28 years after his death, Vatican 'forgives' Lennon for 'more popular than Jesus' remark

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Vatican 'forgives' Lennon for 'more popular than Jesus' remark

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/3497623/Vatican-forgives-Lennon-for-more-popular-than-Jesus-remark.html



Saturday's edition of the Vatican's official newspaper absolves John Lennon of his notorious remark, saying that "after so many years it sounds merely like the boasting of an English working-class lad struggling to cope with unexpected success".

In a lengthy editorial marking the 40th anniversary of the Beatles' famous White Album, L'Osservatore Romano heaps lavish praise on the British band.

"The talent of Lennon and the other Beatles gave us some of the best pages in modern pop music," said the newspaper, which has recently tried to shake off its stuffy image by covering popular culture events such as the Oscars and inviting articles from Muslim and Jewish contributors.

Only "snobs" would dismiss the Beatles' songs, which had shown "an extraordinary resistance to the effects of time, providing inspiration for several generations of pop musicians", said the newspaper, regarded as the Vatican's official mouthpiece.

It was in March 1966 that Lennon made his infamous claim.

"Christianity will go," he told a reporter from the Evening Standard.

"It will vanish and shrink We're more popular than Jesus now - I don't know which will go first, rock and roll or Christianity. Jesus was alright, but his disciples were thick and ordinary. It's them twisting it that ruins it for me." T

he boast provoked outrage, particularly in the United States, where conservative Christians burned piles of Beatles albums. The band received death threats and radio stations, particularly in the South, stopped playing Beatles records.

More than a decade later Lennon said he was glad of the furore he had caused. "My life with the Beatles had become a trap," he wrote in 1978.

"I always remember to thank Jesus for the end of my touring days; if I hadn't said that the Beatles were 'bigger than Jesus' and upset the very Christian Ku Klux Klan, well, Lord, I might still be up there with all the other performing fleas! God bless America. Thank you, Jesus."

[Veritas_et_Aequitas]

1. It took 400 years to clear Galileo of his excommunication.

28 years means they're picking up speed in Rome.

[BrklynLiberal]

2. Finally! At last he can rest in peace..

:sarcasm:

[no_hypocrisy]

12. You beat me to it!

That was my first thought in free association.

[LeftyMom]

3. I'm sure he's greatly relieved.

:rofl:

[IntravenousDemilo]

4. Well, that's mighty big of them, isn't it?

:eyes:

[Occam Bandage]

5. The Telegraph article is stupid. L'Osservatore Romano is not the Vatican.

It is published in Vatican City, and is a semi-official paper of the Vatican, but it is not the Vatican itself. Its editorials represent views of particular members of the Catholic Church, not of the Church itself. And this isn't even an editorial; it's an arts-and-living type article celebrating the 40th anniversary of the White Album. The Vatican never censured, excommunicated, or in any other way went after Lennon, and as a result it has not forgiven him for anything either. The Telegraph is just looking for an inflammatory, attention-grabbing headline, despite the fact that the facts do not support it.

As for the DU response: bashing the Catholic Church because the newspaper of Vatican City ran a cheery article about the Beatles? Well, some people look for any excuse, I suppose...

[really annoyed]

11. Get Over Yourself

The Catholic church is not above criticism here or ANYWHERE. And nobody in this thread has bashed ANY individual Catholic person.

Any excuse to throw a hissy fit about Catholic "bashing" at DU, I guess.....

[Occam Bandage]

14. I didn't say anyone had bashed any particular individual.

And while it indeed is "not above criticism," DU Catholic-bashers are not above criticism either. The reaction to Vatican City's newspaper publishing a Beatles retrospective is preposterous.

[flvegan]

6. Will they ever forgive My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult?

I mean, seriously, "Cooler Than Jesus" trumps Lennon.

Well, it just does in this scenario.

[dysfunctional press]

7. apparently, st.peter is appealing the ruling and refuses to release lennon's soul from purgatory...

pending the outcome of the appeal.

[greyl]

8. I still haven't forgiven Father Fortenbaugh for saying Imagine was blasphemous, so

the Vatican can go to Hell. :)

[BlueManDude]

9. Will they forgive McCartney for Back to the Egg?

[tuvor]

10. "Arrow Through Me" beats the hell out of "Wonderful Christmastime" any day.

Sir Paul has a lot to answer for as far as that yuletide log is concerned.

[Coexist]

13. Oh, good. Now I can sleep at night.

[Swamp Rat]

15. Now they will publish the 5th Synoptic Gospel according to St. Benedict XVI, and divulgare

- divulge the existence of the extra Commandment:

11. Thou shalt 'Bhang' Chung in Bruriah's Bong during Shabbat.

[fascisthunter]

16. Oh brotha...

thank da lawd, the Vatican forgave them. I was actually feeling a bit guilty for listening to his music...

Who the fuck do they think they are??? Oh that's right, God.... right.:crazy:

[JackRiddler]

17. Belated grave robbery.

[gollygee]

18. I'm sure he'd care

He seemed like the type to be concerned about what the Vatican thought.