“And all Religion’s true”

So, I was one of the many people who saw Cee-Lo Green (who I had not heard of until someone named him at the party last night) singing John lennon’s anthem Imagine, which has always been a favorite among many humanists, including myself.

I didn’t notice the change in words mostly because the room was singing the correct words in unison, and the noise overwhelmed the audio from the feed.  In any case, if you are unaware, he changed the words in the second verse from “And no religion too” to “And all religion’s true,” supposedly in an attempt to be inclusive and accommodating.

But seriously, all religion true?

Is Cee-Lo Green not aware that this idea of all religions being true, rather than be all nice and lovey-dovey,  would be a disaster of epic proportions?  Rather than be inclusive and respectful, as his apology via twitter seems to indicate was his itention, this idea that all religions being true is not only dangerous but impossible.

Imagine a world where all the religions were true.  This would not be a paradise of love, compassion, and peaceful diversity.  If the sacred texts of the world were representative of what was real, then it would mean that there are real supernatural powers at odds with one-another.  It would be like the ancient Greeks of Romans, except some of the gods think they are all-powerful and demand that the other gods and their followers be converted or slaughtered.  It would amount to real total warfare on a global, even cosmic, scale.

No, Cee-Lo, this is not a beautiful dream you imagine in your lyric-changing.  It is a representation of your ignorance of what religion is.  We already have a world where, in many places, you can believe what you want and practice your religion as you want.  That is not the same as wishing all religions true, however.  We are permitted, here in the West especially, to believe as our conscience and philosophy leads us, but I hope to the FSM and IPU the that all religions are not true.  I would rather live ina universe which does not implode via logical paradox or by universal supernatural warfare.

That’s why Lennon’s original lyric was so profound; because it saw that religion was a cause for strife, not tolerance and peace in our world.  Next time, just sing the damned song as John Lennon wrote it!