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See the original image at telegraph.co.uk

'Bigger than Jesus? The Beatles were a Christian band'

telegraph.co.uk — John Lennon famously claimed the Beatles were more popular than Jesus, even predicting that Christianity would "vanish and shrink". But 28 years after his death, in an interview being broadcast for the first time, he claims that on the contrary, he hoped to encourage people to focus on the Christian faith.

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  • PoliticalMan922, on 07/13/2008, -15/+19Well...I am sure at some times, they were more popular than Jesus. Wow.
    • rpgmaker, on 07/14/2008, -4/+3They aren't. In the US maybe but not in the rest of the world. Few people know them here in my country, this is the same situation for other countries of non english-speaking language.
      • rodrigo74, on 07/14/2008, -1/+7Where the heck do you come from?
      • BabyWookie, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1You are full of it. They were ***** huge even behind the "Iron Curtain", including the USSR itself. I don't believe that they were officially published there and The Party did consider them to be a terrible, decadent, corrupting Western influence, but the home-made tapes spread like wild fire.
    • Calcheesmo, on 07/14/2008, -0/+1This article is crap. I actually remember watching some behind the scenes footage where Lennon explained what he had said almost immediately after he had said it but it was already too late to change the views of the masses. He said he was simply stating the fact as being kind of funny. It was more a rip on people than a claim to greatness. He was saying dang, we are more popular than Jesus. He wasn't making any self proclaimed statement, he was just stating that people had put the Beatles on a higher pedastal than Jesus, which was true at the time in the US. The comment at the end about boosting churches and whatever, CRAP, he defended this comment right away but when the masses are moving, they are hard to be stopped.
  • koolgiy, on 07/13/2008, -31/+42Uh - if anyone hadn't noticed yet, by the amount fans they had and still do, they pretty much were and still are more popular than Jesus.
    • timusca, on 07/14/2008, -8/+34You obviously have no idea how many Christians there are in the world...
      • Cenobite, on 07/14/2008, -10/+21Oh yeah? Tell me how many albums this Jesus guy sold, hmm?
      • mescad, on 07/14/2008, -3/+11Don't forget to count Muslims, who also believe in Jesus (though in a different way than most Christians.)
      • mattlohkamp, on 07/14/2008, -11/+5and you obviously have no idea how many Beatles fans there are in in the world...
      • timusca, on 07/14/2008, -2/+11@Cenobite

        Tell me how many books The Beatles sold... definitely not the 5 billion (in 2000 languages) that Jesus can brag about.
      • whyisntcakesin, on 07/14/2008, -4/+1@ timusca

        the bible may have sold 5 billon copies. no one will deny that. however, the beatles, having only been around for less than a century have already sold upwards of 500 million records. give them a few thousand more years and I'm fairly sure those numbers will even out.
      • Skeith3294, on 07/14/2008, -4/+2@ timusca

        I dont recall Jesus ever selling a single book, but I remember a book BASED on him that got great circulation...
      • DulcetTone, on 07/14/2008, -4/+3Point of difference: people actually listened to their Beatles albums.
      • BabyWookie, on 07/15/2008, -2/+1I am sure that there are three of four actual Christians out there, along with billions of hypocrites.
    • waveman216, on 07/14/2008, -2/+8Math...learn it.
    • itstodd, on 07/14/2008, -3/+9There is roughly 1.7 billion Christians in the world. I some how doubt 1/3rd of the worlds population are fans of the beatles.
      • userperson, on 07/14/2008, -2/+2... what is wrong with the world #4,372 .
      • keegangrayson, on 07/26/2008, -0/+1I´d like to direct you towards their sales records. I would say more than 1/3rd of the worlds population are fans of The Beatles. Even the majority of Chinese know who The Beatles are and don´t subscribe to Christianity. It´s amazing how many people know who they are.
  • dsmx, on 07/14/2008, -16/+30I never really understood why people got up in arms about that comment, at the time the Beatles were bigger than Jesus.
    • Quintios, on 07/14/2008, -5/+22At the risk of getting dug down beyond belief, I'll try to answer that. I think the problem for folks was the semantics. Using the word "bigger" instead of "more popular" to describe their widespread fame, I think. For those of the christian faith, no one could possibly be bigger than God (aka Jesus) so to state as such would be deemed blasphemous. On the other hand, I don't think any christian would argue that the Beatles have been, at times, perhaps even now, more *popular* than Jesus. If they had chosen a different adjective I think there would have been less fallout. Just my two cents. :)
      • Quintios, on 07/14/2008, -0/+4And by "bigger" I mean the widespread press using that word. The quote, indeeded, used "more popular". Just needed to clarify.
      • rpgmaker, on 07/14/2008, -3/+2They weren't more popular either. The thing is that in the US they were but not in the rest of the world.
      • Rulz1234, on 07/14/2008, -1/+2can i just say "They weren't more popular either. The thing is that in the US they were but not in the rest of the world." is what ive seen twice FFS they were English and just as popular in England, Australia and a damn lot of other countries as the US so FFS stop measuring it in "just the US".
        your trying to make out the US isnt the whole world whilst ignoring a fair bit of it.
      • userperson, on 07/14/2008, -0/+1Because Christians (some of them) would've carefully considered the either context instead of blowing up and reacting for its own sake.
      • userperson, on 07/14/2008, -0/+3@rpgmaker
        I thought the context of the interview he was referring to The Beatles in England, which would've been more true than the U.S. I'd imagine *shrugs* ??
    • roomforpanic, on 07/14/2008, -7/+7Maybe, but only at the time. If you take into account the number of followers of Jesus throughout history, it dwarfs the Beatles' fandom.
    • Elranzer, on 07/14/2008, -1/+6John Lennon was known for stimulating outside-the-box thinking. In a time when Western Civilization (US/UK) was going Jesus-crazy because the Soviet Union declared all religion illegal, I'm pretty sure Lennon knew the quote would spark controversy and said it on purpose.
      • oxymorgan, on 07/14/2008, -4/+5at least the Soviets did SOMETHING right.
      • BabyWookie, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1Actually, religions were never declared illegal under the Soviet law.

