John Lennon Quotes About Peace and Love

 1980, the year Lennon was shot

"I really thought that love would save us all."

"Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King are great examples of fantastic nonviolents who died violently. I can never work that out. We're pacifists, but I'm not sure what it means when you're such a pacifist that you get shot. I can never understand that."

"Nobody's ever tried the peace thing, ... We are selling it like soap."

"We're trying to sell peace, like a product, you know, and sell it like people sell soap or soft drinks. And it's the only way to get people aware that peace is possible, and it isn't just inevitable to have violence. Not just war — all forms of violence."

"Everything is clearer when you're in love."
"If everyone demanded peace instead of another television set, then there'd be peace."
"Everybody's talking about peace, but nobody does anything about it in a peaceful way."
"I think if you get down to basics, whatever the problem is, it's usually to do with love. So I think 'All You Need is Love' is a true statement. I'm not saying, 'All you have to do is...' because 'All You Need' came out in the Flower Power Generation time. It doesn't mean that all you have to do is put on a phoney smile or wear a flower dress and it's gonna be alright. Love is not just something that you stick on posters or stick on the back of your car, or on the back of your jacket or on a badge. I'm talking about real love, so I still believe that. Love is appreciation of other people and allowing them to be. Love is allowing somebody to be themselves and that's what we do need."
"I don't believe in killing whatever the reason!"
"We live in a world where we hide to make love! While violence is committed in broad daylight."
"Violence begets violence, you know. And you can't kill off all the violent people or all the murderers. We'd have to kill off the government."
"Love is like a flower, give it time and it will grow"
"Love is a promise, love is a souvenir, once given never forgotten, never let it disappear."
"You are all geniuses, and you are all beautiful. You don't need anyone to tell you who you are. You are what you are. Get out there and get peace, think peace, live peace, and breathe peace, and you'll get it as soon as you like."
"We've got this gift of love, but love is like a precious plant. You can't just accept it and leave it in the cupboard or just think it's going to get on by itself. You've got to keep on watering it. You've got to really look after it and nurture it."
"You either get tired fighting for peace, or you die."
"If someone thinks that love and peace is a cliche that must have been left behind in the Sixties, that's his problem. Love and peace are eternal."
"I'm not going to sacrifice love, real love, for any f*ckin' whore or any friend, or any business, because in the end you're alone at night."
"Why don't people believe us when we say we're simply in love?"
"We all have Hitler in us, but we also have love and peace. So why not give peace a chance for once?"
"I used to be cruel to my woman, and physically -- any woman. I was a hitter. I couldn't express myself and I hit. I fought men and I hit women. That is why I am always on about peace, you see. It is the most violent people who go for love and peace. Everything's the opposite. But I sincerely believe in love and peace. I am a violent man who has learned not to be violent and regrets his violence. I will have to be a lot older before I can face in public how I treated women as a youngster."
“We had one thing in common — we were in love. But love is just a gift, and it doesn’t answer everything and it’s like a precious plant that you have to nurture and look after and all that.”
"Guilt for being rich, and guilt thinking that perhaps love and peace isn't enough and you have to go and get shot or something."