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Arnold1N2D
Guest
What can you say on that lyrics by John Lennon? Is “concept” a reality? I am really do believe in God and he is real. But what can you say on Lennon’s lyrics?
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StephieNorthCo
Guest
John Lennon was a brilliant musical artist. I have a lot of admiration for him as an artist. One of the best. As a theologist, not so much.
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SacredHeartBassist
Guest
I blame the acid
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Theo520
Guest
Wasn’t it more about pop culture idols.
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Tulitas
Guest
People who are truly interested in truth and theology don’t look to those who are not in the field.
Great musician, but not a guiding light for us, spiritually.
Great musician, but not a guiding light for us, spiritually.
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goodcatholic
Guest
If God is a concept He is the most difficult one for us to fully understand. He is beyond our comprehension.
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BlackFriar
Guest
Of course God is a concept.
That is why so many people disagree and fight to the death over religion.
Four blind men and an elephant etc etc.
God cannot be contained in a concept.
And is that concept also a “place filler” (as in decimal point) for what we don’t know? Yes it is.
But that bigger understanding of God isn’t God either.
We all need to be purified of the concept of God, whether it be a place filler or actual fill.
That is why so many people disagree and fight to the death over religion.
Four blind men and an elephant etc etc.
God cannot be contained in a concept.
And is that concept also a “place filler” (as in decimal point) for what we don’t know? Yes it is.
But that bigger understanding of God isn’t God either.
We all need to be purified of the concept of God, whether it be a place filler or actual fill.
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Shakuhachi
Guest
Yes, the concept of God is the false God, no matter what it is.
We have to keep pursuing.
We have to keep pursuing.
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midori
Guest
I like listening to XM18, the Beatles Channel, but I had never heard that one. So I had to look it up to see the full (quote? lyrics?).
But as far as Lennon’s lyrics go— it’s not something I’d base my theology on. There’s too much to separate out for it to be a neat “I agree” or “I disagree”. It’s best to stick his stuff in the “Entertainment” bucket and keep it separate from the “Meaningful Philosophy” bucket.
So, yeah. The word “God” represents something that is too immense and infinite for us to comprehend, sort of like how the word “cold” falls short in describing an Arctic winter, or the word “ocean” falls short in describing the vastness of a particular stretch of water, or the word “hot” falls short in describing Death Valley on a July day.
But as far as Lennon’s lyrics go— it’s not something I’d base my theology on. There’s too much to separate out for it to be a neat “I agree” or “I disagree”. It’s best to stick his stuff in the “Entertainment” bucket and keep it separate from the “Meaningful Philosophy” bucket.
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IWantGod
Guest
Yeah sure, we have a concept of God, and we do measure our pain by it. But God exists beyond that concept and is far greater than we can comprehend. People think of God as a conservative white man with a white beard in the sky, but the reality is far more terrifying. People don’t understand what they are dealing with; all God has to do is stop thinking of you and you will cease to be. It just so happens that God is benevolent and is trying to save our souls. Otherwise the “concept” of God would make a good concept for a horror movie.
Atheists can deny God all they want, but there is no winning against him. Lucifer learned that the hard way.
Atheists can deny God all they want, but there is no winning against him. Lucifer learned that the hard way.
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whyeyeman
Guest
“imagine no religion…”
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Kei
Guest
The “I only believe in myself” sorta thing is the stuff of pride and arrogance.
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BoyGenius
Guest
I don’t know if I can say anything to his lyrics. I know what I would say to him, but alas he is dead and has passed away. Sadly.
But for the souls here and now, who we can speak to. Let’s see if we can dig into this deeper.
What is a concept? I’d say understanding. The concept of building a bridge. A method, a style, and a design. Or a process. Sorta “how to.” Is God a concept? A sorta how to? Well, not the God of the Old Testament, and in the Scriptures, He is not. For He said to Moses, “I am Who am.”
God is. Reality. Things exist because of Him. Even concepts exist because of God. Thus, there’s no concept to Him. He is, like a rock.
But more than a rock. Wherefore our Divine and Eternal Salvation rests, in Him. Concepts don’t do that. They are nothing, in the end, but idea’s. But can prove useful and profitable in the end. But they are not God.
But for the souls here and now, who we can speak to. Let’s see if we can dig into this deeper.
What is a concept? I’d say understanding. The concept of building a bridge. A method, a style, and a design. Or a process. Sorta “how to.” Is God a concept? A sorta how to? Well, not the God of the Old Testament, and in the Scriptures, He is not. For He said to Moses, “I am Who am.”
God is. Reality. Things exist because of Him. Even concepts exist because of God. Thus, there’s no concept to Him. He is, like a rock.
But more than a rock. Wherefore our Divine and Eternal Salvation rests, in Him. Concepts don’t do that. They are nothing, in the end, but idea’s. But can prove useful and profitable in the end. But they are not God.
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TheOldColonel
Guest
Are you referring to the same John Lennon who said the Beatles are “bigger than Jesus”?
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brian_custer
Guest
that one i’ll give lennon a pass on
he explained many times that he didn’t mean it the way it sounded
was he being sincere in his explanation/apology?? i don’t know…
he explained many times that he didn’t mean it the way it sounded
was he being sincere in his explanation/apology?? i don’t know…
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TheOldColonel
Guest
Ran into him and Paul at JFK back in '69. Nice fellows. I took a shortcut through a restricted hallway and there they were atop their luggage.
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Darryl_B
Guest
There are many places I will not get take theology from. The comedian, the musician, and Morgan Freeman.
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Arnold1N2D
Guest
Yes, he is.
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hymin
Guest
No concept is a god, or further the God.
There are a multitude of possible concepts, and to say that one is a God, something to dismiss and shrug off in the mind, is not the mind of the Church; it is a blasphemy to open the mouth and proclaim it. As Mother Angelica said to me, “Some of the things you say, you should put it in a safe and bury it.”
There are a multitude of possible concepts, and to say that one is a God, something to dismiss and shrug off in the mind, is not the mind of the Church; it is a blasphemy to open the mouth and proclaim it. As Mother Angelica said to me, “Some of the things you say, you should put it in a safe and bury it.”
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Tis_Bearself
Patron
John is my favorite Beatle. He was also a deeply troubled man who struggled throughout his life with the pain from the early loss of his mother, with drug habits, and with his personal relationships.
Most of his ruminations on “God” are the same sort of naval-gazing stuff you can get from any number of hippies on drugs. I frankly get the impression that on some level, John was constantly looking for God. I hope after his death, they had a pleasant encounter.
I pretty much ignore any of Lennon’s philosophies on “God” though, whether it’s him saying the Beatles were “bigger than Jesus” or this “God is a concept” song or the song “Imagine” where he wants us to imagine “no religion, too”. The one thing I liked that he said about God was when he said Jesus Christ was all right but his disciples were “thick” and ruined it for him. John failed to see that he was just exactly like those disciples.
Most of his ruminations on “God” are the same sort of naval-gazing stuff you can get from any number of hippies on drugs. I frankly get the impression that on some level, John was constantly looking for God. I hope after his death, they had a pleasant encounter.
I pretty much ignore any of Lennon’s philosophies on “God” though, whether it’s him saying the Beatles were “bigger than Jesus” or this “God is a concept” song or the song “Imagine” where he wants us to imagine “no religion, too”. The one thing I liked that he said about God was when he said Jesus Christ was all right but his disciples were “thick” and ruined it for him. John failed to see that he was just exactly like those disciples.
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