CHURCH COMMENTS ON BEATLE LENNON

RELIGIOUS commentators throughout the United States have jbined in the controversy over the John Lennon (of Beatle fame) remark that "we're more popular than Jesus now".
A leading Catholic paper, The Light of the Diocese of Scranton, regrets that "so many in the entertainment field today" feel that they are experts on subjects "as diverse as theology or sociology", but agrees that there is "something in what Lennon says ..."
The "fervent Christian fans" of the Beatles, the paper said, should "concentrate less on such a negative atti
tude as drawing up an 'Index of Forbidden Discs' . . . and spend some more of their massive energy and personal enthusiasm upon religion.
"Would that they knew as much about Christ as they do about Beatle trivia. Would that they could be just a little bit as enthusiastic about Christ as they have been about the Beatles.
"Would that current catechetical trends and current liturgical reforms could have such an influence upon them that they might come personally to meet, know, admire and imitate Christ."
Meanwhile John Lennon has apologised for the remark and explained that he was not "knocking" religion but was merely pointing out that Christianity was on the wane. Lennon maintained that he made the BeatlesJesus comparison because "it's easy for me to talk about Beatles. I could have said TV or the cinema or anything popular and if I had I would probably have been understood and not caused so much offence."