        "Citizens of the USSR are equal before the law, without distinction of origin, social or property status, race or nationality, sex, education, language, attitude to religion, type and nature of occupation, domicile, or other status." -Article 34. Consititution of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics

        "Citizens of the USSR are guaranteed freedom of conscience, that is, the right to profess or not to profess any religion, and to conduct religious worship or atheistic propaganda. Incitement of hostility or hatred on religious grounds is prohibited.
        In the USSR, the church is separated from the state, and the school from the church." -Article 52. Consititution of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
    • thomasoa, on 07/14/2008, -0/+5Sean Altman has a funny song titled, "Taller Than Jesus."

      He can heal the sick,
      And save your soul,
      But he couldn't dunk
      A basketball.
      I'm taller than Jesus.

      [Since the average man at the time was about 5' tall, and Jesus is never described as extremely tall, we can guess that he wasn't 6'.]
    • enri, on 07/14/2008, -0/+6I recently saw that interview. It seemed like Lennon was not proclaiming that The Beatles were bigger than Jesus, he was criticizing the public for idolizing The Beatles more than Jesus.
  • CFOUR, on 07/14/2008, -16/+1apparently he wasnt the only person who thought that.
    i unfortunately had to do a ridiculous research project for work and Ryan Ross of Panic at the Disco thinks the SAME thing!


    goes to show how "mornic" it really is.
    • SimonTB, on 07/14/2008, -6/+7Well... Sadly it's probably true. How many kids believe in all this Jesus crap? How many kids listen to *****-ass music like Panic at the Disco?

      Yeah.
    • Disillusion, on 07/14/2008, -10/+12At least there is substantial proof of the existence of Panic at the Disco.
      • MisterEX, on 07/14/2008, -9/+6Why does it always have to turn to an atheist vs. Christian battle? Many atheists claim that Christians bombard them with their faith, but the more I read the comments the more I see comments like this one.

        This article is about John Lennon. He existed and lived and apparently believed in a higher power. Just LET IT BE, man.
      • tjsgigante, on 07/14/2008, -4/+3As to the existence of Jesus or not, most scholars admit that he existed.
        The real question is, did he really rise from the dead after he crucifixion or not?
        The only way to really try to find out if He did or not, is to read the scriptures, pray about it, and pay attention to feelings that you may have about it.
      • takamalak, on 07/14/2008, -1/+4MisterEx, who said anything about atheists? A tad defensive?
      • MisterEX, on 07/14/2008, -2/+1Oh c'mon, don't be silly. Anyone could figure out what Disillusion's comment was pointed to. Not to mention there are about 5 other comments below that state a similar response.
      • Acglaphotis, on 07/14/2008, -2/+3"The only way to really try to find out if he did or not, is to read the scriptures, pray about it, and pay
        attention to feelings that you may have about it."

        How is that finding out? That is at best following a hunch.
  • Xondar, on 07/14/2008, -8/+1That quote always reminds me of the famous graffiti: "Clapton is God."
    • Nicksname1, on 07/14/2008, -3/+1Except that is something people would write about Clapton all over public places in London. But this was a self proclamation made by Lennon not the same as people making the statement about you.
    • hooleydooley, on 07/14/2008, -0/+9Chazz: Who'd win in a wrestling match, Lemmy or God?
      Chris Moore: Lemmy.
      Chris Moore: ... God?
      Rex: Wrong, *****, trick question. Lemmy *IS* God.
  • AndrewDB, on 07/14/2008, -16/+49FTA : " But 28 years after his death, in an interview being broadcast for the first time, he claims that on the contrary, he hoped to encourage people to focus on the Christian faith. "

    I'm not quite sure he advocated Christianity. Lennon himself was a Atheist..
    • MisterEX, on 07/14/2008, -4/+29The article states quite the contrary. It appears (according to the article) that he was against the establishments of religion after being kicked out of a church at age 14, but for the message of Christ.

      Perhaps you missed the point of this article. I believe it's stating that there was more to John Lennon than what people have always believed. That, perhaps, his image of being an atheist may not be correct, or that his message was anti-church, not anti-Christ.

      "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."

      It's quite clear that Lennon was for peace and love, and he was for Christ's message and wanted people to be aware of such. Whether he truly believed Christ to be the savior, is something to be speculated.
      • btgoss, on 07/14/2008, -1/+12I think that is the point. A person can be for the message of peace and love that Christ brought, without having to follow the rules of a specific organized church.

