VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – 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. (Writing by Deepa Babington; editing by Keith Weir) The Vatican may be slow, but eventually things are forgiven.
Religion & Spirituality - 21 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
No, I did not know that. I am sure that John could not have cared less. He was absolutely right. In 1963, among young people, the Beatles were more popular than Jesus. It is more noteworthy that the Vatican admitted to slandering Mary Magdalen by calling her a prostitute.
2 :
And I'm sure John Lennon would be so relieved to learn of this... @@ rolls eyes
3 :
I'm sure Lennon really cares.
4 :
I'm absolutely sure that if he were still alive...he wouldn't care in the least.
5 :
Who cares what a bunch of grown men in gowns pointing to their imaginary friend think?
6 :
".. some of whom burned Beatles' albums in huge pyres.." The last people who burnt music and books in huge pyres were Nazis.
7 :
to bad he didn't ask God for any forgivness
8 :
just like the church took 500 years to apologize to Galileo's family for locking him up in prison. "Oops sorry the universe does not revolve around the earth after all"
9 :
Nope, didn't know that. Why would he have to be forgiven by the Vatican?
10 :
Who cares who the Vatican forgives. Does anyone care if I forgive someone? Not likely. I care more about if God forgives me.
11 :
They shouldn't have taken offense in the first place. If they had just stopped to think about what he was saying and not take it out of context. But I'm sure he had forgiven them the very next day.
12 :
Why would a newspaper care? If it was newsworthy, sure. But not because they were offended. Newspaper people actively search for any dirt they can find. .
13 :
Young people always say crazy things. All that really matters is if he asked God for forgiveness and accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior. Otherwise he is in hell and that would be sad.
14 :
The Vatican just answered a question..they never were angry with him or whatever.. The Vatican and many other people care little about what John Lennon has/had to say...
15 :
Whose the Vatican ??? I mean I know who and what the Vatican is, my point is whether he is forgiven or not is totally up to God and I don't think God has the need to discuss His forgiveness or unforgiven with any man or institution of religion.
16 :
It's true - all you need is love.
17 :
the vatican may have, and god bless them for it but i still think hes an a$$
18 :
The Vatican does not have the right to forgive sins committed against God. Only God has that right. There is no Biblical authority for a pope or, for that matter, the Vatican.
19 :
Did he die a happy and holy death? John Lennon reaped what he sowed. Just for your information, there have been periods in the history of the Catholic Church when anti-popes reign. We have been living in such a period for about fifty years now. In the time of St. Athanasius, who lived in the fourth century, there was a true pope named Liberius who during his reign gave in to pressure to deny the divinity of Christ. Most all popes preceding Liberius went to their death defending the teachings of the Church and its founder the God-Man Jesus Christ. Athanasius was excommunicated five times and exiled from his episcopal seat in Alexandria Egypt because he refused to go along the heresy of anti-pope Liberius. Athanasius, in a famous letter to faithful Catholics wrote: "they have the buildings but we have the true faith; what is more important the buildings or the faith? Anti-Pope Liberius eventually came around to his senses and cursed the day that he went along with the pressure to deny the divinity of Christ, rather than follow in the footsteps of Christ's Passion and death. However Liberius was the first of a long line of popes preceding him not to be canonnized as a saint. It is the same today. For those outside of the true Catholic Church, which includes many Novus Ordo Catholics today, those who have always sought to deny its primacy over Christians and all peoples worldwide, who rely on their own private interpretation of Scripture would do well to re-read it and beg the Blessed Virgina Mary and her spouse the Holy Ghost to enlighten their minds. "And the Lord said to Moses: How long will this people detract me? how long will they not believe me for all the signs that I have wrought before them?" "Then shall they call upon me, and I will not hear: they shall rise in the morning and shall not find me:" "You shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither you cannot come." "Therefore I said to you, that you shall die in your sins. For if you believe not that I am he, you shall die in your sin." "Leaving the right way they have gone astray, having followed the way of Balaam of Bosor, who loved the wages of iniquity, "Jesus answered them: Amen, amen I say unto you: that whosoever committeth sin, is the servant of sin." "Now the sting of death is sin: and the power of sin is the law" And finally, let me add regarding the apostasy throughout world history since about the fifteenth century and which seems to have culminated in the Novus Ordo Catholic Church: "Let no man deceive you by any means, for unless there come a revolt first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition," To find out more about the true Catholic faith visit: www.traditionalmass.org www.cmri.org www.traditio.com
20 :
BFD
21 :
Any man who prefers love and peace to violence, who fights ignorance with imagination, who chooses to be a symbol of hope rather than just another pop act-- that is someone I can admire. John Lennon was a beautiful human being, and those who call him a sinner and say he "reaped what he sowed" are ignoring what their own good books tell them. The Vatican should forgive itself first for its crimes against humanity and knowledge before it passes judgement on a man who made a single, pretty hillarious comment. Serve yourself.
