John Lennon

[MoNiCa4316]

wow did he REALLY say this?? does anyone know?

John Lennon (Singer):
Some years before, during his interview with an American Magazine, he said:

"Christianity will end, it will disappear.
I do not have to argue about
that. I am certain.
Jesus was ok, but his subjects were too simple, today we are more famous than Him" (1966).


if so, poor guy. that's soo sad. well no one can steal God's glory, which goes above fame!! the Beatles fell apart soon after this right? hmm

 

[MikeK]

Yes he did. So what? Lots of people say lots of dumb stuff, that doesn't mean we shouldn't appreciate their life's work. Twist and Shout still roolz.

 

[BillH]

Actually, I'm fairly certain that he said it in an interview with a British magazine, though when the quote was discovered in America, it caused quite a backlash in a lot of Bible Belt areas. He later semi-apologized, saying that he didn't necessarily mean that the Beatles were better than Jesus, but that he was simply making an observation about the state of religion in the modern world. It would be about four more years before the Beatles broke up.

Really, it's pretty tame compared to some of the stuff that he wrote when he went solo.

 

[MikeK]

Actually, I'm fairly certain that he said it in an interview with a British magazine, though when the quote was discovered in America, it caused quite a backlash in a lot of Bible Belt areas. He later semi-apologized, saying that he didn't necessarily mean that the Beatles were better than Jesus, but that he was simply making an observation about the state of religion in the modern world. It would be about four more years before the Beatles broke up.

Really, it's pretty tame compared to some of the stuff that he wrote when he went solo.

LOL - I once heard "Imagine" played on a piano at some sort of church service - this was a long time ago, I don't recall if it was at a Catholic church or not. I remember thinking "does that pianist have any idea what the words are to this song?"

 

[benedictaoo]

,

 

[benedictaoo]

wow did he REALLY say this?? does anyone know?

John Lennon (Singer):
Some years before, during his interview with an American Magazine, he said:

"Christianity will end, it will disappear.
I do not have to argue about
that. I am certain.
Jesus was ok, but his subjects were too simple, today we are more famous than Him" (1966).


if so, poor guy. that's soo sad. well no one can steal God's glory, which goes above fame!! the Beatles fell apart soon after this right? hmm

He was a nut and ppl praise him way too much and give him way too much credit and I think Yoko is who ruined him, filled his head with atheism.

I think he was totally an atheist and his "Imagine" song that everyone thinks is so inspiring... it's atheist universalist tripe, IMO. But i do think it's a good song as far as songs go.

 

[benedictaoo]

wow did he REALLY say this?? does anyone know?

John Lennon (Singer):
Some years before, during his interview with an American Magazine, he said:

"Christianity will end, it will disappear.
I do not have to argue about
that. I am certain.
Jesus was ok, but his subjects were too simple, today we are more famous than Him" (1966).


if so, poor guy. that's soo sad. well no one can steal God's glory, which goes above fame!! the Beatles fell apart soon after this right? hmm

He was a nut and ppl praise him way too much and give him way too much credit and I think Yoko is who ruined him, filled his head with atheism.

I think he was totally an atheist and his "Imagine" song that everyone thinks is so inspiring... it's atheist universalist tripe, IMO. But i do think it's a good song as far as songs go.

 

[Miss Shelby]

the song Michelle was number one in July of 66. Which is when I was born. so he's okay in my book.

 

[AndItWasGood]

After he said that, Lennon also had a flirtation with born again Christianity. Google "John Lennon's Born Again Phase"...there's an article by Christianity Today.

 

[hsilgne]

... and his "Imagine" song that everyone thinks is so inspiring... But i do think it's a good song as far as songs go.

Imagining no religion seems easier for me than imagining my life without knowing The Beatles music.

Personally, I don't look at Christ and His Church as a "religion".

I see Islam, Hinduism, Scientology, Darwinsim, Global Warmingism etc... as "religion".

 

[NoDoubt]

What he said was taken out of context and the American media jumped on him immediately. They're great at doing that kind of thing.

This is what he meant when he said it. The Beatles are the greatest band ever and they changed music as we know it. It would not be what it is today had it not been for them.

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=kZ6NL3iNNMs&feature=related

 

[stephenc]

Lennon had an "all or nothing" approach to life. And Chritianity was a VERY important part of it. You can quickly find stuff about this; his On/Off relationship with Christianity.

"Strawberry Fields Forever" is about the happiest time of his life; at the Salvation Army's annual Children's outing at Strawberry Field Park. That's his vision of heaven.

