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Is Michael in Heaven?
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Michael Jackson was raised by Jehovah’s Witnesses and flirted with Scientology and Islam. Now many Christian groups wonder if the King of Pop is residing with the King of Kings.
In the days since Michael Jackson’s death, much has been made of his ability to build bridges. His popularity spread across cultures and demographics. Jackson’s religion—at least what we know of it—followed suit.
His parents raised him in the Jehovah’s Witness tradition, a semi-Christian sect. He was briefly married to Lisa Marie Presley, a Scientologist, and though he reportedly did some fundraising for Scientology, it’s not clear whether he ever converted to the faith. He claimed Rabbi Schmuley Boteach as a good friend, and it was the rabbi who convinced Jackson in 2000 to write a captivating essay in Beliefnet about his love of the Sabbath. Finally, in 2008, Jackson reportedly converted to Islam and began spending much of his time in Bahrain.
Should a child die before reaching the mature state, salvation is theirs. What if Jackson never reached that age of accountability?
But in the days after his death, rumors began to surface that he had become a Christian due to the influence of Gospel singers Andráe and Sandra Crouch, who are co-pastors at New Christ Memorial Church of God in Christ in San Fernando, California. Naturally, this thrilled his Christian fans—witness the thousands of comments on the Facebook page where the rumor began. The Crouches eventually debunked the conversion story, but indicated that Jackson was interested in Jesus and the Holy Spirit, and prayed with them.
Clearly, Jackson held an abiding interest in spiritual things, and there was no shortage of “moonwalking in heaven” video tributes following his death. But many of his fans want an answer to the ultimate question: Where is he now? Is Michael Jackson in heaven?
On blogs on Web sites like Christianity Today, a debate is raging in earnest about whether Jackson has made it to the Promised Land. “The couple of times I saw Michael Jackson I could not surpass his genuineness and remember always feeling bad because of all the people who ridiculed him,” says one commenter, noting, “if we deeply think about it, this is exactly what people did to Jesus and Jesus helped people just as Michael did by giving to over 30 charities.” Others point to interviews Jackson gave in which he invoked the Lord’s name. “If you’re in doubt, do some research especially on his interviews with Oprah and Geraldo. He clearly indicated his faith in Christ,” urges another Jackson fan.
But still others find the very idea of Jackson residing with God repellent. “Praying a prayer and accepting Jesus ‘in our hearts.’ That is Americanized Evangelical Christianity at its worst,” writes one about what they see as Jackson’s half-hearted religiosity. “Obviously, this was all for money reasons and to play in Satan's ball field,” insists another of Jackson’s affiliation with the Crouches. “Any heaven Michael heads to is a thinly disguised hell,” asserts a third.
Most Christian pastors and scholars hesitate to give an authoritative answer. “It’s not up to me,” says Rev. Mandy Sloan Flemming, a minister at St. Mark United Methodist Church in Atlanta. “I do not know the heart, mind, or spirit of Michael Jackson, nor do I know which way the wind blows. Only God can know.” Others think it’s the wrong question altogether. “Biblically, I think that those who follow Jesus are actually prohibited from definitively attempting to answer it,” says Adam Ellis, teaching pastor at North August Church of Christ in North Augusta, South Carolina.
That said, “Michael Jackson seemed to be a very troubled man, and that’s just the kind of person God has a history of taking pity on,” says Tony Jones, a theologian, blogger, and author of The New Christians. But like the others, Jones is careful to add, “I’d look askance at any religious leader who would answer that with any degree of certainty,”
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Oh, please--enough already.
This article belongs in the type of publications in which one finds headlines like "World War II Bomber Found on Moon," "Did Egar Casey Predict Obama's Election in 1929?," "Is Jackson Really Dead?"
Agree........ this article belongs in National Inquirer.
Only if you find the entire subject preposterous. If you are a believer, then it is a valid question-at least for discussion. There will, of course, never be an answer on this side of the veil.
This question, as it applies to each of us, is of course, the question of utmost importance. It is so very much more important than questions like "Can America reform health care" or "Will Russian nationalism promote the melting of the polar ice cap" - as important as those questions are.
Whether we go to heaven or hell is a question so huge we can barely deal with it at all. We can barely ask it ourselves. Of course, there is a small minority, evidently like Potomac-Will, who are in contempt of the idea of an afterlife. But that position is and always has been the position of a very small minority of the human race. The rest of us have been given the virtue of hope.
