In 1967, John Lennon wrote a song called, “All You Need is Love.” He also beat both of his wives, abandoned one of his children, verbally abused his gay Jewish manager with homophobic and anti-Semitic slurs, and once had a camera crew film him lying naked in his bed for an entire day.
Thirty-five years later, Trent Reznor from Nine Inch Nails wrote a song called “Love is Not Enough.” Reznor, despite being famous for his shocking stage performances and his grotesque and disturbing videos, got clean from all drugs and alcohol, married one woman, had two children with her, and then canceled entire albums and tours so that he could stay home and be a good husband and father.
One of these two men had a clear and realistic understanding of love. One of them did not. One of these men idealized love as the solution to all of his problems. One of them did not. One of these men was probably a narcissistic asshole. One of them was not.
In our culture, many of us idealize love. We see it as some lofty cure-all for all of life’s problems. Our movies and our stories and our history all celebrate it as life’s ultimate goal, the final solution for all of our pain and struggle. And because we idealize love, we overestimate it. As a result, our relationships pay a price.
When we believe that “all we need is love,” then like Lennon, we’re more likely to ignore fundamental values such as respect, humility and commitment towards the people we care about. After all, if love solves everything, then why bother with all the other stuff — all of the hard stuff?
A Cigarette smoker without money can leave
his house with faith that when He gets to
the joint his friends will buy for him and for
sure even without begging, his friends will
say guy take one stick. That’s Love.
A guy who loves beer without money can
leave his house to a beer parlor with faith
that his gang members will buy for him and
for sure even without asking, his friends will
say guy take one bottle. That’s love.
But can a hungry/jobless person leave his
house to a religious organization with faith
that someone will give him money to come
and eat???
Where is the love that we preach everyday?
Have you bothered to ask a member of your
church. Religious organizations how life is
treating them? People go through a lot and
only few will voice out.
Someone will sow 1million naira seed in a
religious gathering but beg him for 1k out
side he will say no money.
This is why it’s easy for the devil to confuse
young minds to join bad gang because they
even show love more than most people that
preach love.
We the religious people really have to step
up and start practicing this love that we
preach. I hope that I am communicating?
