Beatle said he was "Christ's biggest fan"

Bess writes: Remember that infamous remark by John Lennon that the Beatles were more popular than Jesus? And that Christianity would “vanish and shrink”.
This morning, the BBC Sunday programme broadcast a 1969 interview with Lennon in which he said he’d been misunderstood, and that he was actually one of Christ’s “biggest fans”.
"It's just an expression meaning the Beatles seem to me to have more influence over youth than Christ," he said. "Now I wasn't saying that was a good idea, 'cos I'm one of Christ's biggest fans. And if I can turn the focus on the Beatles on to Christ's message, then that's what we're here to do."
He blamed misunderstandings on “uptight” hypocrites: "If the Beatles get on the side of Christ, which they always were, and let people know that, then maybe the churches won't be full, but there'll be a lot of Christians dancing in the dance halls. Whatever they celebrate, God and Christ, I don't think it matters as long as they're aware of Him and His message."
So was Lennon a signed up Church-goer? "Community praying is probably very powerful…" he says. "I'm just against the hypocrisy and the hat-wearing and the socialising and the tea parties." Unfortunately, for copyright reasons the BBC cannot make the interview available as a download, but a report on the broadcast is available here.

Comments

[Rick Beekman]

Bess;
I remember the John Lennon remark . The kids in America burned Beatle records over it.

Mr. Lennon may have stated he was "Mis-understood" back then; however his last song "Imagine" he clearly tells us of a fantasy world where there is no more Religion. Did he mean no more Main Line Denominal Churches? No more Christian Churches? No more churches of any type?

I'll leave everyone with their own thoughts on this...

[Stuart Hartill]

He was a complex bloke with a wry sense of humour, so it's no wonder people who try to take what he said absolutely literally end up with egg on their face.
The 'Jesus' line was a spot on statement of fact and simply points out how people blindly follow charasmatic leaders instead of working things out for themselves. Churches could also look harder at how he acted privately and learn a few lessons in humanity.
Take for example the decision to will the proceeds of 'Strawberry Fields' to the Salvation Army kids home of the same name in Liverpool. I was a youth worker in Toxteth at the time he was shot, so I know that while the Strawberry Fields donation was quickly known because the Salvation Army publicised it he made numerous others very quietly and under assumed names, which only became apparent to the recipients years later if they accidentally discovered throwaway lines and references scattered throughout his work and worked out the joke.

[Rick Beekman]

Stuart;
I know John Lennon was a brilliant song writer without question. SOME of the Beatle songs advocate Rebellion Drug usage ( "Revolution" "Lucy in the sky with Diamonds" among others.) This man may have claimed he was a "Big fan of Jesus" which is like Karl Marx saying; "I'm all for total freedom". Actions speak louder then words. The Beatles will go down in music History as the most Sucessful Group (Mick Jagger and The Rolling Stones..A very close second).