Imagine no "Imagine"

Sometimes Christmas season becomes "utopia" time, where people from different walks of life, inspired by the wishes of joy, love and peace come together to propose the world as a better place if only people tried harder to be better people. More often than not, that means "other people should do better -  just as I do". That's also when songs like "Imagine" may resurface as an anthem of the another improved world possible. John Lennon’s Imagine has long been hailed as an ode to peace and unity, but a deeper analysis reveals that it needs to be pushed down way lower in the gallery of the possible dreams. Far from being the utopian ideal it claims to be, the song embodies a misguided moralism, an inconsistent philosophical stance, and an overrated artistic execution.

1. Self-righteousness moralizing

The lyrics of Imagine assumes an implicit self-righteous stance. It proposes a world where peace reigns if only people would discard their beliefs, possessions, and national identities -- unless you are a rock star and you need your bed done by a hotel room maker. The problem with this simplistic take on life is it assumes that humanity’s core problem is external systems, rather than the brokenness within. The implicit message is: If only everyone else were as enlightened as I am, we could achieve the utopia.

From the Christian perspective, this shows a profound misunderstanding of human nature. Imperfection and trouble - Sin - is not a societal construct, that can be re-engineered through good will; it resides in every human heart (Romans 3:23). The "higher moral ground" the author seems to claim is a mirage, a denial of what is clear and plain for every eye to see  - the need for repentance and the necessity of grace. Without acknowledging sin and our need for redemption, every proposal for peace and unity barely scratches the surface of what is really at stake.

2. Immanentism: A World Without God

The author’s call to “imagine there’s no heaven” and “no religion too” may seem like a plea for liberation but ultimately traps humanity in an immanent, materialistic worldview, in which all solutions are exclusively human. Here we are invited to believe that a world where removing faith and hope in the divine would lead to unity and peace. By dismissing transcendence, the lyrics deny the very foundation of hope, justice, and ultimate meaning.

However, humanity's deepest problem is not external systems like religion or possessions—it is the sin inside and that comes out of every heart(Mark 7:21-22). Removing heaven, faith and religion does not solve the problem of sin; it only removes the hope of redemption. A world without God would become a place where humanity is left to wrestle with its brokenness alone.(Ps 127:1)

Ironically, the author’s utopia magnifies humanity’s imperfections. The problem isn’t religion or heaven—it’s human sin. Atrocities committed in the 20th century in the name of a better world possible remind us that systems built on human smartness and people's desire to solve problems with their own ingenuity produced some of history’s greatest evils. What he calls freedom is, in reality, bondage to human weakness.(Jer 17:9)

True hope does not come from imagining God away, but rather, from the reality of God breaking into our world, showing his face in Jesus. This is the miracle, message and essence of Christmas: God with us.(John 1:14).

 3. Overrated Artistic features

While the song could be praised for its simplicity, its artistic merits are frequently overstated. The prosody, for example,—how lyrics fit the melody—gets clumsy in lines like “Imagine all the people.” The phrase feels rhythmically awkward, breaking the natural flow of both language and melody. The repetitive piano progression and mellow delivery may be seen as underscoring the shallowness of the song’s message. It’s easy to confuse simplicity with profundity and substance. Imagine offers a lot of the former, but little of the later. 

The one thing that can be said, though, is that the vagueness of its vision—where everyone somehow coexists without meaningful identity or purpose—is a good match to the chord progression and delivery of the song.

Imagine no "imagine"

Imagine resonates with a secular, feel-good idealism, but it fails both morally and philosophically. Its holier-than-thou tone alienates. It denies the source of true hope, and its overrated artistry underscores its lack of depth. True reconciliation comes through the cross, where Christ’s sacrifice unites humanity in a way no human vision can. Lennon's dream is no substitute for God’s eternal promise of a renewed creation. This is why on Advent we don’t embrace a hollow hope such as imagining things which not only will never be, but are actually harmful to us. We hold fast to the hope of Christ. The world cannot be a better place by denying God; but it can be faced with courage and strength as we live in Him. 

Imagine no Imagine. It's easy if you try. The world will be a better place, because it is the real world, in which true hope doesn’t come from the dystopia of striving to be better versions of ourselves. It comes from being connected to the One who makes this world a Gracetopia—a place where, through faith, His love, grace, and hope transform our brokenness into an anticipation of His perfect kingdom.

Photo by Jeremy Beck on Unsplash