On 4 March 1966, Lennon was interviewed for the London Evening Standard by Maureen Cleave, and talked about Christianity:
"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."
Five months later, an American teen magazine called Datebook reprinted part of the quote on its front cover.The American Bible Belt protested in the South and Midwest, and conservative groups staged public burnings of Beatles records and memorabilia.Many radio stations banned The Beatles’ music, and some concert venues canceled performances.
And yet, they’re still the biggest selling group ever. I love when they say, oh yeah then he was killed, like it was karma. Not karma, just an evil person. LOL thumb me down all you want, the truth must hurt.
Duh, he was blaspheming their religion.
References :
Gnostic.
And yet, they’re still the biggest selling group ever. I love when they say, oh yeah then he was killed, like it was karma. Not karma, just an evil person. LOL thumb me down all you want, the truth must hurt.
References :
Not every Christian. My parents didn’t and they lived in KS. Of course they were Episcopalians and both musicians so that may have made them a bit different.
References :
well why wouldn’t they? christians are a territorial creature, and if you say their losing ground, it’s only natural that they’d be pissed. ;P
References :
insecurity?
References :
imagine no religion
i bet most christians just convieniently forget, and still like john lennon
References :
the song ‘Imagine’ sums up why they hated him. the world being as one, that will be bad for business. no money needed to fight the enemy. no people to convert for more donations. no ‘other ‘to start a war against to get the followers to give them more money to fight.
References :
It was before my time
References :
I like The Beatles more than Jesus, so there…
References :
thin skin; apparently their god is not capable of defending himself, so they appointed themseves as his spokesmen.
it’s convenient, to paint one’s sensibilities as a god’s.
References :
I think you can probably answer that yourself.
References :
the answer is in the quote "thick and ordinary"
References :
Well, when you claim to be more popular — and by extension, greater — than Jesus, that would sort of tend to tick Christians off, now wouldn’t it?
References :
Christianity was already nearly dead and gone in the UK when he said that and most of the churche buildings stopped being churches a long time ago. And guess I would say that anyone whose read the Bible that doesn’t agree Jesus’ disciples were thick and ordinary hasn’t read closely. Jesus recruited the thick and ordinary as disciples. Jesus appealed to the thick and ordinary. Still does.
References :
You actually have to ask that? The Christians are the most sensitive people on the planet (though the Muslims are fast catching up) and the majority of Americans were then, as now, Christians. Seriously, look at how many fundie’s live in the US.
References :
Interesting. You mean, Christians have been known to act in the same manner that they criticize Muslims for acting in today? Interesting. Thanks for the story.
References :
Ah, screw ‘em. The Beatles are, were, and always will be bigger than jesus.
References :
John Lennon is old news. Like so many other like-minded "rock-patriots" who said really stupid things, John Lennon attracted the very kind of nutjob who made him famous to begin with, and killed him. How sad and ironic.
References :
He died not long after, didn’t he?
References :
Closed minded people have a fit when their nonsense is questioned.
References :
Leesha, he was murdered in December 1980.
LMAO!!! So according to the fundies 14 years is "shortly".
He was blasphemous to say the least. Christianity, did not go first. Lennon did.
References :
I had to hide my Beatle cards and fight to keep my radio. Fundie raised.
References :
Yeah, but shortly after that interview, he was killed.
That doesn’t matter anymore. We Christians are still here, he isn’t.
May God rest his soul.
References :
I’ve never heard the quote before today, but it isn’t a surprise that it would offend many people. Many Christians feel like they are under siege as the mainstream media entices our children to reject God and Christian morality. They have taken over the role of tempter, while they seek to satify every base desire. They glorify casual sex while often ignoring the devistating consequences.
Any threat against Christianity is a threat to civilization itself. Christ taught us to love our enemies, and pray for those who despitefully use us. It is a loving attitude, and if adopted by all of the people of the world would lead to world peace. The absence of this attitude will only lead to bigger and more devastating wars.
References :
Look what happened to him! He was just talking about something that he did not know anything about. I hope he went to heaven.
References :
Because some people can’t stand disagreement with what they "know" is the "truth".
But if anyone else does that type of thing, they are crazy. Go figure.
References :