Why does this question virtually never come up in public discourse?
I thank this website for having the courage to stir things up.
his article isn't journalism; it's just recreational typing. We should soon be seeing the Star's cover story of "Michael Teaching Angels to Moonwalk on Heads of Pins!"
@johnjohnson68510: No, brother John, you've got me wrong. What I was saying is that the question the author raises is one that no mere journalist can answer or even properly appreciate within the empirical framework of news writing. Indeed, no one can answer it, except as it relayed her or his own existence--and even then not despositively on this side of the grave. The universal experience of all living things is an ireducible mystery.
Why? Because it's completely idiotic to think that ANYBODY on this entire planet can state whether or not one person or another will end up in heaven.
This is a private question between you and the Creator. Don't trust in any human that tells you they know 'the path'. Pray to your Heavenly Father for guidance.
This comment has been removed by The Daily Beast's editors.
Does any of it matter? If there really and truly is only one "God", as every religion claims, whatever religion he was a member of is going to say he went there, and every other is going to say he didn't. That's the problem, you can't have "one true God", and have more than one religion, now can you?
He's dead. He's decaying, just like every other person who's ever lived and died, and he went nowhere, because there is no God.
-David
A cheat, drug abuser, child abuser and drunk living in a stupor in heaven. Oh hell yes.. Christians are forgiven!
Michael is doing the limbo in purgatory
--After making the usual caveat ("I did not see his heart and I am not God")--
That's right. None of you are God. So stop acting like you know exactly what God thinks, what God wants, and what God would do. My belief is if there is a God on Judgment Day many of the 'faithful' will be standing before Him as He asks "What part of 'Love Thy Neighbor as Thyself' didn't you understand?"
The point of the Bible is that we can get some insights into how God thinks, what God wants, and what God would do. Ultimately, we're not going to understand Him completely (what kind of God would he be if we could?), but it gives us things to go by.
One such thing is that nothing that we've done or haven't done doesn't matter on Judgment Day...the only thing that ultimately matters is if we were saved by Christ's death on the cross.
Even though I agree with all who say that this article is not worthy of inclusion at the Daily Beast, I must give you credit on this submission, Brendino. Very well said, albeit most who read what you have said will not understand what you are saying unless they are believers.
And Christ said, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!' " (Matthew 7:21-23)
Even if you discount MJ's pedophilia, he was still the epitome of excess. He was a multi-millionaire living the life of a multi-billionaire. I think MJ got what he wanted during his lifetime. (Luke 16: 25)
heaven? god? jesus?
Pardon me, I thought there was at least the pretense of rational thought on this site.
Go away Boyett, go away.
And I thought Christians were always labeled the intolerant ones...wow.
I am a Christian.. but I too think this article is bogus. TDB is better than this.
Is Michael Jackson in heaven?
Well...
According to what religion?
According to whose standards?
The writer obviously was short on ideas when writing this.
Intolerance of irrationality can never be a bad thing.
"Michael Jackson seemed to be a very troubled man, and that's just the kind of person God has a history of taking pity on,"
Have to agree with Will. Pretending one is "reporting" by repeating navel lint musings about what a theoretic super-being thinks about a dead pop star is best left to the tabloids.
Oh, wait. Never mind, then. Carry on.
As I recently heard someone say, "who has time for real reporting when Michael Jackson is still dead?"
Who knows? One thing is for sure: There is no Heaven or Hell.
We all move (forward or backward). The final goal is beyond our understanding. The river finally flows to the sea. The drop merges with the ocean. The little salt boy (Micah) jumps into the sea - searching for cosmic congniton. Where has he gone - disolved into nirvana or to reincarnate again - i say and hope we see him again.
Seriously?? american evangelism never ceases to amaze me, and this piece is an example of one!! i take it that you don't have better things to write about except contact pastors, some who are judgmental, which is so typical of some evangelicals!!
This reads like it's straight out of the National Enquirer.
Disgusting piece of "journalism."
glad to see Boyett grapple with questions many have been asking since MJ's death. It's not so much an evangelical question as it is a question that MJ appeared to search for in his own life. Daily Beast continues to showcase angles seldom discussed on other sites.
This is a truly mindless article written by children. Besides, everybody knows Michael didn't really die. He's hanging out with Elvis in Vegas.
Is Jim Morrison with them?
