popular jesus popular jesus bigger jesus controversial remark beatles john_lennon said christianity decline beatles popular jesus christ comment drew controversy originally published united_kingdom angry reactions christian communities republished united_states months later originally remark march interview london evening standard drew public reaction teen magazine quoted comments august months later extensive protests broke radio stations stopped playing beatles songs records publicly burned press conferences cancelled threats controversy coincided group tour august attempted quell dispute series press conferences tour events experienced disruption intimidation including controversy contributed beatles lack interest public live performances tour undertook studio band background march london evening standard ran weekly series articles entitled live featured john_lennon george_harrison paul_mccartney respectively articles completed journalist knew group interviewed regularly start years previously written accompanied plane group tour february lifestyle series march chose interview group individually norm interviewed march home found size costume medieval suit armour organised library works alfred lord influenced ideas christianity article mentioned reading extensively religion quoted comment christianity shrink argue right proved right popular jesus don know rock roll christianity jesus right disciples thick ordinary twisting ruins interview published evening standard march provoked public reaction church attendance decline christian churches making secret efforts transform image relevant modern times music historian wrote satire field day increasingly desperate attempts church relevant don vicar dick published controversial popular book honest god urging nation reject traditional church teachings morality concept god old man sky instead embrace universal ethic love text explained increasing led british churches abandoned churches remained popular harrison baptised roman_catholic_church followed christianity start group came contact told reporters beatles version come faithful provide church_of_england shot arm needs response day article appeared beatles press officer offered teen magazine rights interviews believed pieces important fans beatles progressing simple pop music producing challenging work run pieces fashion designer effects like suitable vehicle carry information late july nearly months publication republished interviews art editor decided deliberately quote christianity cover cutting prose birmingham alabama heard quotation immediately saying going play beatles charles asked listeners views comment response overwhelmingly negative charles later stated felt absurd ought away sort thing bureau manager heard immediately filed news report new_york_city culminating major news story new_york_times august dozen stations followed lead similar announcements stations went organising demonstrations drawing teenagers publicly burn beatles records memorabilia concerned reaction considered group upcoming tour believing seriously harmed way flew held press conference new_york_city publicly criticised saying magazine taken words context expressed regret behalf group people certain religious beliefs offended way efforts little effect controversy quickly spread borders mexico_city demonstrations group number countries including south_africa spain decision ban beatles music national radio stations vatican issued public comments beatles left tour august according wife nervous upset people angry simply expressing opinion beatles attended press conference chicago illinois want advised said television popular jesus got away stressed simply remarking people viewed band described belief god quoting saying old man sky believe people god adamant comparing christ tried explain decline christianity pressed apology reporter said want happy sorry journalists gave sympathetic response told bible belt notorious christian attitude tour began marred protests disturbances telephone threats received concerts writer responding outcry wrote nerve americans hold shocked hands week week america makes beatles like stern old reaction criticised kentucky radio station declared beatles music airplay contempt wrote simply stating christian educator readily admit memphis city council aware beatles concert scheduled mid south tour voted cancel municipal facilities forum ridicule religion saying beatles welcome memphis nailed beatles album wooden cross vengeance conservative groups staging public beatles records reverend stated christian rally memphis youth mid south opportunity jesus christ popular beatles memphis shows place august afternoon went planned minor panic set stage evening performance led group believe target gunfire group hated tour partly controversy adverse reaction comments unhappy continuing organise live performances increasingly odds studio work harrison seriously contemplated leaving band persuaded stay condition beatles studio group break record sgt drew strong commercial success critical praise released june aftermath asked controversy years later trip canada repeated opinion beatles influential young people christ adding ministers agreed called fascist christians saying big christ right thanked jesus end beatles touring saying hadn said upset christian lord performing god america thank jesus wrote sunday_times today comments like cause controversy attitude religion expected mainstream pop performers claimed band oasis bigger god reaction minimal article marking 40th anniversary beatles double album beatles known white album vatican newspaper issued statement remark john_lennon triggered deep mainly united_states years sounds like young working class englishman faced unexpected success growing legend rock roll fact remains years breaking songs brand shown extraordinary resistance passage time source inspiration generation pop musicians response statement said didn vatican possibly think vatican got talk beatles april edition responded comments stating john_lennon need forgiveness vatican reprinted article john_lennon comments article noted apologised comments fellow criticized said found religion adding god life think search 1960s music blog compared aspects popular media concluded jesus popular beatles said half century statement proved half wrong rock roll dead christianity expanded catholicism experiencing exceptional growth pope lead mentions summoned beatles meeting announce living jesus important tell jesus christ meeting lunch mentioned subject recorded ballad john singing lines christ know ain easy know hard way things going gon bbc interview months later called christ biggest fans talked church_of_england vision heaven unable marry church december asked play jesus stage production jesus christ superstar declined said interested play mentioned jesus song god singing don believe jesus sang believe bible beatles living los_angeles said christian critics lyrics focused line imagine heaven song imagine murdered december born christian popular jesus remark calling later stated enraged songs god imagine singing altered lyric imagine john_lennon dead
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