Americans noted the death of our 39th President, Jimmy Carter, several weeks ago. At his funeral service, musical artists Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood performed John Lennon’s song “Imagine.” President Carter loved music of all kinds. He also proclaimed his Christian faith, teaching a local church Sunday School class for many years. During his presidential term the phrase “born again” came into the popular “
No matter what our nationality, we know, consciously or unconsciously, the effect that music has on human beings. The American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow noted that “Music is the universal language of mankind.” Music has the power to evoke strong emotion and intense contemplation. Such is the power of music that, according to the Greek philosopher Plato, it could move past the intellect and reach the very center of a person.
Music, through lyrics of songs, can communicate a worldview, or a view of reality. Musical notes can communicate emotion and song lyrics can communicate intellectual content which can shape thought. With this in mind, let’s take a look at the worldview that “Imagine,” one of John Lennon’s biggest hits and one of Mr. Carter’s favorite songs, communicates.
“Imagine there’s no heaven…”
The song by asking the listener to think about a world without God. There would be no heaven or hell. What would this mean? Many things could be suggested but the most impactful on human beings would be that objective standards of right and wrong would be obliterated. Lennon suggests that people would “live for today,” but most would fall victim to those seeking power, position, and privilege at the expense of others. Such a world would become hopeless for most of its inhabitants.
“Imagine there’s no countries…”
John Lennon’s “Imagine” then asks listeners to think of a world with no countries and no national borders. Such a world, deprived of the objective morality in the first verse, then becomes lawless in its construction. There would be no protection for the weak and vulnerable. Those in need would find no help in the competition for scarce resources. Instead of reducing the causes of human conflict, Lennon’s world would multiply those S
“Imagine no possessions…”
In the third and last verse, “Imagine” advocates for a world with no possessions. Lennon suggests that greed and hunger would disappear and that the world and its resources should be shared. Sharing anything requires a common set of rules and a common set of beliefs about reality, or a worldview. Such a set of common rules and beliefs would be absent from Lennon’s world. There would be no reason for those who have resources to freely allocate their resources for the benefit of others. Calls for “the brotherhood of man” would be ignored in the pursuit of survival where morality and laws have no place.
“You may say I’m a dreamer…”
“Imagine” was released in 1971 and has since sold over 5 million singles. It has been covered by many popular artists. Now it has been sung at a presidential funeral. It is clear that the song and its worldview has made an impact on popular culture and on one former occupant of the White House.
John Lennon said that he was a dreamer. However, he failed to imagine the impact of human sin and its corresponding self-centeredness and selfishness that he would have released on the world that he recommended. Considering the worldview of one his biggest hits, Lennon’s dream turns out to be a nightmare.
A Final Note: The purpose of this article was not to cast aspersions on men that have passed from this life. Analyzing the worldview of a piece of popular music and the real-world consequences of that worldview behooves us who proclaim the name of Jesus Christ to be more circumspect in how we partake of the fruit of the popular culture.
Mark Riser - Apologist 