Imagine Peace -- but not too much

OK, I don't watch American Idol on TV. But as I surf the online news in the morning, I often see news of the latest show and check it out. Last night was the final sing-off between what looks to me to be a 14 year old boy and a 20-something who can actually play music. I'm just impressed that someone was playing an instrument. Go American Idol, with your whole respect of music thing!

But, unfortunately, I then actually listened to their songs. David A. sang John Lennon's "Imagine," a kind of peace anthem for the last 30 years or so. But he only sang one verse. Even though the song is only 2:20, and David A. sang for 2:14, he decided to sing one of the three verses and to repeat the chorus 2 or 3 times. Guess which verses he left out? Ok, you don't have to guess, I've put them here for you:

Imagine there's no Heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace

Perhaps you've heard this song before. If so, these are probably the lyrics you remember. Because they are the ones that matter. And yet on American Idol, to suggest that religion may be the cause of some of the most horrific acts of human history, including present day wars WE ourselves are involved in -- well, that's just too controversial.

It has come to this: TV producers are so afraid of Christians boycotting them that they won't allow the entire Lennon classic to be played. I think this proves Lennon's point.

When we have to sanitize John Lennon's Imagine, things have gotten retarded.

These are the key words to this song: "Nothing to kill or die for." THIS is what the song is about: no religion, no country, no possessions. It IS hard to imagine. Especially if we don't even hear it.