.jpg)
Back in the early days of atheism, as we know it in America, Madalyn Murray O'Hair had become quite famous. Not only did she go to court to fight for separation of church and state and found American Atheists (AA), she did the talk show circuit.
Through her travels, she met many famous people - those we would consider "celebrities." Madalyn, of course, was a celebrity in her own right. As the story goes, Madalyn met John Lennon, who, like Madalyn, was suspected to be an atheist. (At the very least, he seemed to be anti organized religion.)
Some time after cable access TV came around, Madalyn decided to use it as a vehicle to spread her message. She created a show called American Atheist News Forum that was recorded in Austin, Texas at the American Atheist Center and was carried on over 140 cable networks.
According to current member and former acting President of American Atheists, Frank Zindler, for the first two years that the cable show aired, its intro (or theme) song was John Lennon's Imagine. Madalyn used Imagine not only because it was (and is) a great song, but because, according to her, she had the rights to the song.
According to Frank, not only did Madalyn say that John Lennon had given her permission to use the song, but, she said that John had given her (American Atheists) the rights to the song. They were free to use it as they wished to help promote American Atheists and to raise money.
I spoke with Frank on the phone today to try to unravel the "facts" concerning this assertion. Frank goes way back with the American Atheists. And, to hear him tell it, he and his wife were quite close to Madalyn.
He once referred to her as like "like a second mother to me and to my wife...." In the same text, Frank explained his history with American Atheists - "...I have been a member since 1977 and was elected to her board of directors in the early 1980s. ...I was the author of several Atheist books, over fifty articles in American Atheist, and I had taken part in over 400 commercial radio and television talk-shows and debates against priests, creationists, theologians, religious apologists, enemies of the ‘Wall of Separation between State and Church,’ and Right-to-Single-Cell-Lifers. ...for thirteen years after her death I had served faithfully as managing editor of her beloved American Atheist Press, publishing newsletters, magazines, books, and Atheist ephemera."
With all of this in mind, I feel certain that if anyone were privy to the inner goings-ons of AA, it would be Frank. So, we talked.
I asked Frank if Madalyn had any documentation to support the contention that John had, in fact, given her the rights to the song. After all, Madalyn was a lawyer and she must have understood the importance of having documentation to protect herself, and American Atheists, from charges of copyright infringement.
Frank said that it certainly would have made sense, her being a lawyer, to have had some documentation, but that if it exists, he does not know where it is. Frank explained that there was a time when all the documents of AA were boxed up and eventually transported from Austin to New Jersey. He said that to this day, there are hundreds of boxes that have not been gone through in years and no one knows what lies inside of them. Though they are working diligently to make their way through the sea of documentation to organize and catalog it all, it is a very slow process.
So, why did AA stop using Imagine? According to Frank, some time after Michael Jackson bought the Lennon/McCartney catalog in 1985, AA was contacted and told to "cease and desist" using the song. They were told that Michael owned the rights to the song. I asked Frank how they were contacted and he said he wasn't sure. He said that Madalyn announced one day that they could no longer use the song because Michael Jackson had bought it. They wondered how Michael Jackson could have gotten the song, but that was the last he heard of it. Again, he said there may be some documentation of the demand, but he couldn't say for sure one way or another.
I told him that I was under the impression that Imagine was not part of that deal as John had started his solo career by then and that I thought Yoko Ono or John's kids claimed ownership of the song. He said that may have been the case, but that perhaps Madalyn did not have the time to look into it when it came up so she just stopped using it.
It could have been that she had no documentation to back up her claim or that she was just too busy to deal with it at the time. He said he doesn't recall what was going on at the time in AA, but that Madalyn may have just set the issue aside because she was too busy going to court or working on some other project. He said that he doesn't recall Madalyn ever going to court over the song. Either way, she didn't say much else about it.
Now, I realize that all of this is hearsay. I must say, though, that I have no reason to doubt Frank's account of these things. With any luck, perhaps the truth of the matter will eventually surface. Until then, this is all just speculation. But, maybe, just maybe, someone will read this who knows more about it and will help get to the truth of the matter.
Imagine what could happen if it were discovered that it's all true...
Comments
John Lennon was not an atheist. He firmly believed in God, albeit not a Sunday-school and white shoes pat answer God. John spent hundreds of dollars each week purchasing and reading books on religion. It was an extremely important topic to him. The entire premise of this article is a sham. And O'Hair certainly would have preserved such a crucial document from Lennon if, indeed, she had had it. The fact is, this alleged event IS hearsay. And damaging hearsay at that. Yoko may take legal action on this one. It certainly depicts John in a light which he never intended. This is as damaging as the Datebook "lifted out of context" quote about Jesus.
Hey Jude, don't make it bad. There are millions of angry, uptight people like you out there who simply need a hug. Or maybe a class on critical thinking.
I don't think Lennon was a strict atheist. Likely Agnostic. He pondered all manner of ideas.
