Michael Jackson's birthday burial in Watchtower's long shadow

August 20, 7:21 AMAlbany Interfaith Spirituality ExaminerLinda Van Slyke

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 Tower Shadows by Mila Zinkova

Given Michael Jackson's long and troubled history with the Jehovah's Witnesses, it's more than a little ironic that he will be laid to rest on his birthday amidst great splendor and hoopla.

Michael will be interred in "a specially-built mausoleum" that is "fit for a king."  His Forest Lawn "neighbors" are Hollywood royalty.  A Las Vegas celebrity-filled tribute will be the follow-up event.

The January 1, 2005 Watchtower article, "Beware of Customs That Displease God," emphatically declares:

Throughout the years, Jehovah's Witnesses have thoroughly exposed unscriptural funeral customs.  Such customs include wakes, the pouring of libations, talking to and making requests of the dead, ceremonious observances of funeral anniversaries, and other customs based on the belief that something in a person survives death.  Such God-dishonoring customs are "unclean," an "empty deception" based on "the tradition of men" and not on God's Word of truth.

As for birthday celebrations, the Jehovah Witnesses are equally clear.  Lesson 11 from their official web site states:

The only two birthday celebrations spoken of in the Bible were held by persons who did not worship Jehovah.  (Genesis 40:20-22; Mark 6:21, 22, 24-27)  The early Christians did not celebrate birthdays.  The custom of celebrating birthdays comes from ancient false religions.  True Christians give gifts and have good times together at other times duing the year.

Much of what Michael practiced in life has also been condemned by the Witnesses.  Consider these Awake and Watchtower quotes:

For true Christians the subject of ambition does not present an ethical dilemma.  Their Bible-based consciences help them to shun ambition...

True, having money may give one a sense of freedom.  But as Paul explains, in the long run, pursuing money can actually make one a slave to "many senseless and hurtful desires, which plunge men into destruction and ruin."

God's people also refrain from idolizing the world's stars of entertainment and sports...  But some come to view the artist as their ideal, and by putting him on a pedestal, they make him into an idol...

When the elders insisted that Michael no longer speak to La Toya because she had stopped going to Kingdom Hall, Michael sought advice from his friend Marlon Brando.  According to La Toya, Marlon told him:

For heaven's sake, Michael, that's your sister.  If that's the way they're going to do things, you don't need to be part of that.  You can always get another religion, but you can never get another sister.

This excruciating dichotomy between Michael Jackson's lifestyle and belief system eventually led to his disassociation from the Watchtower Society in 1987.

However, neither disassociation nor death has completely dissolved the Jehovah Witness connection.

Michael's three children, now in Katherine Jackson's custody, have been recently seen attending the Kingdom Hall with their song books in hand...

Resources

http://www.freeminds.org/sociology/other/african-american-celebrities-brought-up-under-jehovah-s-witnesses.html

http://www.jwfacts.com/watchtower/experiences/michael-jackson-jehovah.php   (MJ's life as a JW)

http://www.comcast.net/articles/entertainment-eonline/20090817/b139671/

http://www.watchtower.org/e/rq/article_11.htm  (Beliefs and Customs That Displease God)

http://watchtower.org/e/20050101a/article_01.htm  (Beware of Customs That Displease God)

http://www.spotlightministries.org.uk/birthdays.htm  (Jehovah Witnesses and the Issue of Birthdays)