I am so sure John would be soooo relieved to hear this news:

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – The Vatican's newspaper has finally forgiven John Lennon for declaring that the Beatles were more famous than Jesus Christ, calling the remark a "boast" by a young man grappling with sudden fame.

The comment by Lennon to a London newspaper in 1966 infuriated Christians, particularly in the United States, some of whom burned Beatles' albums in huge pyres.

But time apparently heals all wounds.

"The remark by John Lennon, which triggered deep indignation mainly in the United States, after many years sounds only like a 'boast' by a young working-class Englishman faced with unexpected success, after growing up in the legend of Elvis and rock and roll," Vatican daily Osservatore Romano said.

The article, marking the 40th anniversary of the Beatles' The White Album, went on to praise the pop band.

"The fact remains that 38 years after breaking up, the songs of the Lennon-McCartney brand have shown an extraordinary resistance to the passage of time, becoming a source of inspiration for more than one generation of pop musicians," it said.

It's a wonder I've more or less given up on organized religion. Who gives a rat's ass that the Vatican has finally forgiven Lennon. The world has happily gone on spinning without worrying if the Vatican was still upset about what was said more than 40 years ago. Apparently, issues like war, women's rights, child abuse or abortion weren't tops on the Pope's "To Do List" this week. Maybe they should take more of their time and effort worrying about declining numbers in their church due to a leadership that still seems to think it's the 1600's.

"We're more popular than Jesus now; I don't know which will go first, rock 'n' roll or Christianity."

Hmmmmm....

Which do you think more people all across the planet know better; the words to any Beatles tune or the 10 Commandments?