="Maroon"]"I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ."[/COLOR]

Mohandas Gandhi
[/quote]
I don't speak for Jesus. I can only apply the teaching of Jesus and the Bible to the words in Lennon's song. Instead of getting emotional, why don't you take an objective look at the teaching of Christ and the words in lennon's little ditty. Words have power, words have meaning, works change history, Jim. You, of all people should know and appreciate this.

Do you really think Jesus would imagine there's no heaven or hell? Do you really think that Jesus would say there is nothing above us by sky? Do you realize the lies in these words? Do you realize the implication of one, especially on who is unregenerate, ingesting these words? Come on, nothing above us but sky, what do you think the implications of that phrase alone is?

Living for today? Do you think Jesus would say live for today? I guess you would if you believe he also would agree with a statement that says there is nothing above us!

Lets start here before we rip apart the rest of this song that came from the pit of hell. We'll have lots of fun when we get to the 'profoundly christian' part of the song. 8O

Jim Brown said:

Doug Matulis said:

[COLOR="Blue"]Imagine there's no Heaven Jesus would not imagine this
It's easy if you try
No hell below us Jesus would not imagine this
Above us only sky Jesus would not imagine this
Imagine all the people
Living for today Jesus would not imagine this, this is clearly unbiblical. Earth, Creation is only temporary and not all there is.

Imagine there's no countries An Isrealite would never imagine this
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for Jesus would not imagine this, what greater love that one lay down is life for another
And no religion too Jesus would not imagine this
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace Jesus would not imagine this, he knows our hearts all too well.

You may say that I'm a dreamer Jesus would definitely say this
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one Jesus would say, not the tower of Babel again!

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 Jesus would you are describing my kingdom, foolish man, you will never attain this on your own.

You may say that 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 [/COLOR] Jesus would say John is a communist.

John Lennon

You could be right on "possessions, organized religion and nationalism", but there is a lot more to Lennon's song than these. In a perfect world perhaps his utopia could be a reality, but a perfect world never has nor never will existing until Christ returns and reigns. The reality of his song is that it is very dangerous and very antithetical to the American way of life, he was basically a new age one world government proponent.

Yikes Doug, do you speak for Jesus now, kind of like his PR man, or do you think you are Jesus? I didn't know Jesus was into politics by the way. Do you suppose he'd be into NASCAR if he were living as a man today?

The key part of John Lennon's song is profoundly "Christian". As a matter of fact I doubt that you could find any pop lyrics or even Gospel music lyrics that so beautifully sum up the most important part of Christ's teaching as these:


[COLOR="Blue"]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 that 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 [/COLOR]

John Lennon




Funny how rare it is to find someone who actually states the most important part of Christianity. Ironic that it would be John Lennon, who certanly was not a fan of organized religion.

[COLOR="Maroon"]"I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ."[/COLOR]

Mohandas Gandhi
[/quote]
Well said Jim,
Doug and many others like him often make statements of what Jesus would have said or what God wants.

First, the statements Jesus made which might indicate what he thought were not written, they were verbal. Those were remembered many years later in letters and the various writings and re-tellings which were then written about long after the fact.

So, with some blur added we do have some accounts of what his opinions might have been, but not much more. Certainly not enough to make an authoritative claim as to what he would say today about the lyrics of a song.

"Imagine" was song I was not particullarly impressed with, but still it's essentially about achieving peace. Setting asside our differences is one way to look at it. The exact method or ideology is of little consequence to an artist trying to sell a song.

Calling it "Communist" is just a political ploy which might be better served on that forum.

Perhaps a clearer understanding of why the ideology of communism is attractive to so many people might be achieved if we examine it in detail. However that's more in philosophy that Religion. It might bear mention that what those people are sold and what we consider adverse are not the same thing. The ideology of communism was never really achieved by the cruel regimes who used it as their avenue to greater power.

When in its purly ideological form (for small groups like a commune) it seems to work. That is.. when all members can devote themselves to a selfless existence. Unfortunately most cannot, and arguements errupt over who cleans the house, washes the dishes and so on. Sort of like living with big family I grew up in.

The world has and is finding communism as an ideology doesn't work in a society where selfish people can take some advantage. In that respect those traits will most likely always be with us.

However, living life as selflessly as possible might be right in line with what Jesus taught.

I imagine it would be difficult.

Steve
8)

It is just a matter of taste, but I never cared much for the song. For one thing, the melody and chord structure was unimaginative. At the time it seemed to me that Lennon had entered into a phase of (unintentionally) parodying himself. Everybody has opinions, and I don't claim mine as exceptional.

It seemed that such as Emitt Rhodes were parodying late-era beatles styles better than the ex-beatles were.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CvzawbXLS8

I was an atheist liberal at the time, rather than atheist libertarian as today. The lyrics gave me the willies back then. At best they seemed impossibly idealistic. About as realistic as yellow submarines and octopus gardens. The lyrics brought to mind rosy propaganda leading to 1984 or Brave New World dystopias. A good sound track bed to overlay on a Blade Runner cityscape.