Neverland, Wonderland, & Foreverland
Why Michael Jackson envisioned paradise
Once upon a time there was a wonderful man named Mr. Michael Jackson who built a dream world called Neverland. The original Neverland was the fictional home of Peter Pan, Tinker Bell, and others, and was a place where certain people defied the aging process. In the mind of J. M. Barrie, whose vivid imagination conjured up this first Neverland (also spelled Never Land or referenced as Never Never Land), the place was a metaphor for perpetual youth or endless life, as well as escapism from the harsh realities of a cruel world. Neverland Ranch, nestled near the picturesque coastline city of Santa Barbara, California, was Mr. Michael’s attempted grasp at fanciful childhood years-as he envisioned them-long obscured by the relentless passing of Father Time. He so badly wanted to share his world with children of all ages and races who were sick or in some other way disadvantaged or underprivileged. He even invited the rich little boy and girl to play in his world. But all too soon, there was trouble in paradise.
Some people who weren’t nice like Mr. Michael devised elaborate schemes to get money from him. They said he did bad, unthinkable things to little boys. Eventually, seventy law enforcement agents stormed Paradise City in search of evidence against Mr. Michael. Though they found nothing incriminating, a few of these otherwise good agents even stole some of Mr. Michael’s valuable things. They violated the sanctity of Neverland. Even though he knew he was innocent, and that this fact would be later proven in a court of law, local government authorities humiliated Mr. Michael in an unspeakable way by photographing his genitalia. Most people are embarrassed when they are caught naked. Can you imagine government representatives, and others, taking a photograph of your private parts and then announcing it to the world?
Mr. Michael was devastated. All he wanted to do was help people-especially little children all over the world. Now his dream world at Neverland was shattered. His heartbreak was unbearable. But Mr. Michael survived the entire ordeal, though there was no more Neverland. He was never the same. Encouragingly, paradise was lost, but not forever. Later, Mr. Michael made plans to replicate or regain paradise. His restored Garden of Eden would be an oasis in the middle of the desert. According to the August 13, 2009, copy of The Las Vegas Sun, the realtor who showed Michael Jackson a $16 million dollar property, Zar Zanganeh, said that Michael “got so excited, the minute we drove through the gates here” at the property. Zanganeh said that Mr. Michael “got that feeling of Neverland. As soon as he stepped out of the car, he said, ‘Zar, I love this place. I’m calling it Wonderland.'”
Mr. Michael still sought escape from a cruel world that hounded him. Because he suffered a horrible accident when his hair caught on fire he had to take pain pills. Over the years his indescribable physical pain coupled with his heart wrenching emotional pain caused him to become dependant on these pain killers. However, he was still the same wonderful, beautiful person that he always was. He NEVER caused anyone harm.
So, though he was growing tired and weary, Mr. Michael forever south paradise. In fact, he heard about paradise and the Garden of Eden when his mother read the Bible to all her children. Here’s what she told them:
Man & Animals at Peace: “The wolf will romp with the lamb, the leopard sleep with the kid. Calf and lion will eat from the same trough, and a little child will tend them. Cow and bear will graze the same pasture, their calves and cubs grow up together, and the lion eat straw like the ox. The nursing child will crawl over rattlesnake dens, the toddler stick his hand down the hole of a serpent. Neither animal nor human will hurt or kill on my holy mountain. The whole earth will be brimming with knowing God-Alive, a living knowledge of God ocean-deep, ocean-wide.” (Isaiah 11:6-9; 65:25 The Message Bible) This is why Mr. Michael populated Neverland with peaceful animals.
Humanity at Peace: “In the last days, the mountain of the Lord’s house will be the highest of all-the most important place on earth. It will be raised above the other hills, and people from all over the world will stream there to worship. People from many nations will come and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of Jacob’s God. There he will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths.’ For the Lord’s teaching will go out from Zion; his word will go out from Jerusalem. The Lord will mediate between nations and will settle international disputes. They will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer fight against nation, nor train for war anymore. (Isaiah. 2:2-4, New Living Translation) Mr. Michael wanted all nations to be at peace. He knew that God would eventually make this happen.
Housing Problem Forever Gone: “They’ll build houses and move in. They’ll plant fields and eat what they grow. No more building a house that some outsider takes over. No more planting fields that some enemy confiscates. For my people will be as long-lived as trees, my chosen ones will have satisfaction in their work. They won’t work and have nothing come of it, they won’t have children snatched out from under them. For they themselves are plantings blessed by God, with their children and grandchildren likewise God-blessed. Before they call out, I’ll answer.” (Isaiah 65:21-24, The Message Bible) Though housing and employment are serious concerns today, Mr. Michael knew they wouldn’t be for long.
Advantages for Right-Hearted People: “Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry: behold, my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty: behold, my servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed: Behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of spirit.” (Isaiah. 65:13, 14, King James Version) “And Jehovah of armies will certainly make for all the peoples, in this mountain, a banquet of well-oiled dishes, a banquet of wine kept on the dregs, of well-oiled dishes filled with marrow, of wine kept on the dregs, filtered. ….He will actually swallow up death forever, and the Sovereign Lord Jehovah will certainly wipe the tears from all faces. And the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for Jehovah himself has spoken it.” (Isaiah 25:6-8, New World Translation) “No more sounds of weeping in the city, no cries of anguish; No more babies dying in the cradle, or old people who don’t enjoy a full lifetime; One-hundredth birthdays will be considered normal-anything less will seem like a cheat. (Isaiah 65:18-20, The Message Bible) Mr. Michael was happy that old age and death would soon be eradicated.
“But here on this mountain, God-of-the-Angel-Armies will throw a feast for all the people of the world; a feast of the finest foods, a feast with vintage wines, a feast of seven courses, a feast lavish with gourmet desserts. And here on this mountain, God will banish the pall of doom hanging over all peoples, the shadow of doom darkening all nations. Yes, he’ll banish death forever. And God will wipe the tears from every face. (Isaiah 25:6-9, The Message Bible) The dread, fear, and frustration enveloping the globe right now will be things of the past. Mr. Michael even went to people’s homes to share this good news with them.
Bad Memories Erased: Finally, Mr. Michael realized that even if you’re in the new system of things here in paradise on earth, but still retained bad memories, you really wouldn’t be happy. So, he was very pleased with this particular promise of God: “For here I am creating new heavens and a new earth; and the former things will not be called to mind, neither will they come up into the heart.” (Isaiah 65:17, New World Translation) People will be so happy they’ll forget about the bad times in the past!
So boys and girls, Mr. Michael knew for a certainty that those fond childhood visions of complete happiness will soon reach fruition in an earthly paradise-a Foreverland-where everyone will live happily ever after. The Beginning.
Dr. Firpo Carr n can be reached at [email protected].
