HOLLYWOOD, CA (ANS) -- It has been revealed that Michael Jackson's private funeral at Forest Lawn cemetery in the Hollywood Hills was a Jehovah's Witness service.

The King of Pop's farewell wave

"Fossett, who isn't a Jehovah's Witness, said that the service was 'spoken in a way that their belief is that he [God] is going to be back on this earth,'" said the www.actressarchives.com  story. "Hawkins 'addressed guests and said he was glad that his [Michael's] life was connected with Jehovah."

The story went on to say, "Michael Jackson has been vocal about how difficult it was to be raised by Jehovah's Witnesses, and expressed his sorrow at never getting to celebrate birthdays or holidays as child. Once he was in his twenties, he began to celebrate his birthday.

"Jackson's three children attended the service where they leaned on their family members to get them through the emotional experience."

Fossett was also quoted as saying, "They lost their father. They were sad. All of us were comforting each other."

Fossett stated in the story that the night before Jackson's memorial service at the Staples Center, his family viewed his body in an open casket at Forest Lawn cemetery.

Speaking to People magazine, Fossett revealed, "He looked like himself. He looked like he just was laying there sleeping. He looked peaceful."

David Fossett outside Michael Jackson's boyhood home in Gary, Indiana

Fossett, who grew up with Jackson, explained that relatives who gathered around Jackson's casket "talked to each other and cried." Michael's parents, Katherine and Joe Jackson were not amongst the gathered family members, but after the viewing, the family headed back to the Jackson home in Encino.

"Fossett and others stayed the night," said the People story. "Tuesday morning, the family had a quick breakfast and then got into their vehicles for the convoy to the 30- to 40-minute private service. About 70 relatives gathered at Forest Lawn.

Fossett echoed the sentiment of many Jackson family members who have tried to make clear that Jackson's death is, to them, a deeply personal matter. Said Fossett, "It was a somber mood. Even though he's this big entertainer, he's still our family."

The People story went on to say, "But there was some levity as well as relatives reminisced. Fossett said he recalled for the group when Jackson, family and friends descended on Disneyland for the grand opening of the Captain EO movie, which starred Jackson. He also talked about the time in 1972 when Michael and the rest of Jackson 5 returned to Gary to perform at West Side High School."

There had been rumors that the funeral at Forest Lawn could have been a Muslim ceremony. This came about after, in 2007, his brother Jermaine Jackson told the media that Michael had shown interest in the religion, and there was brief speculation that Jackson converted from Jehovah's Witness to Islam.

Dan Wooding, 68, is an award winning British journalist now living in Southern California with his wife Norma of 46 years. He is the founder and international director of ASSIST (Aid to Special Saints in Strategic Times) and the ASSIST News Service (ANS); and US Bureau Chief for the Missionaries News Service (www.missionariesnews.tv) and Safe Worlds IPTV's Faith, Hope and Charity channel. He was, for ten years, a commentator, on the UPI Radio Network in Washington, DC., and now hosts the weekly "Front Page Radio" show on KWVE in Southern California and which is also carried on the Calvary Radio Network throughout the United States. The program is also aired in Great Britain on UCB UK and Calvary Chapel Radio UK. Wooding is the author of some 42 books, the latest of which is his autobiography, "From Tabloid to Truth", which is published by Theatron Books. To order a copy, go to www.fromtabloid totruth.com. E-mail: danjuma1@aol.com.