 

[NoDoubt]

A tribute to the Greatest Band Ever!!!

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=o2d2llB4oIQ&feature=related

 

[NoDoubt]

A tribute to the Greatest Band Ever!!!

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=o2d2llB4oIQ&feature=related

 

[kisstheson]

Actually, I'm fairly certain that he said it in an interview with a British magazine, though when the quote was discovered in America, it caused quite a backlash in a lot of Bible Belt areas. He later semi-apologized, saying that he didn't necessarily mean that the Beatles were better than Jesus, but that he was simply making an observation about the state of religion in the modern world. It would be about four more years before the Beatles broke up.

Really, it's pretty tame compared to some of the stuff that he wrote when he went solo.

This is true. I remember when that statement went public in America. The way my friends and I heard it was that lennon had said the beatles were more popular than Jesus Christ. We were shocked but we all were die hard beatle fans so we soon forgot what he had said.

Later John became an atheist which is what The song "Imagine" is all about.

"Imagine no religion...no hell below us...above us only sky." Its a beautiful melody but the lyrics are very deceptive. You cant have peace without The Prince of Peace.

 

[NoDoubt]

Actually, I'm fairly certain that he said it in an interview with a British magazine, though when the quote was discovered in America, it caused quite a backlash in a lot of Bible Belt areas. He later semi-apologized, saying that he didn't necessarily mean that the Beatles were better than Jesus, but that he was simply making an observation about the state of religion in the modern world. It would be about four more years before the Beatles broke up.

Really, it's pretty tame compared to some of the stuff that he wrote when he went solo.

This is true. I remember when that statement went public in America. The way my friends and I heard it was that lennon had said the beatles were more popular than Jesus Christ. We were shocked but we all were die hard beatle fans so we soon forgot what he had said.Later John became an atheist which is what The song "Imagine" is all about.

"Imagine no religion...no hell below us...above us only sky." Its a beautiful melody but the lyrics are very deceptive. You cant have peace without The Prince of Peace.

Yes, it's very sad indeed.

He almost made it but because he was so dependant on Yoko who had some sort-of mind-control on him he didn't. He actually almost had a conversion experience.

Interesting article here.

"In March 1977 Yoko traveled with John Green to Catagena in Colombia to meet a witch who had been recommended to her as someone "who could do anything." Green had to accompany her to check out the witch's validity. Yoko paid the witch sixty thousand dollars to perform a series of rituals culminating in the sacrifice of a dove. When they returned to New York; Yoko insisted that they had to fly via Los Angeles and Alaska to avoid having to fly in a northeasterly direction because she believed this would bring her bad fortune.

Next came one of the most extraordinary turnabouts in John's life. A television addict for many years (it was his way of looking at the world since he could no longer walk around anonymously), he enjoyed watching some of America's best-known evangelists—Pat Robertson, Billy Graham, Jim Bakker, and Oral Roberts. In 1972 he had written a desperate letter to Roberts confessing his dependence on drugs and his fear of facing up to "the problems of life." He expressed regret that he had said that the Beatles were more popular than Jesus and enclosed a gift for the Oral Roberts University. After quoting the line "money can't buy me love" from "Can't Buy Me Love" he said, "It's true. The point is this, I want happiness. I don't want to keep on with drugs. Paul told me once, 'You made fun of me for taking drugs, but you will regret it in the end.' Explain to me what Christianity can do for me. Is it phoney? Can He love me? I want out of hell."



Roberts sent him a copy of his book Miracle of Seed Faith and several letters explaining basic Christian beliefs. In the second of his letters Roberts said:

John, we saw you and the Beatles on television when you first came to America. Your talent with music was almost awesome and your popularity touched millions. Your influence became so widespread and powerful that your statement-the Beatles are more popular than Jesus- might have had some truth in it at that moment. But you know, our Lord said, I am alive for ever more. People, the Bible says, are like sheep and are often fickle, following this one day and something else the next. However, there are millions who have received Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and have been filled with the Holy Spirit. They love him. To them He is the most wonderful and popular man who ever lived because he is the Son of God and His name endures.​

I thank God that you see this, John, and finally regret thinking any man or group could be more popular than Jesus. Jesus is the only reality. It is Jesus who said "I am the way, the truth, and the life." So, you see, your statement that because of your hard background you've never wanted to face reality is actually really saying you've never wanted to face our loving Lord. What I want to say, as I tried to say in my other letter, is that Jesus, the true reality, is not hard to face. He said, "Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. … For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." You said, John, that you take drugs because reality frightens you. Remember as you open your life to Jesus, He will take all the fear away and give you peace. Peace that passes all understanding.​

This correspondence and his exposure to TV evangelism didn't appear to have any effect until he suddenly announced to close friends in the spring of 1977 that he'd become a born-again Christian. He had been particularly moved by the U.S. television premiere of Franco Zeffirelli's Jesus of Nazareth, starring Robert Powell as Jesus, which NBC showed in two three-hour segments on Palm Sunday, April 3, 1977. A week later, on Easter day, he took Yoko and Sean to a local church service.

