Ozzy Osbourne and the Truth behind Spirituality

I was watching the second series of reality TV programme ‘The Osbournes’ the other day. There, I admitted it. Considered trash and junk food TV by everyone who hasn’t seen it. I find it to be genuinely interesting and at times quite touching, unlike most reality TV. Although the main protagonist, ageing rock star Ozzy Osbourne, is well known as ‘the prince of darkness’, and appears to be suffering from a permanent hangover, he is actually a very sensitive and kind, loving man. And in one episode he unwittingly taught the world a very valuable lesson.

A lot of the Christian websites I have browsed through (example) condemn Ozzy as they believe him to be a Satanist. Many rock stars such as Ozzy, rock stars like Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin, are often misunderstood by the religious right who actually think they are Satanists. People like Ozzy just have a fascination with the theatrics of the occult. As entertainers they can appreciate the effects and mystique. They don’t actually follow Satan. I don’t even think that many actually believe in Satan. You have to understand this before you can truly appreciate who Ozzy really is.

At the time Ozzy’s wife, Sharon Osbourne, has cancer, and although she survives, they do not know that at this stage. At the same time, Ozzy is going through the twelve step detox programme, and is accompanied on a musical tour by his ‘spiritual guide’ Robert, who tries to get Ozzy to do stuff like pray, practice yoga and discuss Jesus with recovered alcoholics. He even reads him poetry, during which Ozzy signals his indifference with a well timed fart. Robert the Spiritualist “was trying to get Ozzy into being a lot more spiritual”.

But he need not have bothered. The most touching part was when Ozzy was discussing his fears about his wife’s illness, and what would happen if she died. “She’s my whole world, she’s the best lover I’ve ever had, the best friend I’ve ever had, the worst friend I’ve ever had”. Despite describing himself as a spiritualist, Robert seemed unable to guide Ozzy though these pure and basic, yet highly complex emotions. The best he could say was “if it’s any consolation you’ll probably die long before she will”. Hmm.

Ozzy demonstrated the lost truth of spirituality. It’s not religion, its not suffocating incense or waving crystals about your head, it’s not whale song cds or mystical proverbs from the east. It’s love, pure and simple. Whether or not you feel happy, you’ve reached a good place when the only thing you care about is another human being. In this way Ozzy was already complete.

Love is often overlooked by those who want to sell ‘spirituality’. This is because love is innate and spontaneous, mystical yet chemical. If you can’t write a book about it, do a dance round it or glue a crystal to it, spirit-merchants like Robert can’t make money out of it, so it gets largely ignored. I’m sure he meant well. I’m sure they all mean well. I’m sure if I met this Robert bloke I would feel bad for having slated him. But he has a long way to go, much farther than he thinks, much farther than Ozzy, if he has not yet attuned himself with the purity and base goodness of simple, old fashioned love. As I believe Jesus said ‘do not remove the splinter from your brother’s eye before you have removed the log from your own’.