And Anna-Nicole Smith.
Hey, and I thought it was going to be about a medium's post-death conversation with Michael (I'm sure that will show up sooner or later).
The main thing imho is that Michael kept on searching for a way to relate to God and maybe he found several. God afterall apparently enjoys creating path after path. Hopefully MJ's now found exactly what he needs.
You'd think that all the Jesus Juice he gave the kids who stayed over night at Neverland would count for something...
I don't know if Michael Jackson is in Heaven or hell. But one thing I do know: whereever Michael Jackson is right now, Michael Jackson wants YOU to know Jesus. Do you?
Who do you know that got this article into The Daily Beast?
It's absolutely crap. It attempts to make an articulate argument for an impossibility hoping that the majority of Americans or readers have no clue or concept about religion or at the study of religion.
Biblical studies negate everything statement of your argument. The Bible is very clear on how salvation is received. It is a free gift; it cannot be bought even by the outpouring of multiple millions of dollars and good, even very good works. It is through a belief and verbal statement (by one's self is fine) of the existence and deity of Christ; a profession that Jesus Christ is the son of God; He is the Christ. He was born of the Virgin birth, conceived by the Holy Spirit; lived a sinless life and was sold out by his trusted associate, Judas, (the one who held the money) was tried, convicted, and sentenced to death. He carried the sins of the world as he walked the Via Del Rosa; was spit upon, hated and ultimately crucified. He was buried and in three days rose again and every demon in hell could not stop the resurrection of Christ. He also appeared to many individuals after the resurrection and then ascended to heaven to sit at the right hand of God; where he sits today.
Modern Christians should be welcoming of all religions and we while are a diverse nation it is still the word of God that divides between even bone and marrow. According to Hebrew 4:12, "For the word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit and of joints and marrow and is the discerner of thoughts and intents of the heart.
Your argument of being mentally challenged religiously is an argument captive to your own imaginations and creating a doctrine on a single biblical verse. Many cult leaders have found the same freedom to lead countless lost and longing souls to some kind of false peace by building a doctrine on one contorted biblical verse.
Any doctrine; a doctrine that supports X, a doctrine that supports Y, a doctrine that supports Z basically a doctrine that supports your theory or opinion or enslavement are what people look for when they long for biblical approval or rationalization for their actions under the umbrella of Christ. Galatians 5:1 "Stand fast therefore in the liberty (freedom) by which Christ has made us free and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage." This doesn't need explanation we all know what a bondage yoke resembles. It weighs a person down.
I can't locate the scripture associated with your age of reasoning although if you are speaking about I Samuel and King David's sorrow, it is important to understand that Christ came to set the captives free to the enslavement of the law. The Old Testament law can never be fulfilled; one can never attain perfection; and Christ, the blood of Christ came to set the captive free.
Is it possible that Michael Jackson was mentally challenged religiously? No. Is it possible that his knowledge of religion enslaved him to a belief that his eternal salvation was assured simply because of knowledge of religion or good works? Yes. Is he first in the kingdom of heaven? Not if you believe the bible.
Am I totally wrong about the Bible and Christ? It's possible. Is Buddhism the right religion or way to salvation; possibly. Is Christianity; possibly.
This is one subject that can never be concluded. I believe my way and certainly have the freedom and comfort in my personal beliefs to allow you to believe and speak and debate and "bring forth your strong arguments" regarding yours.
You sure took a long time to say-
For the non believer, no argument will suffice; for the believer, no argument is necessary.
And just when I thought that the Michael Jackson coverage couldn't possibly got more inane.... It really is straight out of the Weekly World News and should only appear the week after the classic "B-17 Found on Moon!" story. This article is not just scraping the bottom of the barrel, nor is it even below the bottom of the barrel. This article should not even be ~mentioned~ in the same sentence as barrels.
Lets see.......MJ in Heaven? How many angels can dance on the head of a pin. That was a big question in the Middle Ages among the Christian theologians.....
I am still shocked that the current denizens of the Planet Earth who have access to all the Scientific work that shows we are part of a larger system of chaos can still believe in fairies, gods, hell, heaven, priests, rabbis, imans etc.
Not a day goes by that the Bible is exposed for what it is, a highly selected and edited tome written several hundred years after the events it tells of. If you believe some God came down from some heaven and impregnated a Palestinian woman 2000 years ago and became some sort of messiah.......well my friend there isn't any hope for you in this life :) !
