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| Chai (Photo: Yehoshuapinto) |
There are some who associate Elvis Presley with Christianity because of his fondness for gospel music. There
are others who associate him with Judaism because of his mother's ancestry.
Debbie Schlussel reports that when Elvis was asked why he wore both a Christian cross and a Jewish "Chai" (good-luck necklace), Presley explained that he wanted to be sure of going to Heaven by covering all bases.
Christianity and Judaism were just two of Elvis' many spiritual leanings.
Adherents.com offers these quotes from biographies about Presley:
"Elvis constructed 'a personalised religion out of what he'd read of Hinduism, Judaism, numerology, theosophy, mind control, positive thinking and Christianity.'"
(Steve Turner, Hungry for Heaven)
"Elvis traveled with a portable bookcase containing over 200 volumes of his favorite books… such as The Prophet by
Kahlil Gibran, Autobiography of a Yogi by Yogananda,
The Mystical Christ by Manley
Palmer… The Inner Life
by Leadbetter, The First and Last Freedom
by Krishnamurti… the Book of
Numbers by Cheiro…" (Goldman, Elvis:
The Last 24 Hours)
Although some might say that these many spiritual tendencies indicate a shallow level of overall devotion -
others might surmise that Presley was either a sincere seeker, or a believer who resonated more with
interspirituality than with any particular religion.
Resources
http://www.debbieschlussel.com/15015/happy-75th-elvis-yes-the-king-was-jewish/
http://www.adherents.com/people/pp/Elvis_Presley.html
Copyright January 8, 2014 by Linda Van Slyke All Rights Reserved
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