The Beatles, John Lennon and the More Popular Than Jesus Controversy (1966)

[ApioAR]

Americans..

[oneguycoding]

I would also venture that the Beatles have killed significantly less people than Jesus and his adherents. Although, to be fair to Jesus, he'd almost certainly have been mortified by the behaviour of most, if not all, of Christianity.

[nickthegreat6666]

i feel bad for them there burning the greatest songs of all time well there shit out of luck

[Vodoobaby879]

Beatles mean more to me and have done more for me than Jesus ever could...

[MysticSkySpirit]

Once again Jesus and religion getting in the way of common sense. you'll learn more about love and life from The Beatles than any religion.

[Bruno53ification]

I am no Beatle fan. But I will tell you this: John Lennon attacked a phony form of Christianity. And felt it was failing. And unfortunately it seems this type of "Christianity" has become a "new religion" and controlling politics in USA. If he was alive today, he'll see how right he was!

[BeatlesN01]

These people were over reacting big time, They were being so stupid!

[YY4Me133]

I remember this. I thought it was inane then, and I still do. The Beatles were popular with people who believed in Jesus, and people who didn't. That, alone, made them more popular than Jesus.

[MvSly14]

Wow some1 cant take a joke

[rblackwell2009]

What is shocking here arn't Lennon's remarks, but that citizens of a city notorious for race hatred got nasty about it. Birmingham Whites could go on about 'Jesus', but the rest of the World laughed at them, because everyone knew Alabama lacked the guts to apply Christianity at a human level, becoming, in effect, a place defined by moral cowardice. Take DJ Tommy Charles: where was he when Black children were being attacked by the Birmingham police? Keeping his big, fat, redneck mouth shut.

[boon4ll]

Burn buds not plastic!

[funcooldrew2]

how!

[MrRC1992]

It amazes me how stupid people can be

[sunkissedraindrop97]

its a persons opinion to think either way but indeed to Beatles were more popular , for christs sake look whaat talent JESUS & GOD gave them ! lay off people -_-

[MrFloisvos]

And that's how religion is holding humanity back

[TheLoganCurtis]

they were bigger than jesus but not better

[lupischuckle]

Nothing in music will ever top The Beatles in terms of impact and popularity. Other bands and artists had better lyrics, better music, more albums, sales, and many have had more talent- but there's just something about them, the time they emerged, the way in which they held themselves, and who they were that has made them utterly timeless. It's a great thing!

[722erodz]

FUCK WHITE DEVIL SOUTHERNERS!!!!! CHEERS MATE : D

[nickmarkham69]

WHO WAS JESUS?

[Furtraderrim]

Wow, 40 years ago people got mad about dumb shit. It's 2011 and people still get mad about dumb shit. By dumb shit I mean anyone who gets upset about a comment against a fictitious character who ironically looked like John Lennon in his later years.

[charukrsnadasa]

A magazine quote misinterpreted. Beatles meant they were becoming more popular than Jesus Christ, because Chritianity was flailing.

Interesting is Christ and the Beatles simultaneously became more famous over one comment. Now that glory is going also to Srila Prabhupada then to Radha Krishna. Glory to all divinity is so cool and sometimes very mysterious. Just the way I am beginning to appreciate more and more, everyday.

[relaxingmusic101]

This is a classic piece of documentation of the danger of the American government and censorship. Thanks for posting.

[rblackwell2009]

Imagine if Jesus had turned up in Birmingham Alabama preaching peace and love three years earlier, when disgusting rednecks like these were turning water cannon and police dogs on Black children. He would have been lynched.

[ckwsikkimbound]

@rblackwell2009

Yes, you are correct.

[TheLoganCurtis]

the beatles suck anyway

:)

[furie1]

@TheLoganCurtis fuck you!! they dont suck you faggot

[TheLoganCurtis]

@furie1 yes they do

[SkyStarSystem]

No they dont suck i bet u like crappy music like rap and hiphop

[TheLoganCurtis]

@SkyStarSystem i do and they still suck

[SkyStarSystem]

@TheLoganCurtis sorry my sister replied to you. wasnt me

[furie1]

@TheLoganCurtis no douche

[Kruegerisgod]

@TheLoganCurtis this band is one of the best innovative bands ever,so be quiet!!!!!!!!!!!