MJ in heaven? Why not, he did have a fancy for big productions based on illusions.........
The Sadduces didn't believe in a resurection either, and were equally proud of the achievements of their rational mind.
Check your facts mate, generally accepted dates for the manuscripts that became the Bible were all written within a generation of the times which they describe.
It was written and re-written over 1,000 years, and edited as well. Anyone can find this out today, just by looking up modern scholarship on the Internet. It was never literally true, and never meant to be read that way.
MJ is in hell. You touch little boys and you get a oneway ticket. It ain't rocket science.
Once again a know it all who knows nothing. Shut you mouth and get a life.
One way ticket? As opposed to a round trip ticket? What part of "judge not" do you not understand?
No one is in heaven -- or hell.
Neither exists, children.
Time to grow up.
One thing I can say for sure, the Bible does say the measure which you use to judge, is the measure you will be judged. God searches the heart, The Bible says that the first question that God will ask, when I was hungry did you feed me? when I was I was thirsty did you give me drink? and when I was imprisoned did you visit me? From all of the records Michael Jackson did all of these things.
MJ is not in Heaven. He's burning in Hell, and utterly shocked to find himself there.
the dumbest fucking headline i ever read.
While this headline may be "the dumbest fucking headline ever read" one has to admit it's rising up a huge debate on the comment blog. Something that has always been fascinating is how "hot" religious topics get. People going back and forth to try and "PROVE" their believe, while others get verbally abusive! Why does everyone feel the need to share their belief? And why does it get so heated so quickly? Would everyone agree that most "religions" teach basic kindness, basic generosity? Even an Atheist believes in that!
ONLY God knows if Michael Jackson is in heaven not these
self-righteous hypocrits. They feel that they define who is good enough to get into heaven. They should reread their Bibles as this is not the case. God decides.
I am not surprised to see nonbelievers here posting their Atheist comments. It breaks my heart though. I have no doubt whatsoever that there is a Heaven, and I disagree with other posters that this is not an important topic. It's more important than healthcare, war, the economy..... Our eternal salvation is THE most important thing. Nothing on earth is important.
You're a jackass. If nothing on earth is important, why don't you just kill yourself? If you can't answer that, get the hell out.
No, David, I'm not. But you are.
Who tells people to kill themselves? What are you, 12?
Have to agree with DB. Your level of maturity is questionable. As for the other stuff you're shouting about, I've seen much harsher things being written about people who suffer psychiatric, i.e., brain and body disorders.
I think he has a point. Why are YOU here then? Further, although you say you believe in heaven, your message is filled with cynicism and pessimism, and is an illustration of one who truly lacks faith... if that is the only message they can reach of our earthly experience... that it's worth "nothing" on this planet? Kind of strange there, traci747 To say the least.
What we do on earth is very important, both individually and what we do as members of various groups, including our membership in the nations where we live.
I do believe in God and an afterlife, but not any organized religion. Nor do I believe the Bible is literally true, or was ever even meant to be taken as literally true--as if it was written by journalists looking for "just the facts"--whatever those might be.
I think the soul goes on forever, but not in the childish cliches of heaven and hell. God will decide with each of us, according to what we're done, what we've learned here or failed to learn, and so on.
You are SO right. I go one step beyond you. I believe God exists because it suits my fancy. Yes, that's right. I talk to God when I have encountered repeated crises... And you know. You can't tell at first, maybe. It may take several years before you notice anything change, and then, things start to change suddenly, for the better. And you feel so relieved....
Still I insist that the God I know is not represented through the human version, the "childish cliches of heaven and hell," as you put it. I attach no face to my God. Instead I think in terms of energy and the bizarre experiences I have had in my life. Is it random? Not sure. Still a mystery to me. Which doesn't bother me one bit.
Because to me, God is about our willingness to open up to a spiritual energy, however we make it there. A willingness to experience what the universe has to offer, which is not always good, I might add. And I believe we all have our direct route to that energy, if so we choose.
Some of us, unfortunately, are pushed into it at an early age. Like me. I started to struggle with God when I was about 9. And guess what? I'm still struggling, but it's not so bad, anymore.
The ill-feeling released upon the death of Michael Jackson made me feel very embarrassed to be a part of the human race.
Oh. One last thing.
mcmchugh99,
At first I screeched to a halt when I reached your last sentence. Your idea of God sounded so much more harsher than mine! My God wouldn't do that.