        When you look at the basic messages of Jesus, I think most can agree that they are things that we should aspire too. You can be an Atheist and still want to follow the basics of Jesus teachings (be good, be honest, you know... the basics of being a "good person")

        We need to add the part of don't try to force it on others, and don't be obnoxious about it, and then we will finally have the world described in "Imagine."
      • AndrewDB, on 07/14/2008, -0/+7That's a very good point MisterEx, I re-read the article after looking at it from your point of view, and you do make some spectacularly good points.
    • bitcloud, on 07/14/2008, -2/+6anyone who knows anything about lennon understands what his spiritual beliefs were...

      he was far to broad minded to be able to smugly fit his beliefs into something so narrow as "christian" or "atheist"
      • AndrewDB, on 07/14/2008, -1/+1Yeah, that.. I'll totally agree with.
    • Vic333, on 07/14/2008, -3/+2I don't actually think Lennon was an atheist. If he was, he sure wasn't "out". At the same time, he was almost certainly not a Christian (at least not by any standard definition).

      The words he said after the incident seem mostly like damage control to me and it's hard to tell how much of it he really meant. Later in life he definitely went through periods of exploration of world religions. Which, if any, he settled on is not really known. Since he was able to sings songs like "God", shows that he didn't take the whole Judeo-Christian thing anymore weight than he did anything else.
    • justinx0r, on 07/14/2008, -4/+5John Lennon was actually a born-again Christian before he was killed. I didn't believe it at first but he was a fan of The 700 Club.

      http://www.musicouch.com/Genres/Rock/The-Other-Sid ...
      http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/article_print. ...
  • oxymorgan, on 07/14/2008, -11/+55what about:

    God is a Concept by which
    we measure our pain
    I'll say it again
    God is a Concept by which
    we 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...and that reality
    • DeadSociety, on 07/14/2008, -7/+4Unbelievable, I had just copy and pasted those lyrics and was just about to post that exact same comment.
    • Jelly292, on 07/14/2008, -2/+5Yoko and me
      • oxymorgan, on 07/14/2008, -0/+3you are correct, I just copied and pasted.
    • AndrewDB, on 07/14/2008, -4/+33Equally as important in the argument that he "favored" Christianity (which simply isn't true):

      Imagine there's no Heaven
      It's easy if you try
      No hell below us
      Above us only sky
      Imagine all the people
      Living for today

      Imagine there's no countries
      It isn't hard to do
      Nothing to kill or die for
      And no religion too
      Imagine all the people
      Living life in peace

      You may say that I'm a dreamer
      But I'm not the only one
      I hope someday you'll join us
      And the world will be as one

      Imagine no possessions
      I wonder if you can
      No need for greed or hunger
      A brotherhood of man
      Imagine all the people
      Sharing all the world

      You may say that I'm a dreamer
      But I'm not the only one ..
      • btgoss, on 07/14/2008, -10/+3I think you are wrong.
        This is a song meant to engage the Christian mindset.
        I think it is also a song with a message that is not out of line with the message that Jesus was trying to bring.
      • tjsgigante, on 07/14/2008, -8/+4I like the song, but the picture it paints is more scary to me.
      • staticneuron, on 07/14/2008, -0/+4"Imagine there's no Heaven
        It's easy if you try
        No hell below us
        Above us only sky"

        Not out of line?

        Advocating the peaceful principles that Jesus tried to put across is not the same as believing the entirety of Jesus's message. Peace is not the 'only' subject of Jesus's message
      • ParaSwarm, on 07/14/2008, -0/+3@ btgoss

        Wow, you really will twist anything to fit your views. The song, and John Lesson, are quite obviously anti-organized religion. If Jesus wanted you to believe there was no heaven and hell, then it wouldn't be in the bible. I just don't understand your logic.
    • UGM2099, on 07/14/2008, -3/+7I quote John Lennon, "I don't believe in Beatles, I just believe in me." Good point there. After all, he was the walrus. I could be the walrus. I'd still have to bum rides off people.
      • nextyoyoma, on 07/14/2008, -0/+4"Here's a little clue for you all....
        The walrus was Paul!"
    • frostbyt, on 07/14/2008, -4/+1You don't believe in magic?!?

      You heathen!
    • nicko68, on 07/14/2008, -2/+4Well he doesn't believe in Elvis, Hitler, or Kennedy, and we know they were real.
      • sg7791, on 07/14/2008, -3/+4You'd think so, right? But have you ever met them?
    • m4csrgh3yk3v, on 07/14/2008, -2/+1Eleanor rigby picks up the rice in the church where a wedding has been
      Lives in a dream
      Waits at the window, wearing the face that she yelled to the cabbie 'yo homes smell ya later'
      Looked at my kingdom I was finally there
  • salomejones, on 07/14/2008, -10/+25Anyone who was (and is) offended by Lennon's comment about being bigger than Jesus....needs to be. It was a pretty deep thing to say at the time.