[laxandjugglingguy]

@TheLoganCurtis youre an idiot

[TheLoganCurtis]

@laxandjugglingguy your a fagggggggg

[awsomisprime1]

God i hate religion

[princes101100]

D: I culd hav bought all those records those people burned!!! John Lennon wuz rite wen he sed they were more popular than Jesus!! He didn't say they were greater!! He sed they were more popular!!!

[ranbrent]

why has listening to something and believing something you don't even have proof for...have any connection?

[ranbrent]

He is right.

[MarkRigor17]

Then the next year the Beatles created Sgt. Pepper, arguably the greatest recording of all time. They were/are still bigger than ever.

[l27kakat]

The americans were complete pretentious idiots for reacting in such a way. John lennon said it as a passing comment not meaning to say that the beatles were bigger than jesus, but that it's funny how more people were listening to their music and getting more excited over them than they were over jesus christ. he was right of course.

[TheLoganCurtis]

@Megadethisawesome1 thank you someone who finally agrees

[BelleFleur73]

@TheMedde Ah...more kind, non-judgemental sentiments from a "Christian". The Beatles, thru their music, conveyed more love, compassion and understanding than ANY religious denomination (all of whom preach so-called love and tolerance, when in fact, it is cloaked in hate and INtolerance). Organized religion is the single most divisive and dangerous entity ever concocted by the human race. The Beatles provide MUCH more comfort and solace to me. And they shall continue to do so.

[xxcuntbluntxx]

does this happen to be why john lennon died? if so this is just ridiculous! i know its so embarassing, i call myself a fan.

[juskym]

@xxcuntbluntxx Sadly, John was murdered in 1980 by an even more ridiculous "fan" than the people in this video. He says he did it because he wanted to gain John Lennon's fame. This is one effed up world sometimes.

[xxcuntbluntxx]

look at them destroying that stuff!! just because of a stupid comment. shame.

[theAstridEnnuishow]

although, the chic at 4:18 is awesome. that hair is fucking amazing.

[theAstridEnnuishow]

idiots.

[ShalomIsrael60]

just think they could have sold all these on ebay now

[bocejo]

Beatles aren't 2000 years old and, thankfully, they're not fiction.

Actually, I believe we have more evidence for Beatles than jesus. Or god.

[rockistae]

john is being silly no personal thingy!!!

[Beatlejoose56]

I guess you have a right to judge people, that's why your God. Your as bad as those idiots burning crosses.

[GarretSlarrity]

Here is my view of this: By them burning their Beatles' records, all that they are showing is that they are letting two little sentences affect them. Words can not hurt you, and if they do, then you are just hurting yourself. Also, those Southeners are really insulting the rest of America. We should have have just let them secede.......

P.S. John was right.

[jayrox40]

the Beatles are bigger than any religion!!!!!!!!!!!!

[littlemisslennon100]

well fuck me they were more popular than jesus by like a million so what the hell

[pailsofsnails]

Am i the only one sitting here yelling for these wackos to give me their stuff instead of destroying it?

[lemurianchick]

These rednecks are an embarrassment to America!

[tabbypappy]

This was nauseating to see...talk about "ugly americans"....

[ultrakool]

thank god for the deep, deep south, home of nigga lynchers and religious zealotry. now, for those of us in the know...there is no way in hell or on earth, that the beatles were bigger than cheeses. what's a burger without it? what would tacos be without cheese? john lennon was an idiot to think that his band was more popular than this most delicious dairy product. what...not cheeses? nevermind.

jesus is, indeed, the way, truth and life. don't perish without him. y'all come back now, ya hear?

[7theflyingdutchman]

@ultrakool lmfao. thats funny. but i do think you of all the rest of the world are the only one who has it right. what is a Hamger with out Cheesesssss! just a peice of flat ass meat.

[ultrakool]

@7theflyingdutchman now, that is a choice, top prime cut of wit, my man. delicious

[Erinluvesu]

John meant tht the beatles had more of an inspirational effect of ppl. and he was right. its jst the way he said it. John Lennon is nt the antichrist. And all the ppl tht say tht john lennon is God is wrong too. and its actually dishonering him becuase he didnt mean it tht way either.