I also doubt whether he formally gave the rights of Imagine to the American Atheists. The rights were never owned by Michael Jackson but are owned by EMI and Yoko Ono, Julian and Sean.
What's more pertinent is that Lennon was shot by Mark Chapman, a born again Christian who distributed Bible tracts.
"John spent hundreds of dollars each week purchasing and reading books on religion."
There are atheists who spend hundreds of dollars a week reading books on religion to get a good laugh. Your evidence he's religious is weak. Listen to the lyrics of his songs (His song "God," for example), he sounds like a non believer to me.
John Lennon wrote songs both for and against religion. Instant Karmas lyrics obviously promotes the idea of a god. As much as I would like to agree to "John Lennon was an atheist" it cannot be reconciled with his actual work. When he went to India he was into Hare Krisna and the Maharishi. "What in the world are you thinking of... laughing in the face of love" "We all shine on, like the moon and the stars and the sun" Now sure, he was no zeolot like George Harrison.... but to say he was an atheist, uh no. He flipped and flopped from either side, in exactly the way he did on the topic of violent protest. The song revolution had 2 versions, 1 said "when you talk about destruction" and 1 version said "count me out" and the other said "count me in". Mind Games also made reference to believing in a god. Cloaking ourselves in John Lennon would be a mistake, as it would be to do the same for Betrand Russell.... or anyone. Freethinking simply doesn't require celebrities patting us on the head.
Who cares whether Lennon was an atheist or whatever, Lennon & The Beatles were the most overrated artists in history. Ladies and gentlemen I present to you the greatest rock & roll band of all-time Mick Jagger and the Rollin' Stoooooones!
Everyone that has posted has missed the point, entirely. Lennons music being good or bad, that's is a matter of opinon. Him being an Atheist, Agnotic, whatever..doesn't matter. I believe that the author has taken a credible, first hand, witness to MMOH's coments and is searching for the truth. She makes no truth claims (other than the source) in her article and claims it is hearsay.
Jude Southerland Kessler states: "The fact is, this alleged event IS hearsay. And damaging hearsay at that. Yoko may take legal action on this one. It certainly depicts John in a light which he never intended."
My question is, how is it damaging? How does it depict John in a light never intended? Are you his medium? Yoko has no legal ground to stand on here. Ms.(?) Hoaks is only looking for more information from people who may know more about the relationship of John Lennon and Madalyn Murray O'Hair.
Who know's, the legal documentation could have never been completed before Johns death.
Christian America retards are hilarious fools.
They think religion represents spirituality.
Elfie is a R_E_T_A_R_D.
If American Atheists really did own rights to John Lennon's song, the facts could not be argued as they are. I would certainly hope the untouched boxes sent from Austin, TX to New Jersey long ago contain some proof of ownership by American Atheists but if they did, the song would still be in use. I think maybe Mrs. O'Hair was just taking a chance using it to begin with and realized at one point upon receiving the "Cease and Desist" letter, it's time to stop chancing that. Maybe she thought John Lennon might offer his legal blessing eventually?
Uh, Greg? Neither Mind Games nor Instant Karma says anything about gods. Both talk about karma, but that doesn't make him a believer any more than 'Happiness is a Warm Gun' makes him a psycho killer. Spirituality in the sixties was about freeing your mind and dropping acid.
I don't think any category really fits him, but I'd say Humanist is closest.
I guess no one has read my post.
Has anyone read Hoaks article? This is not about John Lennon and his religiuos state of mind. It is not about his music.
It is about the possibilty of one song given to Madalyn Murray O'Hair or American Atheists.
I can tell you, I have had conversation with several people, other than Mr. Zindler, who have told this "story".
I 'imagine' I may hear fron Ms.(?) Hoaks regarding this.
Urban legend, hearsay....lets see
"Religions are all alike - founded upon fables and mythologies."Thomas Jefferson
"Christianity is the most perverted system that ever shone on man."
Thomas Jefferson
MMO should have tried for the rights to "God" by Lennon.
God is a concept,
By which we can measure,
Our pain,
I'll say it again,
God is a concept,
By which we can measure,
Our pain,
I don't believe in magic,
I don't believe in I-ching,
I don't believe in bible,
I don't believe in tarot,
I don't believe in Hitler,
I don't believe in Jesus,
I don't believe in Kennedy,
I don't believe in Buddha,
I don't believe in mantra,
I don't believe in Gita,
I don't believe in yoga,
I don't believe in kings,
I don't believe in Elvis,
I don't believe in Zimmerman,
I don't believe in Beatles,
I just believe in me,
Yoko and me,
And that's reality.
The dream is over,
What can I say?
The dream is over,
Yesterday,
I was dreamweaver,
But now I'm reborn,
I was the walrus,
But now I'm John,
And so dear friends,
You just have to carry on,
The dream is over.
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!