    And, ten minutes from one interview by a stoned Lennon in 1969 does not a lifetime philosophy make.
    • userperson, on 07/14/2008, -1/+2Perhaps I misunderstand?
      ?? 'cause it's important to be offended, especially at guys who have been dead for about 30 years? Lennon was a screw-up, a negligent dad (Julian), etc. etc. all the more reasons his comments shouldn't be taken as a pronouncement of the end all be all of anything. He just a screw-up that muttered a thing ... He may not have been what he meant anyway. Despite his flaws he was a genius musician/songwriter, If one you can't get past that comment to enjoy the Beatles music I feel sorry for you.
      • salomejones, on 07/14/2008, -0/+2You do indeed misunderstand. What I'm saying is that a person's life and perspectives cannot be summed up in a small part of a short interview that was conducted 40 years ago while the subject was high. On top of that, your judgements of Lennon as a negligent dad (Julian) etc. etc. being all the more reasons his comment's shouldnt be taken seriously are just as much a crime as any other judge of his comments--including serious ones.

        You're summing up a man whom you didn't know either, based on what the media has told you about what went on in his life. Just like all the people who are pissed off at the Jesus comment, and just like all the people who are still to this day looking for some kind of sign that he didn't mean it.
      • userperson, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1@salomejones
        It's possible he meant it and didn't mean it.
        Not to self: no stoned interviews.
        No, I didn't know him.
        I still maintain it's important to be offended, about whatever point offends one./s
    • kayala, on 07/14/2008, -2/+2My thoughts exactly! Are we to believe that one interview on religion/spirituality should be more revealing than a lifetime of practice? Well, the particularly gullible among the Christians will, but they'll fall for anything.
  • mediaspree, on 07/14/2008, -3/+18Does this make Yoko Judas?
    • mojoel, on 07/14/2008, -0/+1Maybe but didn't Judas hang himself? Judas also didn't claim to be an artist/singer and in reality be a master in the art of sonic torture.
      • mescad, on 07/14/2008, -0/+3There are two biblical accounts of how Judas died. In Matthew 27 it says that he hanged himself. However in Acts 1 it says that he bought a field and "there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out."
      • bosssmiley, on 07/14/2008, -0/+3@mescad: I vote the second for Yoko.
      • rearlgrant, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1mescad - There is also his own account (to the extent any of the writings in the bible can be attributed to the historical figures). I wonder why it doesn't conform to the accounts written about him... hummmm.
    • gobbstopp, on 07/14/2008, -0/+1bash her all you want, she was a cool ass chick. her only shortcoming was hanging around the studio and annoying the musical process. even that, however, was at john's insistence. did she betray john? no, never. she even sent him off to Cali with hot, young, japanese girls for him to ***** to 'figure out' if they were going to last forever(!) ...so she can't sing - leave the woman alone. they were in love. do all your friends understand your relationships all the time? if they do, you might want to branch out...

      and as for jesus...john probably thought he WAS jesus. and Lennon was a true narcissist, so....
    • userperson, on 07/14/2008, -0/+1It doesn't 'make' her that... she'd been anointed that long ago. e.g. yes?
  • Jynx97, on 07/14/2008, -8/+12I miss you John.
  • salmonmoose, on 07/14/2008, -9/+2There were 4 of them, only one Jesus (despite the whole 3 gods thing) - unless he had a severe glandular problem, the equation is pretty simple.
  • Blitzwing84, on 07/14/2008, -15/+7To which Jesus responded, "Bigger than me? Yeah, but I've always been told that size doesn't matter. Right?"
    • willywong, on 07/14/2008, -2/+2That's why he hung around prostitutes.
  • gllopc, on 07/14/2008, -18/+64I at least have proof that The Beatles existed.
  • DivisibleByZero, on 07/14/2008, -19/+6Uh oh. What will all those militant atheist/digg using beatle fans do now?
  • BradOFarrell, on 07/14/2008, -3/+14I think I'd rather hear the interview itself than read an article that sounds like it's using the interview for supporting evidence for some contrived little argument about The Beatles being a christian band.
    • ronaldinho, on 07/14/2008, -0/+2Agreed. It's hard to draw any conclusions with just this article.
    • aceinhibitor, on 07/16/2008, -0/+0This headline is total rubbish. The four members of the Beatles were Christian? Where did they get that from? It certainly wasn't from the article. An attention grabbing headline is one thing but this is just a blatant lie.
  • Rhendal, on 07/14/2008, -1/+36Full quote:
    "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."
    He said this because people were freaking out over the Beatles and paying attention to them more than Jesus and Christianity. He was kind of appalled that people would go to their concerts and you couldn't hear the music; all you'd hear is screaming teenage girls (this is what the song Help is about). He said this in an interview, then a teenie bopper magazine took it and spun it, posting the "We're more popular than Jesus" quote on the cover, which is when people started to freak out. When taken out of context like that, it's offensive to Christianity. When you look at the full quote, he was talking about Christians (not their religion) and Beatles fans.
    • hooksie, on 07/14/2008, -1/+1Hold on, how is it "offensive" to Christianity ? Saying something non-positive isn't always negative.
      • Rhendal, on 07/14/2008, -1/+3Because people get offended by everything. :)
      • ParaSwarm, on 07/14/2008, -1/+3What isn't offensive to christians?
    • rearlgrant, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1"Charlie: Are- are you saying then that we should pay more attention to the movies?"
  • SliWoady, on 07/14/2008, -1/+19What about the song "Imagine" recorded in 1971, which he said that it was "an anti-religious, anti-nationalistic, anti-conventional, anti-capitalistic song, but because it's sugar-coated, it's accepted."
    • DuggDowner, on 07/14/2008, -1/+10Exactly. By the end of his life John definitely was no Christian.
      • SpyDerMann, on 07/14/2008, -0/+2And don't forget the Beatles' reunions with the leader of the Hare Krishnas.
    • juniorb, on 07/14/2008, -0/+6Modern, organized religion is part of the establishment, and John was anti-establishment above and beyond anything else.
    • debaere, on 07/14/2008, -2/+2One thing that must be understood is that christianity has a double meaning. There is a Christian faith and a religion of christianity, which can be exclusive from each other.