[Msgummybear202]

they didnt have to destroy all thatttt they could have mailed it too meeeh i could do something wif all of it :'(

[itsmikee1994]

Why would you swap something that helps you enjoy life with something which fucks up life?

[estelaholguin100]

bitch dont rip that book of john lennon it just hirts me wen they smash those albums and throughing them in the fire and ripping stuff of the beatles the beatles r awsome

[Hellenrosehart]

Wow, it really hurts to see them destroy those albums!

[Johnmcartney10]

STUPID ANTI-BEATLES

[niqimarley]

whenever a reporter asks or mentions "religious controversy" they all smile or smirk. ahahah

[niqimarley]

well all of you can say what you can say but 100% this and what John Lennon said was true (back in those days) they were more popular than Jesus but they didnt say anything like "I am Jesus" they're just even famous than him. But if you say Beatles these days? the reply would be "bieber? oh Justin Bieber!" Oh fuck you! ahahaha well all we need is LOVE so shut up already. no need to argue about their greatness!

[rainbowstargreengirl]

how long were people angry at the beatles before they started to be popular again? And was it like all of their fans or just a select portion?

[juskym]

@rainbowstargreengirl It was just a small minority of extremists who called themselves Christians but had no idea of what true Christianity is all about. Like so many loudmouthed extremists here in America, they just happened to get a lot of media coverage because the media loves controversy.

[chunkmanshaun]

dumbasses

[dammeno]

God is not God.

God is the evil in us all.

Until we find the true love.

[silentrami]

American's are hypocrites with their freedom of speech bullshit

[demonhoopa]

@silentrami Hey now!! This was 44 years ago! This wouldn't happen today! Oh wait.....The Dixie Chicks..........never mind. LOL :)

[Chrisdrumz]

@demonhoopa Well,the Dixie Chicks pretty much suck anyway. They are NO Beatles,not even close.

[demonhoopa]

@Chrisdrumz

1. The suckiness or lack therof of the Dixie Chicks is not relevant to the point I was making.

2. Your premise is flawed. If the DC "suck" because they are "NO Beatles", pretty much EVERYONE sucks

3. Rolling Stone Magazine disagreed with you when they gave "Home" a 5 star rating

In short, worst post ever.

[Chrisdrumz]

@demonhoopa Oh man,here we go

1.The fact that you give ROLLING STONE any relevance in this day and age doesn't say much. 2.Actually the DC not being The Beatles has nothing to do with their "suckiness",it has everything to do with them being them. 3.Hell,if you like 'em though more power to ya.

In tall,my post was the GREATEST post ever. Let's not fight. PLEASE?

.

[demonhoopa]

@Chrisdrumz

You DO know that my Dixie Chicks comment was a humorous jab at America because we still freak out over nothing just like 40 years ago, and had NOTHING to do with how good they are or are not? Which is why your post was nothing but argumentative for the sake of arguing.

HOWEVER, you redeemed yourself with your hilarious follow up post. Classic.

[Chrisdrumz]

@demonhoopa Of course! I just saw DIXIE CHICKS and BEATLES together and lost it.

[Chrisdrumz]

@silentrami How so?

[silentrami]

@Chrisdrumz when a non american (beatles in this case) express there own thoughts all hell breaks loose. but when an american says anything anti government, religion, etc nope no problem hey its freedom of speech. hence hypocrisy

[Chrisdrumz]

@silentrami You don't know what you are talking about. Demonhoopa used a perfect example of the Dixie Chicks. They made a negative comment about George Bush and indeed all hell DID break loose.

[demonhoopa]

@Chrisdrumz Exactly. They were effectively "fired" from country music making them a genreless group (oh darn they had to go work with Rick Rubin. Best punishment ever).

Silentrami, don't make me go to the Jane Fonda card! (who also is "no Beatles" ha ha).

[stephenzevon]

At the start of this vid, the dj also said john's comments were anti-American, when he said nothing to do with America. Such a shame how that little white lie could have flicked the switch in a lot of people's heads.

[randallRAWISWAR]

May God forgive The Beatles...

