Vatican forgives John Lennon for Jesus quip

[Amelia]

Vatican forgives John Lennon for Jesus quip

In 1966, Lennon said the Beatles were more popular than Jesus Christ

Reuters

Nov. 22, 2008

VATICAN CITY - The Vatican's newspaper has finally forgiven John Lennon for declaring that the Beatles were more famous than Jesus Christ, calling the remark a "boast" by a young man grappling with sudden fame.

The comment by Lennon to a London newspaper in 1966 infuriated Christians, particularly in the United States, some of whom burned Beatles' albums in huge pyres.

But time apparently heals all wounds.

"The remark by John Lennon, which triggered deep indignation mainly in the United States, after many years sounds only like a 'boast' by a young working-class Englishman faced with unexpected success, after growing up in the legend of Elvis and rock and roll," Vatican daily Osservatore Romano said.

The article, marking the 40th anniversary of the Beatles' "The White Album," went on to praise the pop band.

"The fact remains that 38 years after breaking up, the songs of the Lennon-McCartney brand have shown an extraordinary resistance to the passage of time, becoming a source of inspiration for more than one generation of pop musicians," it said.

Lennon was murdered in New York in 1980.

[Gerr]

Does that mean he is now out of purgatory and singing, "Imagine there's no heaven" in heaven?

Gerry

[Kountzer]

They don't have forgive sins anyway, especially of someone who is dead.

[phkrause]

I remember that and also the interview he had after that explaining what he actually meant by that statement. First it was taken out of context, oh the media wouldn't do that would they...hahaha. But its nice to know that they forgave him. I think that he would have appreciated that while he was alive.

pk

[olger]

Lennon was so wrapped up into occult (along with Ono) that it is of little surprise that he devalued the Lord of Redemption. Satan continues to hate Jesus.

[phkrause]

Oh I agree with you. But I also remember reading about his childhood. But still as you get older than you need to find out for yourself what's truth and error.

pk

[Stan]

The sad thing at the time, was John was right..

[John317]

Yes, and there were people who made that observation at the time. Actually John didn't mean that he thought it was good that they were more popular than Jesus. He meant it as a criticism of the modern culture that four young rockers would draw more attention and be the center of people's "worship" more than Christ.

[phkrause]

Unfortunately you are correct. And as I mentioned before about his comment being taken out of context. I believe that that is what he meant at that time also. A sad commentary of our world that rock stars and sports athletes our more popular than our Lord and Savour.

pk

[olger]

true, true.

[Tom Wetmore]

I think I may have posted this story from Guideposts Magazine before on another thread, but it seems quite apropos for this topic - I Saw Him Standing There "Imagine the most famous Beatle of all just walking into your church"

[Adamant]

Just in time for " Wahington Woodstock " inauguration of Husein Obama . !

the stealthy but rapid progress of the papal power--all will be unmasked. {GC 606.2}

Stealthy =

Plot or Conspiracy

[Kevin H]

John was a seeker, and I remember when he died I heard a radio preacher point out how John's life had changed to where over the years he was slowly picking up more and more Christian values and the preacher said that Satan realized that if this trend was to continue that John would have ended up becoming a Christian and that Satan wanted to kill John before he made that final step where Satan would have lost him forever.

Despte the theam of Satan taking John to hell at the last moment so that he would not loose John to Christ, I found the sermon quite impressive and wondered with all these changes in his life how far towards Christianity did he have to go for the Father to see him a far off and run to meet him.

Of course the way I understand the Bible and Mrs. White to teach about hell, God treats us the same, it's how we respond to his physical pressence from the characters we've formed over our lifetime that makes being with God heaven and eternal life, or hell and eternal death.

[olger]

theam

oG

[Amelia]

Theme?

[phkrause]

Interesting!! I had never heard that.

pk

[Robert]

... the preacher said that Satan realized that if this trend was to continue that John would have ended up becoming a Christian and that Satan wanted to kill John before he made that final step where Satan would have lost him forever.

This is crazy! No one can read the heart...no one knows and no one should judge. God takes folks where they are at, period. Everyone is sent light and if they respond to it they are accepted "in Christ".

[Tom Wetmore]

I agree.

Taking the same facts and looking at them from the other side, using that preacher's kind of logic, I think just as likely, or perhaps even more so, that God saw his turning toward the light, accepted it, and called the devil's bluff, know the forces of evil could eventually crush Lennon's spirit of seeking causing him to let go of God's saving hand. Perhaps God saw what the devil could not, a heart of a man safe to save at that brief moment in time. God's timing is perfect. And it could well have been one of those many times that God uses the devil's tools and tactics against him to work in God's favor to save.

As Jesus said, "Don't be afraid of the body killers. Fear that which kills the soul."