Anyone ever heard of John Lennon going through a "Born Again" phase?

[pepperbear]

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2007/januaryweb-only/001-22.0.html?gclid=CMiXm9GDwosCFRBBZQodwnj9Hg

*snip*

Next came one of the most extraordinary turnabouts in John's life. A television addict for many years (it was his way of looking at the world since he could no longer walk around anonymously), he enjoyed watching some of America's best-known evangelists—Pat Robertson, Billy Graham, Jim Bakker, and Oral Roberts. In 1972 he had written a desperate letter to Roberts confessing his dependence on drugs and his fear of facing up to "the problems of life." He expressed regret that he had said that the Beatles were more popular than Jesus and enclosed a gift for the Oral Roberts University. After quoting the line "money can't buy me love" from "Can't Buy Me Love" he said, "It's true. The point is this, I want happiness. I don't want to keep on with drugs. Paul told me once, 'You made fun of me for taking drugs, but you will regret it in the end.' Explain to me what Christianity can do for me. Is it phoney? Can He love me? I want out of hell."

*snip*

on edit: Actually, I remember hearing that John was seen walking around NYC all the time.

[regnaD kciN]

1. It wouldn't surprise me...

Lennon had his impulsive, idealistic side, and he went through a rough time in his life from around '72-'74. I could easily imagine him going on a "search for the answer" that might lead him at least tentatively to all sorts of religious beliefs. In any event, it should be easy to confirm or deny, since the article quotes in detail from a supposed letter and also mentions a donation. Can that letter and/or any accounting record of the donation be produced at this time?

Whatever interaction Lennon may have with Roberts, and however much or little any study of Christianity may have affected his eventual spiritual beliefs, he obviously never went through a public fundie/evangelical phase such as Bob Dylan did almost ten years later.

[Hekate]

2. Well, there is this at Beliefnet...

http://www.beliefnet.com/story/197/story_19780_1.html

> John Lennon: A New Jesus?
> Only after the Beatles started experimenting with drugs did they
> begin to talk openly about belief in God.

Interesting article with links. Nothing about him being exactly "born again" though.

Hekate

[ClintonTyree]

3. Lennon loved NYC...

it was the only place he could have any sort of anonymity and did often wander the streets, especially Central Park, alone and with his family. I sincerely doubt Lennon went any further with this "born again" thing than the letter itself. John was one prone to excess, an artist with a tortured soul (mainly due to his childhood, IMO) and tried all sorts of "remedies" from one end of the spectrum to the other. He finally did find balance in his life toward the end. Listen to "Watching the Wheels", his confession that the material world, fame and all it's trappings, were no longer the driving force in his life. Ironic, that he had finally found peace within himself when some deranged shit-weasel gunned him down.