John Lennon’s words to the Beatles that they were “more popular than Jesus” the reason for his murder

He once went to shoot him, but a movie refused

John Lennon’s 1966 comment that the Beatles were more popular than Jesus Christ and the lines from the song “God” years later that he did not believe in the Liverpool quartet and that God was Mark Chapman’s motive for killing the famous singer.

Born in 1955 in Texas, Chapman is the son of a military pilot and a nurse. His father harassed and beat him as a child. The young man found solace in the music of the Beatles. At the age of 14 he started shaking, skipping school. He even ran away from home for 2 weeks and lived on the street. He explained that he did it because he was harassed in high school because he was not an athlete.

He was 15,

when his

his friend

recommended

“The Savior in

rye ”

of Jerome Salinger. Chapman fell in love with her and even decided to model his life after that of the main character in the book Holden Caulfield.

At the age of 16, however, his life underwent a complete metamorphosis. Chapman became a reborn Presbyterian. He also began distributing bibles. He entered a Presbyterian college, but left because he was tormented by having an affair with a married woman. He started working in a refugee camp in Arkansas, and also visited Lebanon. However, his obsession with the Beatles changed, and Chapman came across a 1966 quote from John Lennon that angered him.

“Christianity will go away. This religion will shrink and disappear. I don’t have to argue about that. I am right and I will prove myself right. We are now more popular than Jesus. I don’t know which will go first – rock ‘n’ roll or Christianity, “says Lennon.

The quote is imprinted in Chapman’s mind.

Lennon, however, was by no means the only person to anger Chapman.

He had a whole

list with

potential

victims

These included Beatles co-star Lennon, Paul McCartney, talk show host Johnny Carson, actress Elizabeth Taylor, actor George C. Scott, former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, newly elected US President Ronald Reagan and Governor Hawaii George Arioshi.

What tipped the scales for Lennon to be the victim was his solo career. Chapman had ignored her. The song “God” angered him. In it, the legendary singer lists things he does not believe in. These include the Bible, Jesus, and even the Beatles.

I would listen to the Beatles’ music and I was angry with him because in “God” he sings that he doesn’t believe in God, that he just believes in him and Yoko and that he doesn’t believe in the Beatles. That was the other thing that made me angry, even though this recording had been made at least ten years before. I just wanted to shout out loud, “Who does he think he is, saying these things about God and heaven and the Beatles?”

Saying he doesn’t believe in Jesus and things like that. At that moment, my consciousness turned to complete darkness, anger and rage, “Chapman explained his motives years after the murder.

The man even went to shoot him in October 1980. He stopped by a friend to get ammunition, and then he came across the movie “Ordinary People” and the message “Don’t kill” stuck in his head. So he returned to Hawaii, where he lived.

Showed

pistol and

cartridges of

his wife

for which he had married a year earlier. He explained that he wanted to kill John Lennon, but she did not report it to the police.

Chapman embarked on his plan on December 8. He went to New York 2 days earlier. He left personal belongings in his hotel, which the police wanted to find.

He walked to the Dakota building that Lennon lived in.

At around 5 pm, Lennon and his wife, Yoko Ono, leave the building to go to a studio. As they walk to their limousine, without saying a word, Chapman hands the singer his Double Fantasy record, and he signs. Amateur photographer Paul Goresh captures what will be Lennon’s last autograph. Chapman tried to get Goresh to stay and even invited a fan of the singer to a meeting. The man

claims it would not

killed Lennon

The same night,

if the girl had accepted his invitation, or if Goresh had agreed to stay, but would probably try another day.

At about 10:50 p.m., Lennon and Ono return and Chapman waits. They diverge, and the singer recognizes the fan and nods to him. Seconds later, Chapman

he says softly

“Mr. Lennon,”

takes a shotgun

stand and

shoots

5 bullets

from his revolver – 38 caliber. 4 of them hit the musician.

Chapman remained on the scene and pulled out a copy of The Savior in the Rye, which he read when police arrested him. He wrote “this is my statement” on the book and signed himself as Holden Caulfield.

Lennon was taken to hospital, but was pronounced dead on arrival. Chapman first tries to plead insane. He then confessed to the murder as part of “God’s plan” and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. So far, he has been denied 11 applications for release, the last one this year.

The shooter’s album with the last autograph

of the musician at auction

John Lennon’s Double Fantasy, signed by musician Mark Chapman, will be auctioned off in a few days. The auction is at the American auction house Goldin.

His appearance provoked a sharp negative reaction among his fans, the Daily Express writes. The tray was seized by police as physical evidence minutes after the shooting. The lot with an initial price of 400 thousand dollars bears the last signature of the former Beatles member. “John Lennon, 1980,” reads the message. The tray will be put up for auction on December 12.

Lennon’s fans wrote en masse to the auction house to withdraw the album from the auction. According to them, the years can not erase a crime and bidding for the tray will be a hoax in memory of Lennon.

– .