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Post by indigo on Jul 8, 2009 9:51:22 GMT 10
He was a religious thriller indeed. He was raised as a Jehovah's Witness; Later he married a Scientologist; Had kids with a Jewish woman; His brother wanted him to convert to Islam; A major Roman Catholic newspaper proclaimed him immortal; and He may have accepted Jesus just before his death. Of course, I'm not exactly a religious orthodox, but compared to Michael Jackson, I thank God I'm just a Cesidian! Before Michael Jackson, even being a Cesidian can seem ordinary, commonplace, unexceptional!
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George
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Post by George on Jul 8, 2009 19:59:05 GMT 10
A Roman Catholic newspaper proclaimed him immortal?
...presumably only metaphorically.
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Post by commiczar on Jul 9, 2009 1:54:26 GMT 10
A Roman Catholic newspaper proclaimed him immortal? ...presumably only metaphorically. OR....... The newspaper must / might have be refering to his music. ( ? )
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Post by indigo on Jul 9, 2009 3:19:44 GMT 10
The newspaper must / might have be refering to his music. ( ? ) Yes, the Vatican newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, made Michael Jackson immortal music-wise: Vatican Paper Makes Tribute to "King of Pop"www.zenit.org/article-26315?l=englishVatican daily proclaims Michael Jackson immortal - for his fanstinyurl.com/pt8tahHowever, the Vatican paper gave such a generous appreciation of Jackson's legacy that Thomas Peters — a lay Catholic with a Master's degree in Theology, who has appeared on CNN, BBC World News, The Today Show, and MSNBC.com; who has been quoted in The Boston Globe, Catholic News Agency, Our Sunday Visitor, and the National Catholic Register; and who is the curator of the American Papist website and blog — was not amused, and suggested that a similar piece could have never appeared in a parish newsletter: "I really dig Michael Jackson's music, but as a Catholic, I don't have to buy into the myth that great art makes a great man. Michael Jackson's best chance to "never die" is the mercy of Christ, not his best-selling record." ( source)
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Post by commiczar on Jul 9, 2009 4:02:38 GMT 10
Also....( a personal perspective )......
And not to diminish Jackson's accomplishments as an artist in any way-shape-or-form; but he was believed by most of the reasonable and mentally acute people of the world, to have enjoyed the company of young naked boys in his bed; even though he was never conficted of one such complaint ....since he settled with the parents of a 13 year old boy for an esimated out-of-court pay-off of 20 million dollars for silence on only one of the cases charged against him. ( one doesn't give away 20Mill if one is innocent.... ......................................no matter how rich one is )
A great artist and performer....no one can question, whether one likes or dislikes his works; as the "proof-is-in-the-pudding" as they say......."money talks...and...*bu!!$h!+* walks"[/i]. ( his music has made many millionairs )
However, he was what he was, with regards to the *other-side* of his coin; and whenever viewing the man, one must look at all sides, and not only glorify his positives, while forgetting or attempting to alter or erase his negatives. ___________________________________________________
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Post by indigo on Jul 9, 2009 6:03:21 GMT 10
I agree.
The man was certainly a music and dance genius. Even Fred Astaire appears to have complimented Jackson on his first public 'Moonwalk', and the best-selling records and performances speak for themselves.
However, I think that no fair biography can ignore that he was also an extremely conflicted man religiously, probably also racially/ethnically, and the reason he was probably had to do with a lot of emotional baggage/turmoil, so much that not even religion provided any healing for his soul.
Some people think that the child star syndrome had to do with it. Some believe that parental abuse was the origin. Perhaps both are the cause.
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Post by D. N. Vercáriâ on Jul 9, 2009 17:29:47 GMT 10
He may have become rich, but he has also been a gold mine for the entertainment industries, and now that he's dead this is what he is supposed to remain. Like Elvis and many others of these tragic gods of the limelight.
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Post by Rex TorHavn on Jul 10, 2009 6:40:37 GMT 10
Originally, I was not going to say anything, but I guess I really have to. Certainly, there are always myriad points of view...
