A recording artist. . . .a concert performer. . . .and an actor. . .but
a thinker too? Definitely so, as
demonstrated by a Playboy Magazine interview back in 1963. Speaking out on several subjects, Frank’s
responses were articulate and thought-provoking, not to mention bold and
provocative, especially on the subject of religion. Of course, Frank was never one to just tell
people what they want to hear. In fact,
when the interviewer at Playboy offered to exclude some of the controversial
remarks, Frank said to just leave them in.
On religion, Frank said “I believe in nature, in the birds, the
sea, the sky, in everything I can see or that there is real evidence for. 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”. He went on
to say “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 Daniels.” And he concluded that
thought by saying “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”.
According to a Sinatra authority, Frank was not alone among
entertainers with the views he held, but was perhaps the biggest star to
express those views. Some stars of today with similar views include Brad Pitt,
Billy Joel, Woody Allen, Jack Black, John Malkovich, Linda Ronstadt, Emma
Thompson and Seth MacFarlane, to name a few.
When asked about organized religion, Frank said “Over 25,000
religions flourish on this planet, but the followers of each thinks all the
others are miserably misguided and probably evil as well”.
And Frank addressed what he saw as hypocrisy. As Frank put it, “Remember that leering,
cursing lynch mob in Little Rock intimidating a meek, innocent little 12
year-old black girl as she tried to enroll in public school? Weren’t they—or most of them—devout
churchgoers?” And Frank added “I detest the two-faced people who pretend
spirituality but are practiced bigots in their own mean little spheres.” Here, Frank was also addressing an issue
close to his heart: Racism, against
which he was a pioneering activist.
And finally, Frank speculated about how remarks against popular
religious views might affect his acceptance by the public, asking “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 believe that love and decency are not necessarily products of
religious fervor.” And this is when he
was given an opportunity to have the remarks excluded but said “No, let it
run. I’ve thought this way for years,
ached to say these things. Whom have I
harmed by what I’ve said?”
The Sinatra thoughts on religion were enlightening, and
courageous, especially coming from someone who depended on the public for his
success. But he chose to live in a no
pandering zone. It was refreshing honesty from the man, much like the
honesty of his performances as an artist. . .an artist with a lot of thought
behind him.
By the way, in 1963, when the Sinatra interview ran, a copy of
Playboy cost 60 cents.
