John Lennon probably never dreamed, and probably never cared, whether the Vatican would ever “forgive” him for his 1966 comments that the “Beatles were bigger than Jesus” and that “Christianity will go.” (See You tube video of his explanation below).
And yet, almost 30 years after John’s death, and 40 years after the Beatles’ break-up, the official statement of forgiveness has arrived. After everything John went through at that time with the fans from the American South though, he might be relieved, even though the Lennons were not Catholic
Ringo Starr made it clear this week that he doesn’t care. And can’t you almost see George Harrison chuckling mischievously while singing “Vatican Blues”? (click here for a great You Tube video of the song including the lyrics, a playful critique of George's childhood experience growing up Catholic.
The unfortunate comments that caused havoc in Lennon’s and the Beatles’ lives during that 1966 tour, the ones that drove the Vatican to accuse the Beatles to be “satanic”, could not have been taken more out of context at that time, something that Beatles fans all over the world now have come to understand.
He meant that the Beatles had gotten so big, popularity-wise, that kids at that time would rather go to a rock concert than church. You don't have to do much math to admit that if most teens had to choose between watching the Beatles sing I Saw Her Standing There or sitting in church to sing A Mighty Fortress is Our God, well---the Beatles would win every time.
John never dreamed that his off-hand comments would travel across the pond and cause such a horrendous response in America. This occurred especially in the southern states where religion was at that time, and still is, first and foremost in the Christian household. Despite John’s fervent apology, (“I said what I said and it was wrong, or taken wrong…”), forgiveness from the south was slow in coming.
It is perhaps a coincidence that the editor-in-chief of the L'Osservatore Romano, the Vatican newspaper that published the news, loves the Beatles. (click here for full article) In his opinion, Lennon's remarks weren't "that scandalous."
Favorite quote from the statement: "L'Osservatore says that the Beatles' songs have stood the test of time, and that the band remains "the longest-lasting, most consistent and representative phenomenon in the history of pop music."
Comments
1000 characters won't be enough to express how fervently I agree with Ms. Germeaux, although I'm a Southerner (by birth, a Philly girl by heart) and an ardent Catholic. John's quote was so abused, so taken out of context. He was offering all churches a dire warning that if they didn't update and appeal to current trends, they would become obsolete. He was ahead of his time. Today successful churches sport jumbo-trons and teen services where teens dance to current Christian music (see Prestonwood Baptist in Plano, TX) and hear current, vibrant messages that inspire. That is what John advocated when he warned that The Beatles were already more popular (not bigger, not better, just more popular) than Christ at that time. He wasn't boasting, but he was (in a longer, more complex interview that wasn't published in Datebook) mourning the irrelevance of 1960's religion for him personally and for many other young people. Shame on those who perverted his words. That is sin.
As far as Satanic messages in Beatles songs, how poor can the research be by the Vatican? I'm embarrassed by this. Forty some odd years after the fact, we know that "cranberry sauce" isn't Satanic and Paul isn't dead and "Lucy in the Sky" is a real lady who just passed away (and if there is a double entendre for LSD, that may be morally wrong to many but not Satanic)!!! We know that the main message of The Beatles was "love is all you need." John Lennon especially sang over and over of love as the greatest need of mankind. That is far from Satanic. It is of God.
Thank you Jude, the Truth just came out of your mouth. It's perfectly said. As news reporters we try so hard to say "just the facts ma'am." But in cases like this one, it's difficult..thanks for saying exactly what I believe. As George would have said, "it's twu, it's twu."
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