[randallRAWISWAR]

Mark David Chapman=innocent (if he's a Christian)

[randallRAWISWAR]

Music=Music Religon=Religon The Beatles=What the Hell

[blahhblahhblahh78]

Haha I fuckin hate the beatles and I'm an atheist

[XoxMossyOaksGirlXox]

All Right All You People Going On About How "Americans Are Stupid Blah Blah Blah I Don't Know What I'm Talking About" Not All Americans Are Stupid! We Don't All Go Holy Overload Worshiping Mode For God! The Majority Of Us Don't Even Believe In God...So Chill The Fuck Out...

[NotADood]

@XoxMossyOaksGirlXox The Americans who do go Holy Overload make such a big stink they make us all look like morons. Lennon's Jesus comment was just an excuse for the right-wing godbags to exercise their xenophobic bullshit. Their 21st century counterparts in Concerned Citizens for America or whatever would do the same thing today if Justin Beiber wasn't one of them.

[tjsmith51]

All those records...how I would have picked them up and ran home.

[donaldrocks101103]

All those stupid fans thought they could end the beatles forever but they didn't and also now in 2011 the beatles are even more popular!!!!! I wonder what some of those people think today!!!!!!!!

[TubePirate1001]

the 60s looks fun lol

[ZandraBson]

Oh my god. All Americans is always so fucking serious when you say stuff about God. John Lennon was right in what he said! AND Why did you Americans fucking cared?! You could have just said "We dont care about what you say John Lennon"(if they were cool)

[XoxMossyOaksGirlXox]

@ZandraBson No Honey Not All Americans..Just Some...I Love John Lennon More Than God... I Know Thats Really Bad To Say...But I Can't Help It :p

[manco82]

Lennon was right. Christianity will disappear along with all religion. It's just that it will take a few hundred years.

[gorthar30]

I feel embarrassed for these people watching this.

[NeededProof]

The Beatles arn't more popular than Jesus

They're more popular than God!! :D

[shutupwileimtalking]

Its funny cause those records r worth hundres and they destroyed them because of a quote

[Godzie1]

Now John is Jesus's buddy in Heaven! :)

[guitarfreaky1996]

well...... pretty stupid.... they made such a big deal....

[Godzie1]

@guitarfreaky1996 You're so right. It was really in the south w/their weard ways w/the KKK & shit, that caused all the trouble. I'm from Chicago & we never thought twice what Lennon said back then, but there always has to be trouble maker's in this world! Stupid Hicks!

[guitarfreaky1996]

@Godzie1 thanks ;)

[LittleDragon2000]

My mum - English and Christian - put it this way,

"They got angry at John because he said The Beatles were more popular than Jesus - but he was right!"

[TheMedde]

@LittleDragon2000 Uh..no. These idiots aren't even close to being as popular as Jesus Christ. Three plus days this week millions of people will gather in Jesus Christ name. Only some fools smoking dope and trying to listen to hippie music will remember these fools. And there are definetly two beetles that have met the Lord now and agree they aren't as special as they thought they were. They are currently burning in Hell.

[LittleDragon2000]

@TheMedde Well, if you think so.

But The Beatles were more popular than Jesus and meant more to people, especially young people, than Jesus or Christianity or religion.

That's just a fact.

[TheMedde]

@LittleDragon2000 Not true. Where I came from in the Bible Belt you hardly heard the name of the Beetles. You know what you do when you are happy, you sing. No one sang songs about the Beetles. I got a Hymn book with 500 songs about one man that range from 100 to 1700 years old. For 2,000 years they have been singing about Jesus Christ. Three times a week.

[LittleDragon2000]

@TheMedde That still doesn't change the fact that when John made this statement, The Beatles were more popular than Jesus and meant more to (young) people - especially in England.

Look up the meaning of popular - regarded with favour, approval, or affection by people in general

Arguing that because The Beatles weren't loved in the Bible means that the Beatles weren't more popular in general makes about as much sense as the girl who says "Not with me, they're not."

[ChrisJericho256]

@TheMedde who the hell are you to judge people? it wasn't about 'dope' at that time btw, it was about screaming girls, and touring for the Beatles. and the only person that will burn in hell is the person who says legends burn in hell. i agree John Lennon was above himself. but George Harrison never did anything to make YOU mad at him. u should aim your'e anger before you let it go. just because lennon said that doesnt mean they all agreed with it.

[1856gazoo]

Media hype,..& folks unable to think for themselves.