On Tuesday July 7th 2009 the world gathers to say goodbye to what one could consider the most controversial and renowned entertainer and person in modern history. Michael Jackson (August 25th 1958 ~ June 25th 2009) is celebrated by many as the greatest performer that ever lived. The facts are that no one in history has sold more albums than Michael in his lifetime (estimated over 750 million) or has been so widely accepted all over the world for both his entertainment acumen, dedication to perfection in performance and his humanitarian efforts. In 1985 those humanitarian efforts brought together more entertainers and singers in one singular event "We Are The World", than any other effort in modern times raising over $50 Million in economic Aid to Africa.Although there are many things that could be said about Michael, our intent in this article by addressing the issue of his life and death, is not to adore, worship or admire him as most of the world and even many Christians have done during this time. Neither is our intent to bash his character or his works as they speak for themselves both good and bad. Michael's works have gone before him as he has stood before his maker to give an account of himself and his deeds, whether they were for Christ and to HIS glory, or to the glory of self and humanity. One thing is for sure, eternity's stage will not be shared by Michael or anyone else; Jesus alone is the epitome of all worship and all eternity.
I thought to initiate conversation on at least 3 issues and addressing those issues to the church in general, hoping to ask the church, especially them that are hailing Michael's entertainment successes as God's gifts, to examine its position in light of what was obviously seen by all during this man's lifetime.
Evolution To Effeminence
Having been a child of the Michael Jackson era, I admired him since my early youth. "Rockin' Robin" and "Got To Be There" (early 70's){I was 7 to 8 years old} were songs fit for me and my understanding and were among the first hits that caught my attention. At that time Michael was clearly a black youth like me: brown, smiley, lots of potential and seemingly loving life to the fullest. I had no idea that some 36 to 37 years later, that that brown complexion would be nearly white, that smile would become strained, that expression would be exhausted, and all that potential would be restricted to a stage
presence and performances. Aside from all those changes, I find that one of the most disturbing things about Michael was his development into what appears to be a feminine character.
The theories on this evolution from male to female appearance range from Michael's trying to avoid looking like his father, to Michael trying to appeal to the greatest range of audience possible to radical plastic surgery gone bad. Now, whatever the reason, that was Michael's choice to make. However, I cannot fathom any religious leader exhibiting praise for Michael without also noting and reaffirming that if at all medically possible, a man should look like and remain a man all of his life and not only for a portion of it.
Now, the word effeminate {Gk. malakov}as used in 1 Cor. 6:9 {Discussed HERE}comes into effect IF Michael was trying to appeal to those who either were trying to take advantage of him sexually or those whom he wished to appeal to that preferred men with feminine looks. It's hard to imagine that a man would prefer to look like a woman without some motivating factor. That leads into our next observation:
Extensive Verbal & Psychological Abuse
Does The End Justify The Means?
As we have both seen and read, 
Mr. Joseph Jackson, the head of the family, was an intense and shrewed business man when it came to music. According to available records and statements some that even Michael made himself, Mr. Jackson was not only a disciplinarian, but he also, at times, crossed into the area of verbal and borderline physical abuse. I think Michael made his thoughts known regarding his father over the years by wresting management of his brand away from Mr. Jackson almost as soon as he possibly could, and also placing what many thought was damaging information in the screen production mini-series "The Jacksons, The American Dream", Some say that a strong indicator of how Michael thought about his father is found in his father's exclusion from his will. To be fair, noone has any idea of who controls trust assets and by law those records cannot be made to become public. So Mr. Jackson could very well be included in much that we don't know.
Nevertheless, stories have been told that Michael's father consistently criticized his son saying that his nose was "too big" or that he was deficient in some other way. In fact as a sign of an obvious disconnect, when Mr. Jackson was asked at the June 28th 2009
BET Awards for his feelings and comments regarding his son's death, he responded by saying, "We've just lost the biggest superstar in the world" then he went on to introduce his new music production joint venture. During that interview he never referred to Michael as his son, only a "star" and "superstar". This came across to me as being self-centerd.
These type of sentiments can cause an individual to lose or never come to their own identity. It was already problematic enough that Michael didn't have a true childhood. It would seem that the abuse of Joseph Jackson set the stage that no matter what was achieved by Michael, wouldn't be satisfactory or appeasing to his own conscience in any manner because his father had never taken the time to affirm him or his manhood.
Do the results of stardom justify the means of abuse? It seems that now is an opportune time for the church to set forth the difference between verbal abuse and biblical discipline. Wholesome discipline is essential in the life of growing children but abuse is an unacceptable reality that many of our children face daily and struggle to overcome. Being told that one is: too short, too fat, too stupid, ugly, too dark, incapable of learning, slow, mentally challenged etc. are all labels that tend to hurt and when combined with memory over a long period of time, create prisons within the mind that people sometimes grow and live in for a lifetime. Mr. Jackson seemed to have forged an inescapable prison for Michael by which death would be his only liberator.
