An unlikely convert: Ozzy Osbourne

It came with some sadness to hear about some celebrity deaths this week. These people were famous for many reasons, either appearing in TV shows or in the music industry. In a way I was taken back when a close friend of mine told me this week that Ozzy Osbourne died this week at 76 from complications with Parkinson’s Disease. In a way all of us agreed because of the person he was we thought subconsciously he would live forever but nobody really does in this world.

Ozzy Osbourne was an unusual character in the music scene. He was also one who was misunderstood throughout his life and mostly from his dark style of music. Many accused him of being a Satan worshipper or in the occult. The same made him popular with that scene. Over the years he was known by his fans as “The prince of darkness.” And that label stayed with him for many years. This title also put him in the same view as the real prince of darkness AKA Satan. I came to know him when he became infamous for biting the head off a bat during a concert in Des Moines in 1982. As the story was known people would throw rubber bats onto the stage during concerts. In this case somebody threw a real unconscious bat onto the stage instead. In the church I attended he became the focal point of everything that was wrong with modern music at the time and he was one whose name was prominent on the unofficial banned music list. Many rumors and false accusations were made even from those in the church about who he was and what he had done. For the record and publically, he always regretted what happened that day and how it followed him all his life.

I came to know his music in High School as my friends were into “Ozzy.” His dark motif was very attractive to the so-called “head banger” crowd at the time. I secretly listened to it and was somewhat surprised at what I heard. It wasn’t quite what I thought it to be. One song that was condemned by many was “Mr. Crowley” as being in support of Alistair Crowley, who was famous for leading a decadent life and heavily involved with the occult. The lyrics to Ozzy’s song actually condemns him as doing something that was “dumb.” Not every song I heard was morally sound but some I really liked over the years.

Needless to say he did not have a stellar moral life. He was fired from his first band “Black Sabbath” in 1979 for his substance abuse that he struggled with for a good part of his life. His decadent and dark behavior was always the subject of TV shows and tabloids.

One thing that some may find interesting and surprising is that when asked what religion he believed in he said he was a Christian. Originally he grew up in the Roman Catholic Church and even considered being a priest at one point in his life. He did not attend church but said that he prayed a lot and often before his concerts. Still after his death many people in religious circles felt because of his dark persona that he likely was headed to Hell.

I personally do not know enough about his conversion to say what happens to him in God’s hands. The bible tells us not to judge another man’s servant. There are some fruits of change that one can see in his life from that past including regrets that he has been public about it as well.

When I think of him I think of Luke 7:47. Here a woman who lived a sinful life came to Jesus while he was eating and came with a jar of perfume and began to weep as she wiped His feet with her tears. It was very evident that she regretted her sinful life and came to the only one who could forgive her. Jesus used her deep sorrow for her sins as an example of how the ones with a deeper debt that needed to be forgiven were loved more by the one who could forgive it. Luke 7:47 Jesus says: Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little.”

Her attitude and regret for her life choices carried her to repentance in her heart, no matter how many sins she had, her heart carried her to Jesus and His forgiveness.

1 Samuel 16:7 also reminds us of what God sees rather than man. He uses this measure to decide who would be king of Israel. But the Lord said unto Samuel, “Look not on his countenance or on the height of his stature, because I have refused him; for the Lord seeth not as man seeth. For man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.”

While a great deal of “Ozzy’s” life was public as well as his sins. We have to be reminded that we are all sinners and need forgiveness. My hope for him and all who are like him is that he truly was what he said he was and is now in the proper place for a Christian to be in.

Your Brother in Christ,

Steve Koenig

Lakeshore Fellowship