Paul: "Well, I think it's a bit silly. It seems a bit like a publicity stunt on their part, you know. I think they're not going to gain anything by doing that."
George: "It's the same old wrong mess. They've just taken it the wrong way, and that's just the pity that... It's this misunderstanding which shouldn't be... Well, in the context that it was meant -- it was the fact that Christianity is declining, and everybody knows about that, and that was the fact that was trying to be made... I agree that it's on the wane."
Ringo: "Well, I just hope it's all over now, you know. I hope everyone's straightened out, and it's finished."
For his part, John seemed pained and genuinely confused as to why America had responded so negatively to his statement, but there was a hint of defiance as well:
"I suppose if I had said television was more popular than Jesus, I would have gotten away with it, but I just happened to be talking to a friend and I used the word 'Beatles' as a remote thing, not as what I think -- as Beatles, as those other Beatles like other people see us. I just said "they" are having more influence on kids and things than anything else, including Jesus. But I said it in that way which is the wrong way...
"Originally I pointed out that fact in reference to England, that we meant more to kids than Jesus did, or religion at that time. I wasn't knocking it or putting it down. I was just saying it as a fact and it's true more for England than here. I'm not saying that we're better or greater, or comparing us with Jesus Christ as a person or God as a thing or whatever it is. I just said what I said and it was wrong. Or it was taken wrong. And now it's all this...
"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 thing. I apologize if that will make you happy. I still don't know quite what I've done. I've tried to tell you what I did do but if you want me to apologize, if that will make you happy, then OK, I'm sorry."
Later that day, at a second, more private presser with hand-picked reporters, the atmosphere was less tense:
John: "When I first heard [of the controversy], I thought it can't be true... but when I realized it was serious, I was worried stiff because I knew how it would go on. All the nasty things that would get said about it and all those miserable looking pictures of me looking like a cynic. And they'd go on and on and on until it would get out of hand and I couldn't control it. I really can't answer for it when it gets this big. It's nothing to do with me now.
"'Cause we could've just sort of hidden in England and said, 'We're not going, we're not going!' You know, that occured to me when I heard it all. I couldn't remember saying it. I couldn't remember the article. I was panicking, saying, 'I'm not going at all,' you know. But if they sort of straighten it out, it will be worth it, and good. Isn't that right, Ringo?...
"I don't profess to be a practicing Christian, and Christ was what he was and anything anybody says great about him I believe. I'm not a practicing Christian, but I don't have any un-Christian thoughts."
Paul: "Yeah. The thing is that they seem to think that by saying that, you know, John's gettin' at them. But he isn't at all, you know. It's just a straight comment on something, which may be right and may be wrong, but he's gotta answer as he feels honestly, you know. And if they think that for him to say that is wrong then they don't believe in free speech, you know. And I thought everyone here did."
George: "But they always write about the bad things much more than the good things, anyway. So that's why it got to this scale."
