VATICAN CITY – Vatican media are praising the Beatles‘ musical legacy and sounding philosophical about John Lennon‘s boast that the British band was more popular than Jesus.
Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano recalls that Lennon’s comment outraged many when he made it in 1966.
But it says in its Saturday edition that the remark can be written off now as the bragging of a young man wrestling with unexpected success.
The newspaper as well as Vatican Radio last week noted the 40th anniversary of the Beatles’ “White Album.”
It said the album demonstrated how creative the Beatles were, compared with what it called the “standardized, stereotypical” songs being produced today.
(As reported by AP)
Filed under: Catholic, Church, Entertainment News, Jesus, John Lennon, Legacy, Music, Religion, The Beatles, The Vatican, World News
This is interesting considering how anti-Jesus The Beatles were. I do not listen to their music much anymore even though I have a greatest hits record on my ipod. There music just does not mesh with my sensibilities at this stage in my life.
I never really thought about them being anti-Jesus. I know they all sought “truth” and settled for…well, less when they didn’t seek Christ.
I believe that Bob Dylan had alot of influence in their later years (individually) and shared with them the truth of Jesus Christ.
“Let It Be” is a good seeker song.
Maybe “anti-Jesus” is the wrong way of putting it. John Lennon may have been interested in the “love thy neighbor” and “love thy enemy” aspect of Jesus’ teachings as these truths meshed with his humanistic perspective, but he did not show much interest in the Christian faith. The music is good, but I cannot listen to it anymore without hearing a relativistic message.
I can certainly understand what you’re saying. And who knows, if he’d not been murdered, he may have come to the fullness of the truth of Jesus’ teachings.
Funny Jesus forgave those who hated him, betrayed him and killed him. But you can’t forgive a man for one statement from 1966? It’s sad John spent his life spreading “the word” and the word is love.