Why Ban The Beatles?
Recently there has arisen a sizeable furor over an alleged statement of John Lennon (one of the Beatles), namely, that the Beatles are supposedly more popular than Jesus and that Christianity is on the way out. Blood pressures are ascending at a fantastic rate with the cry of "Ban the Beatles", It is not being suggested that we not "ban the Beatles" as we should do this anyway just out of a sense of good taste for good music, but it is being suggested that we take a long hard look at the real tragedy involved. Like it or not friend, the Beatles ARE more popular than the Lord Jesus Christ --- in some quarters. What we need to do is to reinforce ourselves for a long tedious battle to come. We need to awaken the world to the fact that Jesus is far more important to all than the Beatles will ever hope to be.
We can ridicule the idea that the Beatles are better known than the Lord by simply showing that the Beatles will be long forgotten when people still will be bowing their knees in worship to God; but will that significantly ease the situation any? Hardly any at all, for after the demise of the Beatles it will be somebody, or some thing, else which will command the attention of the world.
We need to be in the process of rolling up our sleeves and getting to the task of teaching the world that it has a never dying soul to save and that it has a Saviour willing to save that world. Let us begin even now to "go into all the world" with the gospel of Jesus Christ. That includes, friend, the "world" of the young. "Behold, now is the day of salvation" (2 Cor. 6:2) for all mankind. Too many times we neglect the young in the church by not using them. We need not only to prepare the young for their future in the Lord's church, but we need to make provision for their "present" in the body of Christ. If we use our young men and young women as we should use them, then, and only then, can we say that Jesus is more popular with the young than are the Beatles. If we do not make effective use of the talents of our young people, they will be forever lost to Christ and the real tragedy will be then made evident --- the Beatles will be more popular and better than the Lord Jesus Christ with the young people of the world.
-521 Lawton Fort Wayne, Ind. 46805