Biblical Christianity: Ohhhhh boy: Michael Jackson tree stump

Wednesday, July 08, 2009

Ohhhhh boy: Michael Jackson tree stump

There is so much that is sad, and weird, and troubling about this.

"I think they're about equal."

Oh boy. Our work is far from done.

"Jesus?"

29 comments:

Kim said...: That is really sad. Definitely a case of worshiping the creature rather than the Creator.; July 8, 2009 at 7:07:00 AM CDT
Fred Butler said...: I'm seeing that scarecrow myself.; July 8, 2009 at 7:51:00 AM CDT
Rileysowner said...: I see a stump of a branch that was not properly cut off.; July 8, 2009 at 8:00:00 AM CDT
DJP said...: Yeah, honestly; most often with these things I think "OK, I see how they can say that."

Not this time. I see zip.; July 8, 2009 at 8:01:00 AM CDT
Anonymous said...: I thought it was the Virgin Mary. Can't you see the tears?!; July 8, 2009 at 8:06:00 AM CDT
Associate-to-the-Pastor said...: Of course it would be a white birch.; July 8, 2009 at 8:52:00 AM CDT
Anonymous said...: Optimus Prime...no doubt about it...

Oh, I'm sorry, I thought you were asking what we would see if we were drunk on hero worship.....yeah, now all I see is a tree.

Seriously, when are people just going to let the king of pop rest in peace? It's so idolatrous it's not even funny.; July 8, 2009 at 9:23:00 AM CDT
DJP said...: Yeah, it is sad. Beyond sad, factoring in the hero-worship evident even in this video, and the suicides I mentioned in an earlier post.

But I'll admit this to you: I find I have more lingering sadness over his death than I'd have anticipated. We're close in age, I grew up with him and his music. I liked a few of his songs and videos a lot; others not at all. He was a tremendous talent.

But he also was such a broken and enigmatic person. Perpetrator, perpetrated, or both? There's no real closure on his life. It's as if he was about to open his mouth, then died. But he wasn't really going to say anything, just perform again. Or? He contacted the Crouches, seeking for something more in his concerts. But probably not seeking for what he really needed.

There's just no closure, no happy ending, nothing much learned. And it's sad.; July 8, 2009 at 9:31:00 AM CDT
Herding Grasshoppers said...: Oh... that's just all kinds of sad.

A twisted, pathetic, "celebrity", and Jesus... "They're both icons. They're about even."

Ick.

Julie; July 8, 2009 at 9:43:00 AM CDT
Mike Riccardi said...: I'm thinking a few families in this town got together and decided they wanted to be on TV.

I'm thinking that, because if I choose to believe that they were serious in everything that was just presented, my head will implode.; July 8, 2009 at 10:03:00 AM CDT
Paula said...: I saw the beginning of the funeral yesterday and was completely creeped out when they played "We're Going to See the King" as they were bringing Jackson's casket in. Was that some huge idolatrous double entendre for the "King" of Pop? It gave me goose bumps in a bad way.

The clips I saw of the rest of the funeral had lots of references to God and Jesus (Lionel Ritchie singing "Jesus is Love") and people talking about Michael being in heaven. The weirdest one was Brooke Shields talking about him being hanging up in a crescent moon somewhere. Now THAT sounds like a wonderful plan for eternity!

You're right, Dan, we have work to do!; July 8, 2009 at 10:31:00 AM CDT
Anonymous said...: Years from now, should the Lord tarry, historians will ponder the collapse of the American civilization. This particular image will be used as an example of "what went wrong."; July 8, 2009 at 10:35:00 AM CDT
Aaron said...: I'm disappointed I didn't think of it first. I could have proclaimed that my tree looks like Jackson and then charge admission to see it. People might wonder why he appears in Texas, so I'd have to say something like it's hot as hell here now, so the temp was just right...I'm guessing that probably wont go over well with the worshippers though.; July 8, 2009 at 10:36:00 AM CDT
Mike Westfall said...: Well, I dunno about seeing MJ in the tree stump. I didn't see anything there.

I have, however, seen Jesus in a Kit-Kat bar!; July 8, 2009 at 10:56:00 AM CDT
Terry Rayburn said...: If you can't see MJ in the stump, try this:

First stop the video, then stare at it for about 10 minutes, then go into a trance, then channel Michael the Archangel...

...see it now?

What's amazing is not just the stump picture, but notice how Jackson's MUSIC plays when you stare at it sometimes?

Seriously, very, very tragic.

In the spirit of mixing heavenly and earthly things, Brooke Shields commented, "we need to look up where he is undoubtedly perched in a crescent moon". Undoubtedly.

As a Dad, seeing video of the 10-year-old Michael Jackson so happy looking and fresh and talented, and realizing what sin, the world, the flesh and the devil brought him to...well, it's heartbreaking.

Yet inspiring in another way. As the song says, "People Need The Lord".

With friends (and "spiritual advisors") like Deepak Chopra and [Jehovah's Witness] Firpo Carr, who needs enemies?

One of many lessons: Lord, teach me to number my days.; July 8, 2009 at 11:01:00 AM CDT
Jay said...: It's painfully obvious that the image is really of Michael Jackson AND Elvis- neither of who is actually dead but living together somewhere in Michigan.

