Frank Sinatra On Religion

[stromboli]

You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login

We came across this old interview with Frank Sinatra recently, and needless to say, we were stunned.

The interview originally appeared in Playboy Magazine in 1963, and it demonstrates the timeless performer’s incredibly deep and evolved thoughts on organized religion – thoughts that rival many of today’s scholarly critics of faith.

Check out this excerpt:

Playboy: Are you a religious man? Do you believe in God?

Sinatra: Well, that’ll do for openers. I think I can sum up my religious feelings in a couple of paragraphs. First: I believe in you and me. I’m like Albert Schweitzer and Bertrand Russell and Albert Einstein in that I have a respect for life — in any form. I believe in nature, in the birds, the sea, the sky, in everything I can see or that there is real evidence for. If these things are what you mean by God, then I believe in God. But I don’t believe in a personal God to whom I look for comfort or for a natural on the next roll of the dice. I’m not unmindful of man’s seeming need for faith; I’m for anything that gets you through the night, be it prayer, tranquilizers or a bottle of Jack Daniel’s. But to me religion is a deeply personal thing in which man and God go it alone together, without the witch doctor in the middle. The witch doctor tries to convince us that we have to ask God for help, to spell out to him what we need, even to bribe him with prayer or cash on the line. Well, I believe that God knows what each of us wants and needs. It’s not necessary for us to make it to church on Sunday to reach Him. You can find Him anyplace. And if that sounds heretical, my source is pretty good: Matthew, Five to Seven, The Sermon on the Mount.

Playboy: You haven’t found any answers for yourself in organized religion?

Sinatra: There are things about organized religion which I resent. Christ is revered as the Prince of Peace, but more blood has been shed in His name than any other figure in history. You show me one step forward in the name of religion and I’ll show you a hundred retrogressions. Remember, they were men of God who destroyed the educational treasures at Alexandria, who perpetrated the Inquisition in Spain, who burned the witches at Salem. Over 25,000 organized religions flourish on this planet, but the followers of each think all the others are miserably misguided and probably evil as well. In India they worship white cows, monkeys and a dip in the Ganges. The Moslems accept slavery and prepare for Allah, who promises wine and revirginated women. And witch doctors aren’t just in Africa. If you look in the L.A. papers of a Sunday morning, you’ll see the local variety advertising their wares like suits with two pairs of pants.

Playboy: Hasn’t religious faith just as often served as a civilizing influence?

Sinatra: Remember that leering, cursing lynch mob in Little Rock reviling a meek, innocent little 12-year-old Negro girl as she tried to enroll in public school? Weren’t they — or most of them — devout churchgoers? I detest the two-faced who pretend liberality but are practiced bigots in their own mean little spheres. I didn’t tell my daughter whom to marry, but I’d have broken her back if she had had big eyes for a bigot. As I see it, man is a product of his conditioning, and the social forces which mold his morality and conduct — including racial prejudice — are influenced more by material things like food and economic necessities than by the fear and awe and bigotry generated by the high priests of commercialized superstition. Now don’t get me wrong. I’m for decency — period. I’m for anything and everything that bodes love and consideration for my fellow man. But when lip service to some mysterious deity permits bestiality on Wednesday and absolution on Sunday — cash me out.

Playboy: But aren’t such spiritual hypocrites in a minority? Aren’t most Americans fairly consistent in their conduct within the precepts of religious doctrine?

Sinatra: I’ve got no quarrel with men of decency at any level. But I can’t believe that decency stems only from religion. And I can’t help wondering how many public figures make avowals of religious faith to maintain an aura of respectability. Our civilization, such as it is, was shaped by religion, and the men who aspire to public office anyplace in the free world must make obeisance to God or risk immediate opprobrium. Our press accurately reflects the religious nature of our society, but you’ll notice that it also carries the articles and advertisements of astrology and hokey Elmer Gantry revivalists. We in America pride ourselves on freedom of the press, but every day I see, and so do you, this kind of dishonesty and distortion not only in this area but in reporting — about guys like me, for instance, which is of minor importance except to me; but also in reporting world news. How can a free people make decisions without facts? If the press reports world news as they report about me, we’re in trouble.

Playboy: Are you saying that . . .

Sinatra: No, wait, let me finish. Have you thought of the chance I’m taking by speaking out this way? Can you imagine the deluge of crank letters, curses, threats and obscenities I’ll receive after these remarks gain general circulation? Worse, the boycott of my records, my films, maybe a picket line at my opening at the Sands. Why? Because I’ve dared to say that love and decency are not necessarily concomitants of religious fervor.

Playboy: If you think you’re stepping over the line, offending your public or perhaps risking economic suicide, shall we cut this off now, erase the tape and start over along more antiseptic lines?

Sinatra: No, let’s let it run. I’ve thought this way for years, ached to say these things. Whom have I harmed by what I’ve said? What moral defection have I suggested? No, I don’t want to chicken out now. Come on, pal, the clock’s running.

Never thought Sinatra didn't have balls. He was a supporter of black rights when it was unpopular to be. This from an Italian with a Catholic background. And now I have greater respect, for a man who put himself on the line for his beliefs.

I was 13 in 1963 and Sinatra already had a career, but he was headlining in Vegas and was still very much a popular act. So yes, it took real guts to do this in that day and time. Good for you, Frank. 

[Green Bottle]

Furfuxake Frank....

I was never a big fan of Sinatra but thought of him as a decent actor and entertainer and enjoyed a few of his movies i must admit.
But now my respect and admiration for him has gone rite up.
For him to speak like this considering how things were back then in the US  shows he had some balls, as they say.
I had no idea of his beliefs and have never heard mention anything about this before anywhere.
Thx Stromboli, another great post fae you man, an im gonna post this elsewhere an see what kind of reaction i get, shd be interestin.......

[Solitary]

Ditto! This is as much a surprise as finding out he worked under cover for our government.  Just WOW! Thanks Strom. Solitary

[aitm]

good stuff, I read this along time ago and quite frankly forgot about it. Not only an intelligent man but wonderful use of the language that probably stymied some back them and most now days.

[stromboli]

good stuff, I read this along time ago and quite frankly forgot about it. Not only an intelligent man but wonderful use of the language that probably stymied some back them and most now days.

He was a bit before my time and I never saw him in any context other than a semi tough guy that supposedly hung out with Italian gangsters and the Rat Pack. But from the interview you can see he was a literate and well informed man. I have a whole new opinion of him.

[SGOS]

Were there any good photos in that issue of Playboy?

[stromboli]

You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login

[Solitary]

You just had to give that address didn't you.  Now I have to take a pill, and it isn't for Viagra.  Solitary

[stromboli]

You just had to give that address didn't you.  Now I have to take a pill, and it isn't for Viagra.  Solitary

Lol. And I will add that Ava Gardner insisted that a lot more than Frank's balls were big. 

[Hakurei Reimu]

Sinatra... is awesome.

Sinawesome!

[PickelledEggs]

Always liked Sinatra. The original Oceans 11 will always be a favorite of mine (I also am a big fan of his music).

Thanks for sharing!

You can't have Sinatra without "sin" hahahaha

[Savior2006]

I'm a teeny bit skeptical. I wish there was an audio recording.

[Desdinova]

You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login

ahhh bewbs before implants.  swing low sweet chariot!