Imagine: Thoughts on Brotherhood

[Jon Fergus]

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

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people sharing all the world

You, you may say
I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

- John Lennon, Imagine

 

A brotherhood of man. That’s what we want. But what does that mean, exactly?

When we think of Brotherhood, what comes to mind? Peace? Cooperation? Community? Love? Harmony?

A broad view of brotherhood often includes these things, but is certainly not limited to them. It’s a picture of a way of life, of a societal framework, of a state mind and heart and varies in details from person to person. Most of us have had experiences in our lives that support our view of brotherhood; the unconditional love of our parents or of ourselves to our children, the mutual support of our coworkers, the fellowship of the sports team we belong to. These experiences lend themselves to a view of the potential of brotherhood to encompass those areas in life where those features seem absent; the company that competes with us, the team we play against, the dysfunction of families we either belong to or witness, the wars we fight. Our experiences of brotherhood in our lives allow us to imagine, as John Lennon did, what the world might be like if those features belonged to the whole of human society.

But an essential question then arises: how do we get there? How do we take brotherhood from those small experiences and apply it to the whole? How do we fill those areas in which brotherhood seems absent?

All things alike go through their processes of activity,
and (then) we see them return (to their original state). …
that stillness may be called a reporting
that they have fulfilled their appointed end.

The report of that fulfillment is the regular, unchanging rule.
To know that unchanging rule is to be intelligent;
not to know it leads to wild movements and evil issues.
The knowledge of that unchanging rule produces a (grand) capacity and forbearance,
and that capacity and forbearance lead to a community (of feeling with all things).

- Tao te Ching, by Lao-tzu (J. Legge, Translator)

 

Here we find the notion that the knowledge of the stillness of our original state is related to the capacity for community, whereas the ignorance of the stillness of our original state is related to “wild movements and evil issues”. In approaching the question of how to bring about a brotherhood of man, we must approach the question of original state and the processes of activity.

If brotherhood is related to, or an aspect of, our original state of stillness (as individuals and as a collective), then it must be asked: what barriers have been created to the knowledge (and thus the living of) that state? If brotherhood is related to, or an aspect of, our processes of activity (again, as individuals and as a collective), then it must be asked what kind of action supports brotherhood? If brotherhood is related to both our state of stillness and our state of activity, then we must ask both questions.

If we seek a brotherhood of man, do we seek it absolutely, or do we seek it selectively? Do we seek it only during the state of stillness, or only during the state of activity, or both?

If our answer is both, then we come to a point where we need to analyze that which must be added in order to arrive at brotherhood and that which must be subtracted in order to arrive at brotherhood. We need to identify those barriers to it and remove them, and identify that which is absent and add it.

John Lennon identified several aspects of human society that he saw as barriers to a brotherhood of man. These he gave as:

Imagine there's no heaven
Imagine there's no countries
Imagine no possessions

John Lennon went through a process of asking what needs to be removed in order to arrive at brotherhood among all human beings, and these are (some of) the things he determined to be barriers.

The other half of the question is what must be added in order to arrive at brotherhood.

Imagine all the people living for today
Imagine all the people living life in peace
Imagine all the people sharing all the world

 

These lyrics unveil something of profound interest. In John Lennon’s song we see that each verse is composed of both things that must be removed and things that must be added – and most importantly, these two sides are shown to be linked. He demonstrates, in his own way, that the removal of a barrier accompanies the addition of something new, something that fills an absence.

If we do nothing but remove, then our state of activity becomes one of stillness. If we do nothing but add, then our state of stillness is forever veiled by our state of activity, leading to “wild movements and evil issues” according to the Tao te Ching. But, if we both remove that which is a barrier to, and add that which supports brotherhood, then both our states of stillness and activity become possessed of it, for then we have both the knowledge of the “unchanging rule” in our stillness, and the application of that knowledge in our action.

Whether we agree or disagree with the items John Lennon arrived at, we must admire his willingness to go through the process of asking these important questions. This is the process we must all go through. We cannot begin to mindfully work towards brotherhood until we’ve identified that which needs to be done – or at the very least, decided upon the direction of our first steps.

