Ginger: Excuse me, Sketch. Who’s John Lennon?
Sketch: He was a Beatle but now he’s dead.
Ginger: Why is a dead beetle on so many T-Shirts?
Sketch: Because to some he’s a hero. God knows why?
Ginger: I’ll ask him then. Why God? Why is John Lennon a hero?
Sketch: Must you always take me literally, Ginger?
Ginger: Sorry, Sketch I can’t answer you now. I’m waiting to hear my answer…
Sketch: Malfunction! Malfunction!
***
The following search term turned up in my blog stats today:
‘what did john lennon do to change the world and why was it important’?
The ‘?’ is mine but I’m sure whoever googled that statement meant it as a question. As it turned out I didn’t have to look far to find my eloquent answer. As much as I might personally have to say on the subject, on this very same day my Facebook feed jumped out at me with this:
”We’re all god.
I’m not A god or THE god, but we’re all god and we’re all potentially divine and potentially evil.
We all have everything within us.
There is a power we can all tap.
God is a power and we’re all light bulbs that can tap the electricity.
You can use electricity to kill people or to light the room.
God is that.
I don’t need to go to church.
I think people who need a church should go.
The others who know the church is in your own head should visit that temple ‘cus that’s where the source is.”
John Lennon, 1969
(Thanks to the Thomas Paine FB page for this timely quote.)
John Lennon was a man who lived a crazy, too-short life. But while he lived he was brave enough to speak his truth and share it with the world. No matter how many came for him, or what they tried to do to belittle or discount him, his simple message kept on—and keeps on—keeping on:
‘All we are saying is give peace a chance.’
and (or to put it another way)
‘Imagine no religion’.
What did John Lennon do to change the world?
He left a song in millions of people’s hearts.
Why was it important?
Because the words of that song are to believe in yourself, be true (and truthful—though Lennon never professed to being perfect in this, or any regard) and ignore anyone who wants to sign you up to a cause worth killing for.
And perhaps he left us with a question too:
Is there a cause worth killing for?