Then it wouldn't quit. I couldn't stop thinking about it. And it occurred to me that if the universe is made of energy, then surely we survive in some form, however insignificant, beyond life.
Do we all just get mixed in along with the rest of the energy that fuels the universe as we know it?
If that's the case, then what God would or wouldn't do or say is essentially irrelevant. Isn't it?
Dude? Read my posts... a couple of times. And then get back to me. Okay?
If his suspicious behavior with kids was what one would logically suspect, probably not. His overindulgent spending on himself might not fly either. But it's definitely above my pay grade to decide.
This article and its arguments deserve a "n'importe quoi"
Grumble... I'm still working my way through the comments before I read it. Grumbling, still. The guy lived in not only the wrong century but the wrong civilization!
Anybody know what I'm talking about?
To all those who Will Always Believe Michael Jackson Was A Pedophile:
Greece would have welcomed him with open arms. They would have LOVED and APPRECIATED his genius and wouldn't even notice anything was unusual if he took an erotic interest in younger boys. It was part of the culture. Just like the persecution Michael Jackson faced is now popular in our culture. I have a strong hunch (being descended from them) they would view our culture's treatment of Michael Jackson BARBARIC. A terrific example of an inferior culture.
And let's not forget Ancient Rome. Or the Renaissance. I have a strong hunch Michael would have loved it there! I think his favorite. Why? Because of all of the rich Art work being produced then, the paintings, Galileo, Michelangelo, etc., etc. The Renaissance was full of glitter. He would have been treated like the master he is, respected for his artistic and humanitarian contributions, aside from what we made him endure: personal misfortune, disgrace, and shunned from society.
Now the truth finally comes out.
Based on what?
Guess.
That's right. Lies. The media also need to be held accountable for what they print and say and broadcast. They need to make sure they have some basic ethical standards. Apparently, they do not.
The media devoured Michael Jackson. Made a fortune off of him. So what if he wanted that photo to be accompanied by the word "bizarre" attached to it? There's nothing strange about that. It WAS bizarre. And he knew it. You know, he was a really really intelligent guy, and you guys turned him into ground meat. And for what reason? Because you are a vicious group. That's what I think.
I could go on and on, for the rest of my life, on this topic. No kidding. My buddy told me I owed it to Michael Jackson to write absolutely nothing but stories about him for the rest of my life. I laughed at first. And then, I said to him, "FUCK YOU!" Still laughing, of course. But as the idea began to roll in my head, like kneading a good loaf of bread on a countertop made of natural stone, I laughed less and less.
And I paused. I had to agree.
I probably could talk about this time, what happened, what we revealed to ourselves about our own behavior toward another human being. The topic is classic. And will live on as an example. And a lesson, I hope. But from what I've seen of the world, especially the Internet, I realize there is a heavy load of hate out there today. And that is what scares me in the end.
This is not the forum to hold intense theological discussions about the existence of God, Heaven, or the status of Michael Jackson's souls.
Way too many people are unarmed in that sort of argument.
Let God (or not) sort it out.
finderj
This is not the forum to hold intense theological discussions about the existence of God, Heaven, or the status of Michael Jackson's souls.
Way too many people are unarmed in that sort of argument.
Let God (or not) sort it out.
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4:53 pm, Jul 10, 2009
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"This is not the forum to hold intense theological discussions about the existence of God, Heaven, or the status of Michael Jackson's souls."
That part puzzles me. I mean, why not? Is there some rule against that? This is the Internet. Remember?
Another thing. What do you mean by "unarmed" exactly. That's a curious choice of words. Are you saying people are not spiritually armed today? Or just too plain stupid to understand anything spiritual?
Or what?
Ironically, I will remember Michael Jackson as first a force, an energy, a spiritual presence, who reached into the hearts of remote part of the world little girls and boys and older persons, and who mourned him, even though living in poverty, with a service which included candles and one picture of MJ, set against a makeshift altar, with perhaps an 8 yr old(?), 10 and 12 year old Pakistani girls from a remote village there.
That picture told me a lot. It told me and taught me to respect the memory of the dead. Unlike here where we continually continue to desecrate it.
Sorry to inform you, but... Jesus never did that.
Sorry. One last thing.
There is a REMARKABLE resemblance between the two. Both were persecuted by the society they lived in.
Thank you.
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