      The faith is following the tenants of Jesus (bascially trust in him for eternal salvation, and following his teachings, which boils down to being a trustworthy person and not being an ***** to everyone all the time).

      The religion involves priests, church hierarchy, rules of worship, rituals etc. that exist in most churches to some degree or another (the catholic church being the extreme example, baptist churches not so much). Most of the "religious" aspects of christianity are human additions, and not taught or shown as an example during Jesus ministry.

      It is quite possible to subscribe to the christian faith, and not to the religion of christianity. Most Christians fall into both camps (they have faith, and subscribe to some form of ritual), but not all (I have faith, don't like the religious aspects) It sounds to me that this is exactly what John Lennon has subscribed to: He agrees with the faith (following the teachings of Jesus), but not the religion.

      What John meant exactly may be something else, but the lyrics Imagine and his comments in the interview do not contradict themselves in this context.
      • Detritus, on 07/14/2008, -0/+5I don't mean to be offensive, but there is no way not to when confronting this logically:

        Why the hell would anyone buy into the faith if they haven't drunk the koolaid? See John was a pretty smart guy, despite heroic quantities of substances abused, and smart guys don't buy into faith. He would have been exposed to all of the popular Eastern philosophies that came over to the West in the 60s and 70s, making it highly unlikely for him to just up and say, "You know what, man? ***** common sense, this Jesus guy is where it's at, man."

        I think it would be very challenging for you to find someone with an IQ over 110 who falls into your speculated category of allowing faith to usurp logic without the confines of religious hierarchy. I don't think you understand John at all if you'd suggest this, based on how unimaginative and boring the Christian "faith" is. If he was in a rough spot and desperate for some faith he'd have gone with Hindu or something with some flavor.

  • case69, on 07/14/2008, -20/+13Jesus doesn't/didn't exist. Non-existence is pretty small so it's not that dificult to be bigger than Jesus.
    • gridiron, on 07/14/2008, -4/+7Actually, the person of Jesus really did exist wether you believe in his divinity or not. He really was a man who lived some 2000 years ago.
      • bitcloud, on 07/14/2008, -6/+5I thought he was a concept stolen from egyptian and other myths so as to teach morality and harvest techniques through means of analogy to simple peasant folk...
      • userperson, on 07/14/2008, -2/+1He probably did, but can this be proven?
      • Acglaphotis, on 07/14/2008, -2/+1userperson: Most scholars agree that he existed. I'm sure there is at least one other document besides the bible which acknowledges him.
      • rearlgrant, on 07/15/2008, -1/+1Cite, with contemporary source?

        St.s Peter and Paul (not the Beatles you nit-picky diggers...) were probably real people. Jesus was probably a compilation of several different messiah stories that Peter and Paul used to foment revolt against Rome. The First Epistle of Clement, of which c. 1st century copies exist, describes Peter as being of "our generation;" and the fact the bones in his tomb probably date to pre-construction of the basilica is fairly remarkable, though independent confirmation needs to happen. However, there is no similar extant contemporary documents or evidence about "Jesus".
    • AchaIemoipas, on 07/14/2008, -5/+8You are both right and wrong at the same time.

      There's historical Jesus: an actual guy named Jesus of Nazareth and the religion is "based" on him. In reality he was a judaic reformist.

      And there's biblical Jesus, which has about the same connection to reality as a superman comic.

      Biblical jesus didn't exist, but there was in fact a dude named Jesus who tried to reform Judaism in Jerusalem. In simple terms, he argued that God was a nice guy instead of mean ***** who makes frogs rain and kills your children if you don't do what he says. He also questioned the authority of religious scholars.
    • Tddupre, on 07/14/2008, -3/+2Yea Jesus does exist and he makes great tamales
  • FuckXboxx, on 07/14/2008, -6/+8Maybe he was talking about real Christianity dying out because he saw churches being taken over by hatred and war-loving "vindicators for Jesus."

    Just because you go to a Christian church, doesn't mean you're a practicing Christian.

    Read the Bible and make of it what you will....and all other religious texts for that matter.
    • willywong, on 07/14/2008, -1/+4Excuse me sir, but have you considered accepting the scientific method into your heart and given your life over to empiricism and reason?
  • BaudiIROCZ, on 07/14/2008, -0/+28I think calling them a "christian band" is a little misleading. John Lennon appeared to believe Jesus had the right message but he wasn't much of a fan of religion.

    "Jesus was all right, but his disciples were thick and ordinary. It's them twisting it that ruins it for me."
    -John Lennon

    "I believe in God, but not as one thing, not as an old man in the sky. I believe that what people call God is something in all of us. I believe that what Jesus and Mohammed and Buddha and all the rest said was right. It's just that the translations have gone wrong."
    -John Lennon
  • SHUUTOBI, on 07/14/2008, -4/+9Could have sworn this was from http://theonion.com
  • radiantstorm, on 07/14/2008, -4/+2He was obviously in damage-control mode.
    • kittnerrules, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1Lennon wasn't someone that tried to control damage.
  • AchaIemoipas, on 07/14/2008, -5/+9Oh what a load of crap.

