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SharonTruong
JohnKubler
English115
9September2014
Exercise1.2:CriticalResponseLettertoAuthor
DearMr.JohnLennon,
Iagreewithyouthatculturaldiversityandreligioncansometimesbeproblematic,but
thosearetheproblemsthatallowthenationtojointogetherandbecomeone.Inyoursong,
Imagine,ifthereisnothingtokillordiefor,thenwhatistheretolivefor?Whywouldone
wanttoliveinaworldwherethereisnothingtheyarepassionateabout?Yourlifewouldnthave
valueifyouwerentwillingtokillordieforsomeoneorsomething.Now,imagineallthepeople
livingwithoutpassion.IfMartinLutherKingJr.nevercombatedracialinequalitythrough
nonviolentcivildisobedience,Idontthinkthenationwouldhavebeenabletoadvancethisfar
incivilrights,peacefully.Itsbeenarockyroadanditsnotexactlypeaceful,butIbelieveitwas
oneofthebestapproachesduringtheAfricanAmericancivilrightsmovement.MartinLuther
KingJr.diedfortheadvancementofcivilrights,thatiswhathelivedfor.NotonlywasMartin
LutherKingJr.afamouscivilrightsactivist,hewasalsoaBaptistminister.Hebasedhis
nonviolentcivildisobedienceonhisChristianbeliefs.
Mr.Lennon,youbelievethattherewouldbepeacewithoutreligion,andIunderstand
whereyourecomingfrombutIbelievereligionactuallybringspeacetothepeople.Thismay
seemveryhardtobelieveforyoubecausereligioncausesmajorwars,butreligionisalsothe
forcethatunifiesthenationafteraterroristattack.VicePresidentJoeBidenrecentlyresponded

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totheexecutionofJamesFoleybytheISISmilitantswhenheforcefullywarnedthatwewill
followthemtothegatesofhelluntiltheyarebroughttojustice.ReligioniswhatallowedBiden
tosaysuchwordsandreligioniswhatallowedthenationtobelieveinthosewords.Without
religion,theVicePresidentswarningwouldntbeaseffectiveorbringhopetotheAmerican
people.Ifweimaginenohellbelowus,thenwherewouldtheterroristsreside?Theyregoingto
havetogodownsomewheresomostpeoplebelieveinhellasthespiritualrealmofeviland
suffering,wherethoseterroristsbelong.
Inmypersonalexperience,religioncalmlybroughtmyfamilytogether.Whenmy
grandmapassedaway,myfamilywasahugemess.Everyonefranticallypanickedanddidnt
knowwhattodo,butwhenwestucktoourreligion,whenweallprayedtogetherformy
grandma,thatswhenwewereunitedasafamily.Icomefromahugefamily,mygrandmahada
dozenkids,soimagineahousefullofadultsyellingovereachotheronwhattodoformy
grandma.Everyonehaddifferentideasandbelievedindifferentthingsbutintheend,we
decidedtostaytruetobuddhismbecausemygrandmahadalotoffaithinherreligion.Everyone
justaccepteditandprayedforher.Inthissituation,religionguidedustotranquility.
Byfocusingontheworldbeingone,youoverlookthedeeperproblemofcommunismin
thesong.Whenyousay,ImaginenopossessionsImagineallthepeoplesharingallthe
world(1),youareidealizingcommunism.Ifyoutakeawayamanspossessions,thenhell
havenogreatervaluethananotherman.Imagineasocietyinwhichallpropertyisownedbythe
government.Imagineasocietywithnosocialclassesandeveryonereceivedthesameamountof
everything.TheUnitedStateshadfoughtsohardtocontaincommunismabroadintheColdWar,

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butthesong,Imagineseemstobepromotingcommunism,forcedcollectivizationoflaborand
goods,whichdoesntvaluecreativityandactuallyreducestheincentivestoworkhard.