--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The second political thing I did was to…" description: "\"The second political thing I did was to say 'The Beatles are bigger than Jesus.' That really broke the scene, I nearly got shot in America for that. It..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da3/john-lennon-322_america_the-second-political-thing-i-did-was-to_2968260.jpg" --- # The second political thing I did was to say 'The Beatles… ![“The second political thing I did was to say 'The Beatles are bigger than Jesus.' That really broke the scene, I nearly got shot in America for that. It was a big trauma for all the kids that were following us.” quote by John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da3/john-lennon-322_america_the-second-political-thing-i-did-was-to_2968260.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da3/john-lennon-322_america_the-second-political-thing-i-did-was-to_2968260.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da3/john-lennon-322_america_the-second-political-thing-i-did-was-to_2968260.jpg) > “The second political thing I did was to say 'The Beatles are bigger than Jesus.' That really broke the scene, I nearly got shot in America for that. It was a big trauma for all the kids that were following us.” [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Declaring “The Beatles are bigger than Jesus” caused massive backlash and personal trauma. **In simple terms:** The comment sparked huge controversy and personal danger. Key Takeaway Consider impact before provocative statements. Themes celebrity religion controversy public reaction personal risk Mood cautious reflective Type critical analytical When to use this quote - public speeches - social media posts - artistic expression - political commentary Key Concepts media influence cultural sensitivity free speech Questions to Reflect On - What responsibilities do public figures have? - How can controversy be managed constructively? A Different Perspective Provocative remarks can alienate audiences and cause harm. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jesus/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Trauma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trauma/) ## Related quotes > [Lennon was right. And we are bigger than Jesus. We will be as big as the Beatles, if not bigger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-gallagher/lennon-was-right-and-we-are-bigger-than-jesus-we-will-be-as-big-as/) [Liam Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-gallagher/) > [My life with the Beatles had become a trap... I always remember to thank Jesus for the end of my touring days; if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/my-life-with-the-beatles-had-become-a-trap-i-always-remember-to-thank/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [Slipping? We're bigger than Jesus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/slipping-we-re-bigger-than-jesus/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [I wouldn't say I'm bigger than Jesus. If I had to guess, I'd say probably, yeah, but as far as I know, the bible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/i-wouldn-t-say-i-m-bigger-than-jesus-if-i-had-to-guess-i-d-say/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [The problem with Christianity is we have let Church get bigger than Jesus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-rollins/the-problem-with-christianity-is-we-have-let-church-get-bigger-than/) Dennis Rollins > [We need to stop making what people did to us bigger than what Jesus did for us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-caine/we-need-to-stop-making-what-people-did-to-us-bigger-than-what-jesus/) [Christine Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-caine/) > [Laurel and Hardy, that's John and Yoko. And we stand a better chance under that guise because all the serious people like Martin Luther…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/laurel-and-hardy-that-s-john-and-yoko-and-we-stand-a-better-chance/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [I'm not a gangsta rapper. I rap about things that happen to me. I got shot five times. People was trying to kill me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/i-m-not-a-gangsta-rapper-i-rap-about-things-that-happen-to-me-i-got/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [Hitting your hip on the corner ofthe counter and feeling like you just got shot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/hitting-your-hip-on-the-corner-ofthe-counter-and-feeling-like-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I've been out there 3 days and I got shot at 3 times, Felt like every bullet hit me when they flew out each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-herb/i-ve-been-out-there-3-days-and-i-got-shot-at-3-times-felt-like-every/) [Lil Herb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-herb/) > [“And how is His Great Fussiness today?” Derek’s eyes sparked a bit. “His Majesty is in an ill humor. Rumors are flying that his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/and-how-is-his-great-fussiness-today-derek-s-eyes-sparked-a-bit-his/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [“Yeah, so, I got shot,” he said, extra surly. The event only filled him with a little bitterness now. He knew his stupidity had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shewanda-pugh/yeah-so-i-got-shot-he-said-extra-surly-the-event-only-filled-him-with/) [Shewanda Pugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shewanda-pugh/) > [“A man only got one shot at declaring himself to his true love; he didn't want to muck it up completely.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-quinn/a-man-only-got-one-shot-at-declaring-himself-to-his-true-love-he-didn/) [Julia Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-quinn/) > [I just spent 11 and a half months in a maximum-security jail, got shot five times, and was wrongly convicted of a crime I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/i-just-spent-11-and-a-half-months-in-a-maximum-security-jail-got-shot/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [“I got shot saving you. That should speak very clearly about my feelings. After all, I'll bear the scars of loving you for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shayla-black/i-got-shot-saving-you-that-should-speak-very-clearly-about-my/) [Shayla Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shayla-black/) ## More by John Lennon > [Well, I don't want to be king, I want to be real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/well-i-don-t-want-to-be-king-i-want-to-be-real/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [ We went to America a few times and \[Brian\] Epstein always tried to waffle on at us about saying nothing about Vietnam. So there… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/we-went-to-america-a-few-times-and-brian-epstein-always-tried-to/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [As someone from the working class I was always interested in Russia and China and everything that related to the working class, even though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/as-someone-from-the-working-class-i-was-always-interested-in-russia/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [I never went to high school reunions. My thing is, out of sight, out of mind. That's my attitude toward life. So I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/i-never-went-to-high-school-reunions-my-thing-is-out-of-sight-out-of/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [Today's folk song is rock and roll. Although it happened to emanate from America, that's not really important in the end because we wrote…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/today-s-folk-song-is-rock-and-roll-although-it-happened-to-emanate/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [If you want to get peace, you can get it as soon as you like if we all pull together. ... Think peace, live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/if-you-want-to-get-peace-you-can-get-it-as-soon-as-you-like-if-we-all/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [The reason why kids are crazy is because nobody can face the responsibility of bringing them up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/the-reason-why-kids-are-crazy-is-because-nobody-can-face-the/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [In my case I've never not been political, though religion tended to overshadow it in my acid days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/in-my-case-i-ve-never-not-been-political-though-religion-tended-to/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [I wasn't saying whatever they're saying I was saying. I'm sorry I said it really. I never meant it to be a lousy anti-religious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/i-wasn-t-saying-whatever-they-re-saying-i-was-saying-i-m-sorry-i-said/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [Songwriting is about getting the demon out of me. It's like being possessed. You try to go to sleep, but the song won't let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/songwriting-is-about-getting-the-demon-out-of-me-it-s-like-being/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [Imagine there's no heaven... it's easy if you try.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/imagine-there-s-no-heaven-it-s-easy-if-you-try/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [Man, you should have seen them kicking Edgar Allan Poe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/man-you-should-have-seen-them-kicking-edgar-allan-poe/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [Love is like a flower - you've got to let it grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/love-is-like-a-flower-you-ve-got-to-let-it-grow/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [I don't know which will go first - rock 'n' roll or Christianity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/i-don-t-know-which-will-go-first-rock-n-roll-or-christianity/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [The main hangup in the world today is hypocrisy and insecurity. If people can't face up to the fact of other people being naked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/the-main-hangup-in-the-world-today-is-hypocrisy-and-insecurity-if/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) [Explore all 681 John Lennon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. 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