    He said as a joke "we're bigger than Jesus".

    Then the americans all got insulted and were offended. So he started backpedaling saying all kinds of idiotic ***** like the beatles promote christianity.

    I assure you none of them were seen in a church aside for marriages, funerals and baptisms.

    • obelisky, on 07/14/2008, -0/+4not *all* americans got insulted or offended..
      • AchaIemoipas, on 07/14/2008, -0/+2/EDIT; just realized I said americans all got insulted rather than americans got all insulted.

        Was going to reply something else.
    • dxgg, on 07/14/2008, -0/+5A lot of people only go to church when they're hatched, matched, and dispatched. :)
  • BaudiIROCZ, on 07/14/2008, -0/+10Also I don't think he was really that supportive of prayer working. As Lennon says, "you gotta serve yourself, ain't nobody gonna do it for you."

    and my favorite Lennon quote ever.

    Well, you make your own dream. That's the Beatles' story, isn't it? That's Yoko's story. That's what I'm saying now. Produce your own dream. If you want to save Peru, go save Peru. It's quite possible to do anything, but not to put it on the leaders and the parking meters. Don't expect Jimmy Carter or Ronald Reagan or John Lennon or Yoko Ono or Bob Dylan or Jesus Christ to come and do it for you. You have to do it yourself. That's what the great masters and mistresses have been saying ever since time began. They can point the way, leave signposts and little instructions in various books that are now called holy and worshiped for the cover of the book and not for what it says, but the instructions are all there for all to see, have always been and always will be. There's nothing new under the sun. All the roads lead to Rome. And people cannot provide it for you. I can't wake you up. You can wake you up. I can't cure you. You can cure you."
    -John Lennon
  • pigsbladder, on 07/14/2008, -10/+17NO ONE IS BIGGER THAT JESUS...except maybe super jesus
    • donkeySays, on 07/14/2008, -1/+1super jesus wears his underwear over his spandex pants.
  • LaughingMan89, on 07/14/2008, -2/+60By bigger, he actually meant volumetrically, as in: the Beatles would have displaced more water if both they and Jesus were each placed in a beaker. This is a trivial result, as Jesus is known to have a displacement of 0 liters, as he remains on top of the water.
    • AntBing, on 07/14/2008, -2/+5Very funny, Digg for you.
    • markperia, on 07/14/2008, -1/+3not just volumetrically. If you combine the masses of John, Paul, George, Ringo and Ringo's rings, it would still be bigger than Jesus.
  • thugzilla, on 07/14/2008, -0/+4It seems clear that John was a Christian, but later renounced his faith. This story isn't really all that controversial, is it?
  • forceeffect, on 07/14/2008, -3/+4YAY REVISIONISM!
    • diggymow, on 07/14/2008, -0/+2I want to digg you up... but then its all caps?? What do I do?
  • diceau, on 07/14/2008, -12/+37I wish all religions would go away.
    • confuseddesi, on 07/14/2008, -13/+5That way, they could be replaced by a cult of personality around Richard Dawkins! If only you imagine...
      • Disillusion, on 07/14/2008, -2/+9There is a humanist cult of logic and reason now? That sounds awful, protect the children!

        Some people do not understand atheism at all...

      • Deadpixel1221, on 07/14/2008, -0/+4For just a second there I thought you said Richard Dawson, then I suddenly had visions of an awesome futuristic game show where ultra flamboyant men with funny names hunt and kill contestants.

        It was awesome...
      • ParaSwarm, on 07/14/2008, -0/+7A cult around science and logic? Amazing.

        You fail to realize that most non-religious people don't find it necessary to form little cults and groups in order to survive and justify their beliefs.
      • confuseddesi, on 07/19/2008, -1/+1really? you mean stalin, hitler and pol pot didn't? some of the worse atrocities of the 20th century were committed by cults of personalities based on an atheist state
    • liuite, on 07/14/2008, -1/+5the christian analogy of the shepherd exemplifies their approach to mass conversion; as long as there are sheeps, there will be shepherds. just as confuseddesi said, there will always be leaders and followers. and as long as this is true, there will never be true equality as those with power will exploit those who don't.
    • laserdisc, on 07/14/2008, -3/+6@diceau
      Amen to that brother.
    • raquel9e, on 07/14/2008, -3/+5Stupid people apparently need religion to prevent them from raping and murdering their neighbors.
      • liuite, on 07/14/2008, -0/+3ah, but they do rape and murder in wars such as the one in Bosnia.
      • willywong, on 07/14/2008, -1/+4That's why we need to kill the stupid people.
      • ParaSwarm, on 07/14/2008, -0/+2Unfortunately, it seems the most religious people are the ones doing the raping and murdering.
      • CptCoolguy, on 07/14/2008, -0/+1How do you explain all the Pedophile Priests in the Catholic Church then?
  • cybour, on 07/14/2008, -2/+1cartman was right...
  • spongya77, on 07/14/2008, -0/+4What I find funny about this whole "bigger than Jesus" comment is that after this mobs were demonstrating likethere was no tomorrow, and burning Beatles-records. It also caused the band some difficulties touring the country. I'm not sure how it is not comparible to those ridiculous reactions to the Danish Mohamad-cartoons. I guess tolerance is lacking in the devout followers of all religions.
  • frostbyt, on 07/14/2008, -8/+3Jesus 1
    John 0

    Now who is bigger John?
  • dildoolielly, on 07/14/2008, -3/+11Well, at least the Beatles existed...

