The Beatles were a Christian band

‘Bigger than Jesus? The Beatles were a Christian band’

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.

Despite his familiar image as a hippy icon who invited us to imagine a world without religion, Lennon says he was “one of Christ’s biggest fans” and felt emotional in church.

In the interview, which was recorded in 1969 and is being aired on BBC Radio 4’s Sunday programme, he talks about the Church of England, his vision of heaven, and expresses disappointment at not being allowed to marry his second wife, Yoko Ono, in church.

The interview was conducted by Ken Seymour of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation when Lennon and Ono were at the Bed-In for Peace protest in Montreal. It was bought three years ago by National Museums Liverpool, which is playing an extract at a new exhibition at World Museum Liverpool.

Christians around the world had been dismayed by Lennon’s boast in an article in London’s Evening Standard about the popularity of the Beatles, but the singer says he was misunderstood.

“It’s just an expression meaning the Beatles seem to me to have more influence over youth than Christ,” he says. “Now I wasn’t saying that was a good idea, ‘cos I’m one of Christ’s biggest fans. And if I can turn the focus on the Beatles on to Christ’s message, then that’s what we’re here to do.”

He blames “the hypocrites” for being too “uptight” in reacting to his comments. “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.”

He acknowledges a strong belief in the power of prayer but says he dislikes all the church trappings. “Community praying is probably very powerful… I’m just against the hypocrisy and the hat-wearing and the socialising and the tea parties.”

His aversion to institutional religion was shaped when a “ludicrous” vicar banned him from a church when he was 14 because he and his friends were “having the giggles”.

Lennon actually tells the interviewer, “I’m a Christian, Mohammed, and Buddhist. Whatever you’d like to call it. I believe in Christ and Buddha and Mohammed and God.”

BBC radio 4’s Sunday program obtained a limited license to broadcast portions of the interview. The program was broadcast on July 13, 2008, and can be heard online for the week following it. The segment starts at 23′12” into the program.

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Tags: Beatles, Christianity, John Lennon