First, a short story:
A friend of mine was Jackson’s answering service manager, and Mr. Jackson was always generous in providing tickets to all local events in Los Angeles.
On the day of his Super Bowl appearance, I had the extreme honor of attending the half-time concert (special tickets; no one could have bought these). Before the event, Jackson came over to the benches installed on the 50-yard line. And so it was that I got the opportunity to shake his hand, and tell him I admired his work. His manner, attitude and appearance was that of a Prince: friendly, a bit formal, and despite his fatigue, he smiled… with his whole face (I’m sure you all understand what I mean).
Just as quickly, he was hurried off to make his entrance. I’ve met many celebrities: Viggo Mortenson, Sean Astin, Andy Serkis, Nichelle Nichols, James Doohan, Bill Shatner, Gene Roddenberry & Majel Barrett Roddenberry, Margot Kidder, Harrison Ford (3 times), John Rhys-Davies (we shopped in the same grocery store), Mark Hamil (as a fan at a sci-fi convention: before STAR WARS), Fritz Leiber, Theodore Sturgeon, Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle (sci-fi authors), George Takei, Fay Dunaway (now an accomplished Producer), a member of the Eagles band (no names, please --- the one with the really long hair and soulpatch), Jeff Stryker (porn), Michael Dunn, Marina Sirtis (Deanna Trois/TREK-TNG), and a brief encounter with Howard Shore (composer/conductor: LOTR).
What I guess I’m trying to say is that a perceptive person can usually tell if a person is being genuine or forced, sincere or pretended, honest or a bald-faced liar, etc. And I remember the local situation regarding the allegations of child abuse; they arrested him on his birthday, and invaded his privacy on Christmas Day. The subsequent addiction, post acquittal in 2005, is scarcely surprising. As a survivor of childhood abuse and what some used to call the Shirley Temple syndrome, and the tabloid vultures hounding his every move, … would I have been strong? Who knows?
Michael Jackson’s talent was astounding; his insight into the problems facing children every day is no less so --- “The Man In the Mirror,” “Black or White,” “Beat It,” “We Are The World,” to only mention a few, were all written for the children, and the children in us all. As someone who watched the farce of Winona Ryder’s shoplifting charge, Brittany Spear’s parental fitness, Princess Diana’s murder (!), I’m neither a believer in the purity of the press, nor do I trust most of them. Whatever sells, y’know… As for his spirituality, well: I once knew a woman who switched faiths like some of us change clothes. From Roman Catholic, to Jewish, to Gardner Wicca, to Amerindian shamanry (sp?)…. She was surely in search of her gods. Haven’t seen her in a while, and I don’t know what else she’s tried since our parting… who knows, indeed?
Sorry for the rant, but it’s my impassioned belief that the world really didn’t deserve to have the Moonwalker visit us, but I’m glad he was here for a while…
[There now: I'm off my soap box; you can all go back to what you were doing...]
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Post by indigo on Jul 10, 2009 7:43:06 GMT 10
Hey, if it's any consolation, nobody — I can at least speak for myself — is trying to take your Prince off his well-deserved pedestal.
What I'm trying to say, perhaps in a round-about way, is simply this: Jackson actually may have not had much religious conviction even as a Jehovah's Witness. He was drawn to all sorts of people of different religious values, perhaps he even sought these different kinds of people deliberately, but that doesn't mean he actually identified with any, unlike your religion-changing friend.
And that is essentially the problem. He didn't draw any solace from any religion, and perhaps that could have helped him to better cope with all the pressures and adversities he has faced in trying to grow up too fast, in meeting parental or public expectations, or the problems he also faced with the media.
I am also no fan of the media, so I know what you're talking about, and from direct personal experience. If they can slander or vilify someone with less than a penny to each of Michael Jackson's $100 bills, you know they are not any more credible or objective than the rest of us.
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George
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Post by George on Jul 18, 2009 6:08:18 GMT 10
Who says Michael Jackson needed to "cope better" with anything?
In reality, none of us know anything about what he was really like as a person; we are merely speculating and projecting, based on decades worth of sensationalist mass media nonsense.
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