Over the following months he baffled those close to him by constantly praising "the Lord," writing Christian songs with titles like "Talking with Jesus" and "Amen" (the Lord's Prayer set to music), and trying to convert nonbelievers. He also called the prayer line of The 700 Club, Pat Robertson's program. The change in his life perturbed Yoko, who tried to talk him out of it. She reminded him of what he'd said about his vulnerability to strong religious leaders because of his emotionally deprived background. She knew that if the press found out about it they would have a field day with another John and Jesus story. John became antagonistic toward her, blaming her for practicing the dark arts and telling her that she couldn't see the truth because her eyes had been blinded by Satan.

Those close to the couple sensed that the real reason she was concerned was that it threatened her control over John's life. If he became a follower of Jesus he would no longer depend on her and the occultists. During long, passionate arguments she attacked the key points of his fledgling faith. They met with a couple of Norwegian missionaries whom Yoko questioned fiercely about the divinity of Christ, knowing that this was the teaching that John had always found the most difficult to accept. Their answers didn't satisfy her, and John began to waver in his commitment."




More here

 

[vle045]

As a child of a Beatles fan.... I have to concur with those who said the quote was taken out of context... which is done a lot around here too.

The Beatles WERE more popular than Jesus. Not because they were better, or because Lennon said so. It was an observation about how people treated them. Women screamed and fainted and followed them everywhere. People flocked to them like white on rice. You didn't see people busting down doors of Churches to worship Jesus. But they busted down doors to worship the Beatles. And John Lennon was frustrated by it because he was serious about his music.

But hey, the quote is over 40 years old. The guy's been dead since 1980.

Lennon complained that nobody heard them play for all the screaming, and their musicianship was beginning to erode.[61] By the time he wrote his 1965 song Help, he said he was subconsciously crying out for help and seeking change.[62] The catalyst for this change occurred on 4 March 1966, when Lennon was interviewed for the London Evening Standard by Maureen Cleave, and talked about Christianity by saying: "Christianity will go. It will vanish and shrink. I do not know what will go first, rock 'n' roll or Christianity. We're more popular than Jesus now. Jesus was all right, but his disciples were thick and ordinary."[63] Five months later, an American teen magazine called Datebook reprinted part of the quote on its front cover.[64] The American Bible Belt protested in the South and Midwest, and conservative groups staged public burnings of Beatles' records and memorabilia.[65] Many radio stations banned The Beatles' music, and some concert venues cancelled performances. At a press conference in Chicago, on 11 August 1966, Lennon addressed the growing controversy:
“I was not saying whatever they're saying I was saying. I'm sorry I said it really. I never meant it to be a lousy anti-religious thing. I apologise if that will make you happy. I still do not know quite what I've done. I've tried to tell you what I did do, but if you want me to apologise, if that will make you happy, then OK, I'm sorry.[66]”
The Vatican accepted Lennon's apology.[67] Lennon later wrote, "I always remember to thank Jesus for the end of my touring days; if I hadn't said that The Beatles were 'bigger than Jesus' and upset the very Christian Ku Klux Klan, well, Lord, I might still be up there with all the other performing fleas! God bless America. Thank you, Jesus."[63]

 

[NoDoubt]

He was just baffled at how the kids were putting such emphasis on them at the time. That's all. He was just being honest. And the comment was about the attitude of fans in England.

 

[NoDoubt]

He was just baffled at how the kids were putting such emphasis on them at the time. That's all. He was just being honest. And the comment was about the attitude of fans in England.

 

[Rochir]

wow did he REALLY say this?? does anyone know?

John Lennon (Singer):
Some years before, during his interview with an American Magazine, he said:

"Christianity will end, it will disappear.
I do not have to argue about
that. I am certain.
Jesus was ok, but his subjects were too simple, today we are more famous than Him" (1966).


if so, poor guy. that's soo sad. well no one can steal God's glory, which goes above fame!! the Beatles fell apart soon after this right? hmm

Yes, he said that!

And this is so yesterday's news!