Quoting John Lennon is dangerous, especially when it is done out of context. Try this one on for size; it completes the thought that Lennon was expressing when he said "God is a concept by which we measure our pain."

“You have to give thanks to God or whatever it is up there for the fact that we all survived. It took me forty years to finally grow up. I see things now that I never knew existed before. You have to do it yourself. That’s what the great masters and mistresses have been saying ever since time began. I can’t wake you up. You can wake you up. It’s fear of the unknown. And to be frightened of it is what sends everybody around chasing dreams, illusions, wars, peace, love, hate, all that--it’s all illusion.”

John Lennon

well the quote is from a song by lennon and dont think i'm out of context ,listen to the song ,its called oddly enough ,god ,what lennon says in the song is i dont believe in anything ,i believe in me, yoko and me ,doesnt sound so religous if you take it in the context of the song , it specificaly says he doesnt believe in god or jesus or the beatles or lots of other things , adam

I know the song pretty well...my point was that Lennon was pretty deep, and you kind of have to take his sayings in context. He definitely believed in God, which is what the song "God" is all about. However, Lennon's theory on God is a very different one from the Christian theory.

If you really want to get into what the Beatles thought about God and spirituality in general, listen to "Within You, Without You" on Sgt. Pepper.

Within You, Without You

We were talking-about the space between us all
And the people-who hide themselves behind a wall of illusion
Never glimpse the truth-then it's far too late-when they pass away.
We were talking-about the love we all could share-when we find it
To try our best to hold it there-with our love
With our love-we could save the world-if they only knew.
Try to realise it's all within yourself
No-one else can make you change
And to see you're really only very small,
And life flows ON within you and without you.
We were talking-about the love that's gone so cold and the people,
Who gain the world and lose their soul-
They don't know-they can't see-are you one of them?
When you've seen beyond yourself-then you may find, peace of mind,
Is waiting there-
And the time will come when you see
we're all one, and life flows on within you and without you.

Nobby,

the lyrics are brilliant.
I think a lot of us as survivors look to who we can reach out to rather than reach in and save our own souls from destruction.

It is a humble trait that most survivors have.
Not to look after themselves but reach out to others who are hurting.
We know some of the hurt, so we are willing to share the burden of anothers hurt.

Is that not the most precious thing we can do in life!
Is that what God taught us all to do in life!
It is the essence of true friendships where friendship is the only bond.

God was surely speaking within JL, even though he did some bad things, he was a really cool guy.
I guess I iconize people in life, to who I would love to be me.

I just wish I could be me,

ste