Bigger Than Jesus | The Statement That Brought John Lennon To His Knees

“Bigger Than Jesus” | The comment that Bought John Lennon To His Knees

On the precipice of a 1966 U.S tour, The Beatles had a problem. A problem would be an understatement here, Though there were tons of devoted fans who eagerly awaited the fab four there were others who started riots and protest just the cancel the shows and ban The Fab Four entirely.

This fallout started after John Lennon and the group had a long conversation with one of their reporter friends when he compared the fab four with Jesus.

The comments were “Christianity will go. It will vanish and shrink. I needn’t argue about that. I’m right and I’ll be proved right. The Beatles are more popular than Jesus now. I don’t know which will go first Rock ‘n’ Roll or Christianity.” It should also be noted that he was comparing the whole band and not just him.

It caused a little disturbance in the U.K but when the statement was reprinted in the US the American’s went all in, they started protests and riots. From DJ’s to church leaders in Alabama, misunderstood the statement and thought that Lennon was claiming that The Beatles were superior to Jesus. Certain radio stations refused to play The Beatles songs, church groups organized sessions just to burn the records and anything related to The Beatles. And the band received countless death threats.

The controversy quickly grew like a bonfire. Anti-Beatles rallies were held all over Spain, Mexico, and South Africa. Vatican city banned The Beatles from entering their city.

With the tour set to begin from Aug. 12 and the band members for the first time in their career were being booed and were afraid for their lives.

Beatles manager Brian Epstein attempted to put an end to this misunderstanding at a New York press conference by sharing regret on behalf of Lennon and the band. When that didn’t work, Epstein also considered canceling the tour. Instead, he chose to have Lennon speak at a press conference in Chicago on the first day of their tour.

The Fab Four attended the event at Astor Hotel, Lennon didn’t want to apologize but was forced by Epstein and press agent Tony Barrow to do so. 

Lennon claimed before the media that “I’m not anti-Christ or anti-religion or anti-God, I’m not saying 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 was wrong, or was taken wrong, and now it’s all this.”

He also joked: “If I had said television was more popular than Jesus, I might have got away with it.” When a reporter nudged him  to formally apologize, Lennon replied, “If you want me to apologize, if that will make you happy, then okay, I’m sorry.”

The press conference was televised all over the world and appeared to reduce the tension but the band members were still afraid to start touring.

Memphis city council didn’t take the apology and canceled both The Beatles shows in the Tennessee city.

Concerts were picketed by the ruthless organization, The Ku Klux Klan. The Klan picketed several concerts. But the Beatles got through the tour.

August 1966 would be The Beatles’ final tour – a decision that was taken considering many factors, one of them being the effects from Lennon’s comment.

Lennon may have been right back at the height of Beatlemania. The Beatles fans were insane. In the 60s they were a sensation that has never been matched since. The group may have been more important to many than Jesus.

From my perspective, I think that he wasn’t comparing the band with Jesus but was referring to the passion he saw in his audiences when compared to those in church.

While The Beatles are still considered to be the greatest band to have ever existed by may, Beatlemania has subsided. Lennon himself became a musical martyr(a person who is killed because of their religious or other beliefs) after he was murdered, which gave his fans more reason to love him. And still considered to be one of the most influential artists of all time

Religion on the other hand remains strong and has become stronger, and Jesus is still far more than simply popular to many in the world’s population and often revered as God.

So there we are, I leave the choice to you Were The Beatles actually bigger than Jesus?