Standing for Something
Not too long ago LDS President Gordon B. Hinkley published a book called, "Standing for Something." I didn't really think about the importance of such a book until this week.
I want to go back a year ago. I was listening to a song I had heard MANY times before. It was one of those songs that gave the composer credit for having a lot of foresight and selflessness. The song had the same affect on me as someone wanting only for world peace as their gift at Christmas time. Beyond that I had not given the song much thought.
For some reason, on that day over a year ago, the first line of the song caught my attention.
My next thought was that he wanted to eliminate religion. I knew a little about the composer—John Lennon. Other than being a former member of the Beatles, he was an activist. I began to hear the song in the mindset of this man.
I continued listening as the rest of the first verse was sung.
“Living for today”…that is all there is to it when there is nothing to look forward to. When there is no Heaven or Hell, live and let live, there is only today.
The song continued…
For some reason, on that day over a year ago, the first line of the song caught my attention.
“Imagine there's no Heaven”
My next thought was that he wanted to eliminate religion. I knew a little about the composer—John Lennon. Other than being a former member of the Beatles, he was an activist. I began to hear the song in the mindset of this man.
I continued listening as the rest of the first verse was sung.
“It's easy if you tryNo hell below usabove us only skyImagine all the peopleLiving for today”
“Living for today”…that is all there is to it when there is nothing to look forward to. When there is no Heaven or Hell, live and let live, there is only today.
The song continued…
“Imagine there's no countriesIt isn't hard to doNothing to kill or die forAnd no religion tooImagine all the peopleLiving life in peace”
“Nothing to kill or die for”—to me this meant having nothing to stand up for or having a cause for which one felt was just. At this point I just tuned the song out. The lyrics gave me a very bad feeling. From that time to today I would promptly change the radio station as it came on.
This week I saw a video of a speech by Evan Sayet. In his speech he mentions this very song. He talked about what was wrong with it. All through his speech I kept saying, “right ON!
If you have the time, and I would highly recommend that you take the time, watch or just listen to his speech. Then, come back and read all of the lyrics to “Imagine”.
“Imagine there's no Heaven
It's easy if you tryNo hell below usabove us only skyImagine all the peopleLiving for today”
“Imagine there's no countriesIt isn't hard to doNothing to kill or die forAnd no religion tooImagine all the peopleLiving life in peace”
“You may say thatI'm a dreamerBut I'm not the only oneI hope someday you'll join usAnd the world will be as one”
“Imagine no possessionsI wonder if you canNo need for greed or hungerA brotherhood of manImagine all the peopleSharing all the world“
“You may say thatI'm a dreamerBut I'm not the only oneI hope someday you'll join usAnd the world will live as one”
I am glad I have something to stand for. I am grateful for my faith in a heaven. I am grateful for people I hold dear enough to die for. I, too, dream of a world where there is peace. But Lennon's dream is not mine.
posted by Kelly @ 3/30/2007 12:17:00 AM
7 left a comment.--
7 Comments:
kelly - the left wants to blur ALL the lines.
G-d established the need for countries in His wisdom, not ours.
That is the WHOLE point of their message. We don't believe in anything...except that the Right is WRONG!
I agree with you about countries. We need governments. Without them there is no order. We can see that with the anarchy that is so prevelant among the Left.
There is no law among them.
I saw Sayet's speech. He confirms what I had independently observed quite some time ago.
John, that is why I have enjoyed your blog so much. You don't mind going "face to face" with the likes of Houstonbat and Lee Harvey inspite of their unhinged view of life.
I feel just as strongly about how things are in this country right now as you. I am just don't say it quite as well as you do...or as forcefully.
Thanks for stopping by, John. And thanks for keeping up on your blog.
Happy Easter. :)
btw, this utopia that Lennon wants us to "imagine"--in my opinion--sucks.
That "Utopia" would reduce everyone to the lowest common factor. To me, it is anarchy.
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