John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s 1971 song Imagine is such a famous and harmonious song. It is sung by the entire crowd in Times Square every New Year’s Eve. Despite its melodic tune I always found it to be cringey. I found its attacks on religion in general cringey as I always saw my own beliefs as being a source of peace and harmony and its American expression has never required anyone to agree.

Despite this, as I learned more history, I saw the different forms of Christianity as a source of much violence and disharmony, at least in the books. Maybe I have lived a sheltered life but I have never seen anyone threaten anyone with death because they refused to accept Christ. However, I believe if that is true then part of the reas0n that I have lived a sheltered life is because I have lived it within American Christianity. I realized that many people would like to change this, but I believe that Christianity has had the effect of creating a society here in the United States that has made life livable.

I believe that the same can be said of modern Europe and certain parts of Asia—even though most of the horror stories of Christian bigotry and violence come from stories in Medieval Europe. This may not be as true in the richer Muslim countries like the UAE and Saudi Arabia. But I still believe that there are people from those countries on who would prefer to live Europe.

Now one can argue that these European countries are countries that are so attractive to immigration because they are NOT Christian. Certainly, this can be said of Sweden and Norway and Finland and Denmark where people of Christian faith are in the minority. However, these countries were founded on Christian principles as opposed to Islamic principles or even Buddhist principles. While these principles are quickly being eroded by atheistic and humanistic principles, even the most ardent atheists are decrying their disappearance. In this video, that paragon of atheistic thought and virtue, Richard Dawkins laments the reduction of Christian values in the U.K.

Richard Dawkins wants to hold on to Christian values! Atheism at its best! (youtube.com)

John Lennon in his song, Imagine, says that if we were to get rid of religion and believe that above us was only sky, the world would be a better place. However, I don’t agree with that. I believe that Christianity and a relationship with God teaches us values important values like each person is made in the image of God and that we are called to love everyone regardless of their religious beliefs or sexual preferences. I believe that we are also taught that you are to use what the Lord has given you—your brain and your body, for God’s glory. I also believe that we are supposed to allow free speech, not kill people, believe in/honor/respect personal property, because of values in Judaism and Christianity. These values have built Europe and North America into the countries that everyone in the world wants to go to. I believe that all of these values start with God and knowing Him! The opposite of these values are the values that have built such sad places as the U.S.S.R, China, and that Europe is fast becoming. We will fast become as poor and destitute as these places if we keep imaging that the values that the Lord has shown us are outdated and not worth carrying into the future.

Galations 6:7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.

——————————————————————-W.