Posted on 06/26/2009 4:27:09 AM PDT by kress
Interesting article by Rabbi Shmuley Boteach. Thanks for posting.
One cannot read these words without feeling a tremendous sadness for a soul that was so surrounded with hero-worship but remained so utterly alone.
So sad indeed.
"In many ways his tragedy was to mistake attention for love."
Ping for later
Yeah, he was real nice to kids, especially boys...
From February, 2003:
"Pop superstar Michael Jackson admitted last night in a television documentary [2003] that he loves to have young boys sleep in his bed.
What's more, everyone should do it, says the 44-year-old Jackson, who was accused of sexually molesting a 13-year-old boy a decade ago, and who admits recently encouraging a 12-year-old cancer sufferer to sleep in his bedroom.
It's what the whole world should do, Jackson told interviewer Martin Bashir on the Granada television program, "Living With Michael Jackson," according to a London Times account. Granada is one of the largest independent television companies in the United Kingdom."
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=30853
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"He said there was nothing sexual involved: "We go to sleep. I put the fireplace on. I give them hot milk, you know, we have cookies. It's very charming. It's very sweet. It's what the whole world should do."
Should the world go into thirty days of mourning or will having the earth stop in its orbit be enough?
I home that M. J. has finally found the peace that eluded him during his life.
Amen!
but the most pressing question is this-
What does KING OBAMA think of MJ’s passing?
The world waits for his statement!
We don’t know what to do until we hear from the great one!
</extreme sarcasm>
Rabbi Boteach reminds me of those celebrity gurus who find their own niche in the popular culture by asserting that they are trying to help some hopelessly self absorbed entertainer. From where I sit, Michael Jackson, was a pop icon who,like other pop icons, wove an unnatural cult around themselves and paid the price for it. What, in heaven’s name, did this disturbed man do but jump around immorally, sing in a high voice, and seduce children? It is sickening.
Wasn’t Elvis sorta like that too?
Okay, so Michael Jackson died. Now, can we move on? He was a ZERO to the left of the number 1. He contributed nothing good to society, his role model for American youth was destructive, WHY DOES THIS GUY GET FRONT PAGE ON FOX NEWS. I’m turning off Fox News for 2 days...until he gets put on the back page. I’d rather read about a HERO who died trying to save young lives in Pakistan. PLEASE>
You must keep in mind that Michael Jackson never had a normal childhood. From the time he was very young, he was put on a stage and parade in front of millions. It is not unusual to see people who become famous break under the pressure (Roseann Barr and Britney Spears come to mind), and for Michael, the pressure began at a very early age. The fact that it damaged him beyond repair is not something I could hold against him.
Dear Lord, may your child Michael Jackson find the peace that he never had in life.
I am just a couple of years older than MJ and all my life I was never really impressed with him except on a couple of occasions like when he sang the song “Ben” a thriller movie made when I was a preteen, his act at Disneyland which I never saw and the constant bombardment of his Thriller album on every single radio station on earth.
He had talent but it never turned me on.
A candle burning at both ends burns twice as bright and twice as fast my motto.
I don't even think he was that talented. I'll give him the moonwalk. That was kinda cool. But songwise, what has he done of any lasting value? He did some catchy dance tunes for a few years. But put him up against Stevie Wonder, Otis Redding, Sam Cooke...what's he got? None of his songs had any depth. He'll be remembered more for his "career" as a tabloid freak than for any of his music.
I agree with you exDemMom. A tortured mind is something some people will never begin to understand, or find empathy for. Michael was abused from an early age by his father in many ways from what I’ve read. I believe it fundamentally scarred him for life. In some aspects, he never stood a chance unless there had been someone there to help him and support him make huge changes in his life. No one was there. Everyone only saw the money they could make from knowing him. As with most abused people, he also created a lot of pain later in life ~ self reported false news stories, strange behaviors to garner attention/love, etc.
This is how I choose to remember him:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zpTQCQEFhg&feature=related
Jackson was a dysfunctional role model for kids during much of his career. A totally sane society would have protected their children from his influence.
RABBI Schmuly considered Michael one of his BEST FRIENDS! Even after the pedophile stuff came out.
yuk.
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