    Actually, one of the main reasons I denounced my Christian faith is because I can't find one single shred of evidence for the Jesus of the Bible. Not one artifact or eyewitness account. Not even in the Bible.

    Amazingly, we have not one Jewish, Greek, or Roman writer, even those who lived in the Middle East, much less anywhere else on the earth, who ever mentions him during his supposed life time. This appears quite extraordinary, and you will find few Christian apologists who dare mention this embarrassing fact.

    After confronting a few Church members with this new knowledge for complete lack of evidence, it became painfully obvious that these people seems to have NO interest whatsoever in scientific debate. It seems all they care about is re-affirming their superstitious beliefs of disturbing stories of hell and damnation and devils and eternal suffering and ramming them down the throats of unsuspecting children.

    I'd be happy to be proven wrong about this. But so far I haven't been.
    • sonnybobiche, on 07/14/2008, -4/+2His lifetime was 33 years. We don't have much from this narrow period of time. The first writings we have mentioning him appear about 70 years after his death, in a tome by the jewish historian Josephus. But I'm sure you knew that.
      • dildoolielly, on 07/14/2008, -2/+4So, whats your point? I mean, Josephus was born after the supposed Christ death. Do you understand what evidence is?

        Please point to the evidence.

        There is not one single first person account of this Jesus. There are many who said, "I knew a guy who knew a guy who said he knew a guy who saw Jesus." But there is not one contemporary account of Jesus. Not even the writers of the Gospels actually knew the guy.

        So my conclusion is that he probably was a work of someone's overactive imagination.
      • willywong, on 07/14/2008, -1/+4And even that is possibly a forgery.
      • SpyDerMann, on 07/14/2008, -0/+3St. John was a disciple of Jesus. In fact, the "beloved disciple". So dildooliellydildoolielly's statement that "not even the writers of the Gospels actually knew the guy". Unless you can prove that the gospel of St. John was written by someone else.

        Sure, there might be a degree of separation in SOME of the writings about Jesus, but from that to saying that there is no evidence of the existance of Jesus, that's strething it too much. In fact, if you want to see everything with your own eyes, you may find that all important characters in ancient history (like Cleopatra) might as well be a forgery and a fairy tale invented by some conspirators - how do we know they all weren't mythological characters like Zeus or Hercules?
      • sonnybobiche, on 07/14/2008, -1/+1I wonder whether you would maintain the same strict burden of proof for the existence of Homer. Doubtful.
      • kittnerrules, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1sonny, Homer isn't being shoved down children's throats as historical fact, and sure isn't out there to be worshiped.
      • Nudar, on 07/19/2008, -0/+1If you're trying to say that the New Testament, especially the gospels don't speak of Jesus as a real person that existed, and that's the reason you gave up Christianity, then you have deluded yourself out of being a Christian.
    • stupidliberals, on 07/20/2008, -0/+0If you're looking for evidence, you've missed the entire point of the Christian faith.
  • HiddenCanuck, on 07/14/2008, -0/+2I didn't say I was bigger than John.... or better than John..... I was just sayin'
  • Gazzali, on 07/14/2008, -1/+0Great band boys..
  • BaudiIROCZ, on 07/14/2008, -2/+3You say you found Jesus. Christ!
    He's the only one
    You say you've found Buddha
    Sittin' in the sun
    You say you found Mohammed
    Facin' to the East
    You say you found Krishna
    Dancin' in the street

    Well there's somethin' missing in this God Almighty stew
    And it's your mother (your mother, don't forget your mother, la)
    You got to serve yourself
    nobody gonna do for you
    You gotta serve yourself
    nobody gonna do for you
    Well you may believe in devils and you may believe in laws
    But if you don't go out and serve yourself, la, ain't no room service here

    It's still the same old story
    A bloody Holy War
    I fight for love and glory
    Ain't gonna study war no more
    I fight for God and country
    We're gonna set you free
    or put you back in the Stone Age
    If you won't be like me - y'get it?

    You got to serve yourself
    Ain't nobody gonna do for you
    You got to serve yourself
    Ain't nobody gonna do for you
    Yeah you may believe in devils and you may believe in laws

    'But Christ, you're gonna have to serve yourself and that's all there is to it.
    So get right back here it's in the bloody fridge. God, when I was a kid.
    Didn't have stuff like this, TV-*****' dinners and all that crap.
    You *****' kids (are) all the *****' same! Want a *****' car now...
    Lucky to have a pair of shoes!'

    You tell me you found Jesus. Christ!
    Well that's great and he's the only one
    You say you just found Buddha?
    and he's sittin' on his arse in the sun?
    You say you found Mohammed?
    Kneeling on a bloody carpet facin' the East?
    You say you found Krishna
    With a bald head dancin' in the street? ('Well Christ, la, you're goin out your bleedin' girth')

    You got to serve yourself
    Ain't nobody gonna do for you ('that's right, la, you better get that straight
    in your *****' head')
    You gotta serve yourself ('you know that, who else is gonna do it for you, it ain't me, kid, I tell you that')
    Well, you may believe in Jesus, and you may believe in Marx
    And you may believe in Marks and Spencer's and you maybe believe in bloody
    Woolworths
    But there's something missing in this whole bloody stew
    And it's your mother, your poor bloody mother ('she what bore you in the
    back bedroom, full of piss and ***** and *****' midwives. God, you can't
    forget that all too quick, you know. You should have been in the bloody
    war, la, and you'da known all about it.
    Well, I'll tell you something.')