Amazingly, this type of abuse occurs and many of us sit silently as we did with the Jackson family, while it happens. Sometimes it's from a coach, who crosses the line with personal attacks toward a student athlete. Sometimes it's from a teacher who mocks and criticizes the efforts of a student in front of the whole class. Other times it's from family member such as Joseph Jackson, who drives others to fulfill their vision of what they weren't able to achieve. Still other times it's from a Pastor or church member who excludes certain individuals from activities because they aren't the favored "family" or named individual within the church. The message should be that abuse of all kinds is not an acceptable standard and is not worthy to be praised. Some argue that the "abuse" made Michael rich. I would only say that "riches" aren't worth the value of a soul and that I am sorry that Michael had to endure such hardship in this life at any cost.
Issues Of Pedophilia
The worst time in the life of Michael was his 10 count indictment that was levied against him in Santa Barbara County, California in 2004. Going back to Mr. Joseph Jackson again, it must be said that Mr. Jackson was front and center with Michael every day during the worst time of his Michael's life.
Many continue to say that Michael was guilty of the charges of sexual molestation and abuse against the children at his Neverland Ranch. In addition to the jury finding and pronouncing him innocent, I find that there are additional very compelling reasons to believe that Michael was innocent of the charges against him in that indictment.
On his radio segment the week of June 30th 2009, talk show host Rush Limbaugh, when responding to the accusations of one of his callers against Michael, said that he had read the full indictment against Michael Jackson and heard the resulting testimony and concluded that the complete case was a waste of the courts time and was only brought about as an effort to simply extort money from Michael. He acknowledged, as most do, that Michael had a terrible disconnect of what was appropriate in adults sharing sentiments with children, but assured his audience, that there was never a case against Jackson, and what case that did exist was only driven by a frenzied media fishing for the worst and most sensational type of situation. (Similar to the current Debra Rowe encouragements to file for custody even against Michael's expressed wishes for the children within his will)
What makes Mr. Limbaugh's statements especially interesting and certainly worth considering is that Rev. Al Sharpton on his daily radio show, as late as Friday July 
3rd, said the same thing. All week long Rev. Sharpton has stated his support for the remaining Jackson family and plainly noted that he was also at the Jackson trial in support of Michael daily, hearing the testimony for himself and finding that the case was a complete sham from the start. If anyone knows these two personalities, there has not been a lot historically over which they have agreed, and on Michael Jackson and the issue of pedophilia, especially as it pertains to a case that seemingly broke Michael's spirit, both of these men agree 100% that Michael was rightfully exonerated of all charges.
When The King Of Kings Calls
The ultra fundamentalist will read this post and think that it has nothing to do with the church. Quite the contrary is true. Michael was fed the false doctrine of a non Christian cult since his youth. The Jehova's Witness group as formulated by Charles Tays Russell was built on rejecting the biblical Christ and creating their own version of Christ who wasn't God and that didn't raise bodily from the grave. No doubt these false teachings were among the first religious concepts that began to shape Michael's mind and life as they were given by his mother whome he valued and honored greatly. Then there were others such as the Nation Of Islam, who entrapped Jermaine and are certainly not focused on Jesus as Lord and savior. In the end, it seemed that Michael was a universalist/humanist/pantheist seeking advice from mystics and non biblically centered teachers such as Deepak Chopra who holds to the pantheistic view of hinduism and the New Enlightenment. There was certainly no help for Michael in any of these teachings.
Even though Marvin Winan and The Winans sung with Michael on the song, "Man In The Mirror" which may have been an excellent opportunity to reach his soul, it seems that the true church was either too busy or too disconnected to really help Michael overcome the terrible hand that he was dealt in life. I don't assume that the Winans didn't try, but I simply believe that many more also had the opportunity. I simply wonder did they take it? Or did they only like the recognition of the worlds "superstar"?
Every King of this earth will be subject to the call of the King of Kings and will be without excuse as to thei spiritual position and place. As noted, I don't join the chorus of praisers as it pertains to Michael Jackson and his work, but neither do I join the crowd of cynics that seem to be happy that a soul has been lost. God certainly didn't make a mistake in the process so we can only praise HIM for HIS wisdom. I only stop to remember Michael for what he meant to me as I was growing up and respect and pray for his family that they will find the peace necessary to live a truly abundant life for Jesus, and turn from sin embracing truth and righteousness.
At the end of the day, we can travel the whole world and everyone everyplace can adore us, but there is none greater than God and ONLY what's done for Jesus Christ will last. All the material benefits and popularity amassed in this life cannot replace meeting God in peace.
Mark 8:34-38 ~"34-And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 35-For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it. 36-For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? 37-Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 38-Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels."
If I wish anything, I only wish that there could have been a better end to the life of Michael Jackson. As a church we should be challenged to do even more to win souls and not be enamoured with names, titles, recognition and money. There is a world that is lost and suffering no matter how much money fame and accolades that they have, they yet need the Gospel of Jesus Christ to set them free from their sins and their sometimes terrible past. Church we have a great mission and a great responsibility.
Blessed!
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