The late ex President Jimmy Carter John Lennon's 1971 hit “Imagine” is said to be his favorite tune. But its use as a song at his state funeral service sparked a firestorm on social media from critics who said it was unsuitable for use at a memorial service in a Christian church.
On Thursday, fellow Georgia native Trisha Yearwood and her husband, Garth Brooks, performed the tune during Carter's funeral service at Washington National Cathedral. One year earlier, Brooks and Yearwood performed it at the funeral of former First Lady Rosalynn Carter as well. The country star couple previously worked with the Carters on several Housing for Humanity projects, according to reports.
Social media exploded later Thursday, raising questions about the song's performance given its status Lyrical rejection of religion.
“Imagine there's no heaven / It's easy if you try / There's no hell below us / Above us, only heaven,” the first line says.
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Former President Jimmy Carter. (Emma Woodhead/Fox Digital)
In X, many observers, including senior conservative figures, questioned the use of the song, while others disagreed.
“Joe Biden lecturing about what a strong Christian Jimmy Carter was before the audience sat down for 'Imagine' with the lyrics 'Imagine there's no heaven/It's easy if you try' makes me question the validity of that assertion,” commentator Eric said. Erickson, who also served on the Macon City Council in Carter's home state.
One X user added: “Imagine there is no heaven – sung to a devout Southern Baptist.”
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Another said: “I don't think Jimmy would appreciate the no religion part.”
Self-described “Trumpocrat” Steve Carlson, a perennial Democratic candidate in Minnesota now running for governor in 2026, wrote that it was “insulting” that “Imagine” was played at Carter’s funeral.
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“Why would any Christian sing this song at their funeral? The idea of there not being heaven or Christianity at a Christian funeral is really dark,” said Molly Hemingway, Federal Editor and frequent host of Fox's “All-Star Panel.” News “Special Report with Bret Baier.”
A prominent member of the Catholic clergy also commented on X, saying he was “appalled” by the performance.
Under the high vault of what I believe is still a Christian church, they were solemnly singing, “Imagine there is no heaven; It's easy if you try” and “Imagine there is no country; It's not hard to do. “There is nothing to kill or be killed for,” said Bishop Robert Barron, bishop of the church. Catholic Diocese (Winona-Rochester, Minnesota).
“This was not just an insult to my memory A devout Christian believer “But it is also an indicator of the weakness of many of the established religions in our country,” the bishop said.
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Jim Geraghty of National Review said that the fact that “Imagine” asks the listener to imagine the absence of heaven is a “virtual concession” to its existence, in an apparent defense of the rendition.
“Otherwise there would be no need to ask us to imagine otherwise,” Geraghty said.
Lennon himself had a complex view of Christianity and organized religion, but he particularly identified with Christian preachers such as Oral Roberts.
Lennon was also quoted as saying: “I was raised a Christian and now I only understand some of the things Christ was saying in those parables.” “God is the concept by which we measure our suffering.”