And if you can't see that, then obviously you're a normal person who will never appear on "Cops" or "Jerry Springer".; July 8, 2009 at 11:31:00 AM CDT
Aaron said...: I thought Elvis was with JFK in the bermuda triangle.; July 8, 2009 at 11:34:00 AM CDT
Kara said...: I see a sign that I had better keep on driving the highway and not get off any exits in Stockton; July 8, 2009 at 12:36:00 PM CDT
GrammaMack said...: As Paula mentioned, there were several idolatrous references yesterday, quoting of Bible verses that refer to Jesus but apparently also to MJ, including calling him "the king of kings." But when his daughter said that he was the best dad and she loves him "so much," I thought, "Let that be his epitaph."; July 8, 2009 at 1:50:00 PM CDT
Associate-to-the-Pastor said...: I have to admit, I don't quite get the 'musical genius' stuff. Really? One guy on O'Reilly compared MJ to Mozart. Right.
I don't mean he had no talent- far from it! But sometimes I think people are eager to equate his ability as an entertainer with his musical ability. They're related but not identical. Also, it seems like his genuinely huge accomplishment of breaking down racial barriers via music earns him a 'free pass' when comparing him to other influential artists, black or white.
FWIW, I can name a ton of more talented musicians who just didn't have his charisma on stage. Or on tree.; July 8, 2009 at 2:24:00 PM CDT
DJP said...: Agreed. I wouldn't say "musical genius," either. Some very catchy tunes.

I would, however, say performing genius... though even that came to be splotched by his own corruptions, leaking out.; July 8, 2009 at 2:27:00 PM CDT
Paula said...: And by the end, I think part of his "attraction" (for lack of a better word ), as with many performers, was his extreme angst.

I was listening to "family friendly" Christian radio in the car today and heard some sort of angst-filled Christian-y song. Didn't catch the artist, but it left me feeling not-so-uplifted and wondering if this is a good road for Christian radio to go down. TMI, you know?; July 8, 2009 at 2:46:00 PM CDT
Aaron said...: Associate:

I saw O'Reilly last night too...LOL. I love how that one guest touted his extraordinary musical talents and philanthropic acheivements.

MJ was extremely talented as a performer. He enjoyed unparalled popularity. He certainly changed the shape of the musical industry. But I have doubts that his music will be particularly remembered or listened to even twenty years from now.

No doubt that his videos and music contributed in some way to the decline of rascism. I'm even willing to concede that his desire to look caucasion may be some sort of social commentary on the rascism he experienced as a young man. But he certainly wasn't a civil rights leader in that he was active in civil rights causes. He was just a popular performer who also happened to be black.

I have serious problems with anybody touting his charity. Composing and singing a song for LiveAid is wonderful. But how much of his vast fortune did he actually give to charities? And how much of his good work is offset by the damage done by his inexplicable lifestyle not to mention the inappropriate contact with kids? If those kids were molested, they'll suffer for it for the rest of their lives. It will affect their children's children. It will have inflicted damage on generations...

All in all, I take it as a tragic tale. Here's a very attractive young man that had it all: extreme talent, fame, popularity, and wealth. But none of it brought him true joy and ultimately it led to his early demise. The best of men are nothing without Christ.; July 8, 2009 at 3:12:00 PM CDT
Susan said...: Where's George Washington when you need him????; July 8, 2009 at 9:27:00 PM CDT
Susan said...: 1. Hate to say this, but Mesa Mike's Kit Kat bar is more believable than that tree stump!!!

2. (On a similar note, I think that Kit Kat image is reminiscent of that on the shroud of Turin...which some now say was actually the face of Leonardo da Vinci!!); July 8, 2009 at 9:35:00 PM CDT
Mike Westfall said...: The Kit-Kat Bar story is from here. Yes, it's an apparent photoshop imposing the Shroud of Turin image onto the end of the yummyness.

Interesting article on the Leo. da Vinci connection, BTW.; July 8, 2009 at 9:48:00 PM CDT
Mike Riccardi said...: What's really ridiculous about this is that 6 months ago Michael Jackson was the butt of every joke you could think of. Ethnicity transformation, gender transformation, the nose, the pedophilia, the hanging-the-kid-over-the-balcony thing, the courtroom antics.

The same society that is now deifying him took great delight in demonizing him for the cause of a cheap laugh.

I think it's just one of our world's many defense mechanisms when it comes to recognizing our own mortality, and that it is indeed appointed for man to die, and then comes judgment.; July 8, 2009 at 10:51:00 PM CDT
Halcyon said...: That video reminds me of those "reveal" moments from every random "Ghost-hunter" show on TV:

Ghost-hunter 1: "I caught the sounds of a ghost on a tape-recorder! Listen!"

(plays tape to excitable fellow hunters; tape plays inaudible garbled noise)

GH 1: "Did you hear it?"

GH2: "Yeah!"

GH3: "Definitely! Play it again!"

(plays again; same inaudible garbled noise)

GH3: "Oh! Oh! It said, 'Get out.'"

GH1 & 2: "Really?"

GH3: "Yes! Play it again!"

(played a third time; same inaudible garbled noise)

GH1: "Oh! I heard it!"

GH2: "Me too! Right there!"

(Rinse. Repeat.); July 9, 2009 at 5:43:00 PM CDT
DJP said...: Hey, yeah, I think I... no, wait, that was my iPhone.; July 9, 2009 at 5:56:00 PM CDT