Yes. Someone knowledgable (can’t recall who – Alan Pollack, perhaps?) cited it as an example of how John, for all his “nastiness,” could tone it down in favor of kindness and decency when he wanted to. Overall, John was more interested in condemning institutions or policies than in shaming individuals.
That’s actually quite a common error. Lots of people thought–and probably still think–it was John. Back in the Usenet days I used to see extended arguments about it on the Beatles newsgroup.
For a long time I did too, until I happened to look it up for my comment in this thread.
Until a couple of weeks ago when I found out otherwise, I would have bet my house that it was John. It’s so much like him and so unlike Ringo.
In this case, I think Lennon would have been justified in naming the Mahapoopi. He was an Indian version of Jimmy Swaggert.
Whose voice sounded like Mickey Mouse on Valium. (said Johnny Carson)