    It's still the same old story
    A Holy bloody War, you know, with the Pope and all that stuff
    I fight for love and glory
    Ain't gonna study no war, more war
    I fight for God and country, the Queen and all that
    We're gonna set you free. yeah? all them "nig-nogs"? sure...
    Bomb you back into the *****' Stone Age
    If you won't be like me, you know, get down on your knees and pray

    Well there's somethin' missing in this God Almighty stew
    And it's your goddamn mother you dirty little git, now
    get in there and wash yer ears!
    -John Lennon




    NOTE: "[This song] was right after Dylan's song [...] "You
    Gotta Serve Someone", you know - the lord, I suppose, you know.
    So then he was kind of upset about that and it was a dialogue,
    you know. In that sense it's fun, I mean you can hear it was
    fun. He wasn't seriously against it. He showed his anger in
    a way but also [...] his sense of humour." (Yoko Ono, 1998)
    • kittnerrules, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1Buried for ridiculous length. These are comments, not magazine articles.
  • garyi113, on 07/14/2008, -1/+2Lennon was just trying to one up The Rutles:

    In 1966, controversy hit the Rutles when Nasty was quoted as saying that the group were 'bigger than God'. Nasty, however, insisted that he had been misquoted by a slightly deaf journalist, and had actually said they were bigger than Rod, referring to Rod Stewart, then a relative unknown
  • Froklsnt, on 07/14/2008, -1/+4This article takes Lennon's comments way out of context. Yes, he said those things... fairly early into the Beatles career. Certainly before the Beatles broke up and for the entirety of his solo career, Lennon had rejected organized religion entirely. And if you doubt that he had a problem risking blasphemy again, look up the lyrics for "The Ballad of John and Yoko" a Beatles track from late in their career
  • ZephyrNinety, on 07/14/2008, -7/+1Do I care?
  • batmanz, on 07/14/2008, -4/+6Why is everyone here trying to make excuses? It sounds like he believed in God but was against these big, organized religions. Digg seems to think that a person cant be Christian, and a good likable person. Get over it.
    • willywong, on 07/14/2008, -2/+5No, they think you can't be a Christian and not be an idiot. Idiots can be likeable though.
  • gonzolager, on 07/14/2008, -0/+2This article does nothing to change my perception of John Lennon in any way whatsoever. It is consistent with what he said in the past: Love is all you need. Imagine all the people living for today... living life in peace. The song God espouses the virtue of finding your own path to God. Magic, the Tarot, Elvis, leaders, etc., are not who you should trust, you should trust yourself. "I just believe in me".

    That, by the way, does not prove that Lennon was an atheist. Neither does "Imagine". Both of these songs stress the importance of living in the Now.

    Christ's message of love and living for other people should transcend church. Love is what you should do everyday, not just for an hour on Sundays. These teachings (whether Christ existed or not) are always shoved away in pursuit of our own bigotries.
  • DeFex, on 07/14/2008, -1/+2This is book burner propaganda.
  • xiambax, on 07/14/2008, -1/+1I myself being a man of strong faith believe in the message within the bible. More or so about loving your fellow man and being good to one another. Which is what the beatles were also trying to say. ONE LOVE!
  • CuntryBoner, on 07/14/2008, -2/+2You misunderstand, he was not a Son worshiper, he was a Sun worshiper.
  • SpaceKebab, on 07/14/2008, -2/+0No.
  • WiretapStudios, on 07/14/2008, -2/+2Crucifixion = pretty unpopular to me. Lennon wins by default.
  • Jassman, on 07/14/2008, -1/+2That reminds me of a bible camp I attended years ago where a counsellor decided to burn all of his CDs. He said that he would normally sell them to someone else, but he didn't want to spread any non-Christian messages (hahaha, if the content isn't religious it should be burnt?). Anyway, here is an example of his SUPER SATANIC music that he just HAD to get rid of:
    War - Low Rider

    I mean Jesus Christ....
  • mrrealtime, on 07/14/2008, -0/+1He probably wasnt even close to the evangelical christians of today, as Lenon probably would have been pro choice, for gay rights, pro pornography and nudity in general, pro environment, anti war, anti theocracy, pro free speech, pro experimental drugs and alcohol, not a believer in a literal hell for non christians, and opposed to the idea that a relationship with Jesus is the "only way to heaven".

    The top leading evangelicals (Billy Graham, Rick Warren, James Dobson, Pat Robertson, and George W Bush) all hold the opposite view and would likely consider Lennon a non-christian in spite of what he says in this article.
  • eatbeefjerky, on 07/14/2008, -1/+3Who cares. Religious people need to be offended from time to time, particularly when they aren't too picky about offending people of other faiths (or no faith at all).
  • rearlgrant, on 07/14/2008, -1/+1Yeah, and Darwin converted to Christianity on his deathbed.

    Let the assimilation continue.
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