Vatican finally turns its other cheek

Well isn’t that nice and so Christian like too.

The Vatican has decided to absolve John Lennon for his 1966 remarks that the Beatles were more popular than Jesus Christ.

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

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".

John on the other hand had apologized at a Chicago news conference back in 1966.

Reporter: "Some teenagers have repeated your statements - "I like the Beatles more than Jesus Christ." What do you think about that?"

John: "Well, originally I pointed out that fact in reference to England. That we meant more to kids than Jesus did, or religion at that time. I wasn't knocking it or putting it down. I was just saying it as a fact and it's true more for England than here. 

I'm not saying that we're better or greater, or comparing us with Jesus Christ as a person or God as a thing or whatever it is. I just said what I said and it was wrong. Or it was taken wrong. And now it's all this."

Reporter: "But are you prepared to apologize?"

John (thinking that he just had): "I wasn't saying whatever they're saying I was saying. I'm sorry I said it really. I never meant it to be a lousy anti-religious thing. I apologize if that will make you happy. I still don't know quite what I've done. I've tried to tell you what I did do but if you want me to apologize, if that will make you happy, then OK, I'm sorry."

For any devout Catholics out there who might have strayed on to this site by mistake and might have missed the release of the White Album 40 years ago today here's Piggies, a George Harrison song. He was one of the Beatles also.





References: Telegraph UK on Vatican here , Image John Lennon in Type by artist Dencii Manayak 05/16/08 found here .