[Ferran Sanz Orriols]

 Hi, friends! It's nice to go jumpin' from thread to thread hehehehe and it is nice to see J. Lennon and Lao Tse and an ancient Indian concept together. Of course this is not a proof hehehehe, but makes the idea of one source of inspiration for people everywhere and everytime seem reasonable.

 Brotherhood is a fact, it's just that people, official science and public opinion have not yet realized it. We all breath the same air, air knows not about frontiers because it is equally needed everywhere. We affect each other's air, but a serious study of how this happens seems to be a forbidden question since the foundation of modern science (remember Mesmer?). A proper study of human etheric bodies would show the fact of brotherhood, but this is beyond the frontiers of science, as Wilhelm Reich confirmed.  

 Now, let's confirm once more that disagreeing is part of brotherhood... Joe, you make it too complicated with these a, b, c :-P... moreover, I can think on any of my Muslim friends using this kind of reasoning because being an hypocrite is bad indeed in Muslim tradition, and then you finish you post makin' me think on James Epistle in the Gospels on faith and deeds hehehehe... quite inspired, indeed.

 I don't think it's about "believing" at all, there are many inner paths that lead to understand the need to work for brotherhood, not for an abstract brotherhood but for the real people who are near. Believing may be a start for some or many, but "just believing" is not a step on the path. 

 Brotherhood is expressed when we share, so learning to share is the practical side of the ideal. Not complicated at all, still not easy hahahahaha :-) Warm blessings, dear friends!!!    

[Joe Fulton]

It's a matter of extrapolation.  Personally the attitudes of Buddhism seem pretty much on the mark in asserting the universality of the desire to be happy.  I think we can apply to that to small-green-furry-creatures on Alpha Centauri...or anywhere else, for that matter.

[Christian von Lahr]

Comment by Capt. Anand Kumaron Wednesday           

There is a parallel to the views of John Lennon in the ancient Indian concept of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, (the whole world is a family). Some Philosophers have termed this concept as "gigantic". Today we are being compelled to think about think about these thing, having failed to learn our lessons, as burning of firewood by a deprived human in India begins to affect the climate in US or elsewhere.

Truly, universal brotherhood or Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, whatever one likes to call it, is the way forward for the humanity.

 

I like to think bigger, ... couldn't / shouldn't this sentiment apply to the Universe?

 

christian von lahr

[Joe Fulton]

I'll pick up on a theme from another discussion...but not quite a cross posting.

So the two ends of the rope (metaphorically) are idea and action.

The first item consists of ideas.

Ideas have implications and consequences.  If I believe a, b, and c this means that I have to act on those beliefs.  If I do not act or act contrary to those ideas then I am a hypocrite.

Next, actions are the consequence of beliefs.  If I believe a, b, and c above, then my course of action has to be in step with those beliefs.  Again, if not then I am a hypocrite.

The question becomes, specifically, "What do I believe?  Is brotherhood a natural consequence of what I believe?"

If brotherhood is not, then we really have to take a long, hard look at ourselves.  Something is wrong.

If yes, then what are we doing in support of the belief?

It's pretty simple.  The logic, the words and the actions all have to fit each other.

Nothing states your beliefs more clearly than your actions, in spite of anything you may say.

[Olga Stolyarchik]

Thank you Jon!

Just a few days ago I referred  to the same lyrics song by John Lennon "Imagine" I mentioned that in reply to the discussion on Reincarnation. Imagine was corresponding with my thoughts about the future incarnation. Imagine that the future civilizations of people will be living in peace and unity - the Brotherhood. Imagine the world like John Lennon said in this amazing, profound lyrics for the future generations to come and for this one: individually reaching to a Higher Awareness, Enlighten to become self-actualizing  individuals, who will help the others, teaching of all the  knowledge and wisdom, sharing own experiences and everyday changing the world for being better place. 

[Capt. Anand Kumar]

There is a parallel to the views of John Lennon in the ancient Indian concept of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, (the whole world is a family). Some Philosophers have termed this concept as "gigantic". Today we are being compelled to think about think about these thing, having failed to learn our lessons, as burning of firewood by a deprived human in India begins to affect the climate in US or elsewhere.

Truly, universal brotherhood or Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, whatever one likes to call it, is the way forward for the humanity.