Childlike, not Child-ish! (Getting Past the Media Garbage) 

The Conspiracy against God is about "The Word", and the profaning of His Holy Name within us. Adam fell in the garden, breaking the direct connection to God. Jesus, the "last Adam" was a quickening Spirit, the Word made Flesh, and the only one with whom we can re-establish our relationship with God. Michael\'s story is still unfolding. He is the one who is, is not. But Jesus is the only name given under heaven by which we must be saved. Many are trying to rewrite HIStory. We were given a help to instruct us. Learn more "here".

I cannot think of a more striking example of the separation of truth and fiction than that of the relationship between Michael Jackson and the media.

We’ve talked about Michael’s shyness, his musical genius, his battles with two child misconduct cases and the conspiracy concerning his ownership of his Sony/ATV catalog with one of the biggest entertainment conglomerates in the world.

This will probably take several blog chapters because Michael’s relationship with the media was lengthy, contentious and debilitating (for Michael). What began as the typical jabs from the top grocery store tabloids in the late seventies to early eighties that usually just increased the public’s interest in an artist, somehow turned into a horrific and violent struggle between predator and prey. Even though Michael kept getting free from their jaws, he was weakened with each attack. I have never seen anything like it with any other person or personality. The question is why?

A friend of mine enlightened me to a documentary that was produced shortly after Michael died. It was put together from pieces of footage taken during and after Michael’s trial in 2005, by court videographer Larry Nimmer. If anyone knows of anyone that can help, Larry Nimmer is looking for someone to distribute this documentary so that it can be seen around the country. Currently it is available on You-tube and has been seen/screened in L.A. only.

Click here to listen to what some residents have said about this documentary after having seen it. This is the review that prompted me to learn more about the 2005 trial and what was done to Michael and why.

This is Larry Nimmer being interviewed about Michael and the documentary. Click Here.

To view the documentary, click here. This is a 5-parter so make sure you have at least 45 minutes to be able to view. The videos load automatically after the end of each part.

My review of Nimmer’s documentary was that this was a film that covered eloquently, the fact that jurors, Michael’s attorneys and even some of his neighbors saw Michael as this “child in a man’s body”. Some of the revelations from his lawyer during the 2005 trial and Larry Nimmer himself almost give the impression that Michael was incapable of responsibility or had to be treated specially. While I agreed with the descriptions of childlike behavior and the way Michael approached things, I thought a big piece of the picture was missing. The documentary focused only around the trial and the Bashir documentary and not around Michael himself.

Why was Michael childlike? Why would this prompt people to take liberties to attack and take advantage of him? What made him childlike?

If Michael was so incapable of dealing with things on an adult level, how in the world did he get to the top of the music industry? How did he ever come to own half of the Sony/ATV music publishing business? How did Michael survive sitting in on board meetings and making decisions and voting? How did he hold Sony off for so long? And how did he withstand the attacks that he endured over the four decade career that he had? How did he accomplish educating his children so completely, teaching them to read early, teaching them how to study the Bible and how to pray. Where did Michael come upon the importance of teaching his children the exquisite manners that everyone who has know them, testified to? Is that something a child would remember to do?

I was unwilling to write Michael off as an immature man/child who could focus on nothing but his music and his Neverland playground. It is a good documentary and it highlights Michael’s generosity, his empathy for children and the treachery behind those that took advantage of that.

However, getting to know Michael takes a lot more than just an understanding of his child-like qualities. Michael had many layers to him. What is missing in this documentary, is an explanation of this child-like quality, where it came from, why Michael not only felt no need to apologize for it, but insisted everyone should find their “inner child”.

Michael’s explanation to a few journalists interviewing him (Bashir, Bradley) of distinguishing between “child-like” and “childish” is one key. What Michael associates the “child-like” quality with in quoting Jesus about it in the Bible, is the other clue.

The documentary viewed by some who don’t know more about Michael than what the press has force-fed us, might give them the impression that Michael was clueless, dumb, naive, maybe even mental. Michael was far from any of that. Wounded maybe . . . but not mental.

Michael was very well read. As one of the narrators pointed out, Michael had over 10,000 books in his house when Neverland was raided by police in 2003. Most of these books were on art history, civilization history, biblical history and titles of most of the known classics in literature. Michael had plenty of time to read between incessant practicing in his dance and recording studio downstairs.

Michael was an avid Bible reader. He focused on Christ’s behavior. He associated much of his talent and the responsibility he had, to what Christ said we were here for. You can here this in many of his interviews.

Seth Riggs, Michael’s vocal coach, told a story of the two of them banging out notes on a piano when suddenly Michael was not listening. He was praying:

"You know, there was one moment. I was playing a piano, and he was standing next to me. All of a sudden, he stretched his hands, looking upwards. It seemed to me that it was very important to him. That’s why I left the room and switched the light off. After half an hour I came back to the room. He was whispering: “Thank you for my talent. Thank you for everything I’ve got. Thank you for all the people who love me. Tell me what I should do, and I’ll do it.” It seemed to me that it was the moment of his communication with God." - Seth Riggs, Vocal Coach for Michael Jackson

David Pack on Michael’s sincerity in his love for people:

"I did not find Michael weird, messed up, or anything you’ve ever heard about him. I want to say that I feel all of the allegations ever charged against Michael were false, and that in my discernment, he did not have the capacity to ever do anything except love children and let them know he would do anything to stand up for them, and help them. Just look at the magnificent work he did on their behalf in writing and co-producing “We Are The World,” and the 39 charities for children he gave to generously. That was Michael. I believe that during his trials he related to the suffering of Christ, and prayed for intervention, because he was being accused over what he loved most—children. This caused him perhaps more pain than anything in his life." - David Pack Grammy winning recording artist, producer, and music director, from ReflectionsontheDance.com.

Michael wrote a song explaining his need to be “child-like” and hold onto innocence in a song he called “the most autobiographical song I’ve ever written…” His need to “compensate” and his desire to share his rediscovering of his childhood, with other children before theirs is taken from them. It’s a tear-jerker. The video is here, and the lyrics if you would like to follow along, are here.

I will close letting you all know that there is a Ustream event tonight. This will update you on what is currently happening with the “Plan to Seek Justice For Michael Jackson”. The event starts at 5:30pm PST. Click here to register.

Tomorrow is Part 2 of “Childhood – The Media Persecution of a Man of God” A Biblical Reference

Labels: child-ish, childhood, childlike, larry nimmer, media, Michael Jackson, neverland ranch, untold story

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We are living in Biblically significant Times. Ironically it was the most persecuted man in modern history that lead me to dig deeper into the Bible and taught me more about God than any other human being on the planet. And that man is Michael Jackson. I started a blog to defend him. I ended up researching him and learned just why they were after him. They did everything they could to shut him down. In the song "Cry" he said "take over for me", so that is what I am doing. God bless that man and his faith and strength

"Like the Bible says. A child should be leader of them all, and to be led by that kind of innocence. Didn\'t Jesus say \'bring on the children?\' Be like the children. Not childish, but child-like. That kind of innocence."

"Children show me in their playful smiles the divine in everyone. This simple goodness shines straight from their hearts and only asks to be lived." Michael Jackson Oprah Winfrey Interview

"I avoid using the term \'religion\', because many people say \'my religion\' this and \'my religion\' that. Why should it be \'my\' religion? I just believe what’s in the Bible with regard to which religion is involved. I simply believe.... I believe in it and I get down on my knees every night and thank God and ask Him to lead the way."