Victoria Osteen Ripped for Telling Church 'Just Do Good For Your Own Self'; Worship Is Not for God.'

Christian Post ^ | 08/30/2014 | Leonardo Blair

[SeekAndFind]

Victoria Osteen, wife of megachurch preacher and New York Times bestselling author Joel Osteen, is now facing withering criticism online for a viral video clip in which she is shown telling congregants at Lakewood Church that obedience, worship and church attendance is not for God but themselves.

"I just want to encourage every one of us to realize when we obey God, we're not doing it for God—I mean, that's one way to look at it—we're doing it for ourselves, because God takes pleasure when we're happy," she said in the 36-second clip posted on YouTube, with her husband smiling at her side in approval. "That's the thing that gives Him the greatest joy…"

"So, I want you to know this morning: Just do good for your own self. Do good because God wants you to be happy," she continued. "When you come to church, when you worship Him, you're not doing it for God really. You're doing it for yourself, because that's what makes God happy. Amen?" the clip ended as congregants cheered.

Erick Erickson, politicly conservative blogger and editor-in-chief of the blog site RedState.com, summed up his reaction to Mrs. Osteen's pronouncement in a quote from the 1995 movie "Billy Madison."

"What you've just said is one of the most insanely, idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent, response, were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. May God have mercy on your soul," it ended.

[GBA]

How so?

[TexasFreeper2009]

So you are arguing that living your life in a Godly way wont benefit you?

not lying
not stealing
not murdering
not going into debt
not worshiping money
not committing adultery
not worrying
being happy and content
not being jealous and envious of others
being good stewards of the earth
loving your neighbor
giving instead of receiving

ALL of these things and everything else in the bible WILL lead you to have a happier, healthier, wealthier, more content and fulfilled life.

Loving God and doing our best to live our life as he has directed us DOES direct benefit us.

[Lil Flower]

Did Christ “do good” for His own sake, or did He put others ahead of Himself? Sounds like you have that backwards, FRiend.

[prisoner6]

You are good.

And correct.

[TexasFreeper2009]

In the book of Job

Satan raises the question of whether there is such a thing as disinterested righteousness: if God rewards righteousness with prosperity, will men not act righteously from selfish motives? He asks God to test this by removing the prosperity of Job, the most righteous of all God's servants.

I suggest you read it, it's a fairly short book and directly addresses this issue.

[metmom]

Ping

[texican01]

Amen to that!

[metmom]

Plain and simple because worshiping God is NOT about us.

[Politicalmom]

Great minds.... :P

[Rashputin]

When people get sold on the idea that they can and should interpret Scripture any way they like because there is no authority higher than Self, they're well on the way to the Nirvana of "it's all about me".

People of the "Me Generation" who had "Me, Me, Me" drummed into their heads in every sort of advertising and entertainment flocked to the "Me" heresy leaving any and all authority other than Me behind.

Victoria just admits she's arrived at Self and Self Alone Nirvana instead of playing the game.

[metmom]

This is why those "Joel Osteen [DEVOTIONAL]" posts should be banned at FR. Enough already. It was bad enough when this fraud endorsed Lesbian Anise Parker for Houston mayor, so he could get his new mega church zoning approved (and she is now wreaking havoc on Christian values with her "Bathroom Bill"). But now his psychopathic wife is revealing how truly devoid of Christ is their materialistic doctrine. Please FR, no more Osteen "DEVOTIONALS". It's as antithetical to our values as a 'Daily Obama' post.

I couldn't agree more but you need to talk to the person who posts them.

He lost me when he said that he considered Mormons to be Christians.

He sealed that with his denying Christ answer on the Larry Kind show. Heck it was so bad that even Benny Hinn went off on him about it, and I don't agree with Benny Hinn on much of anything.

Problem with Osteens devotionals is that if you've read one, you've read them all.

There is virtually never anything new in them. Jesus is rarely mentioned except in closing where he slaps a *In Jesus Name* on the end of his *prayer* as if it's an incantation that makes God answer it.

They're all feely good, God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. Just start speaking good things about yourself and believe them and it will happen.

Precious little about Jesus, nothing about sin, repentance, confession, etc.

[TexasFreeper2009]

let me ask you this...

if God were to suddenly appear before you right now...

what would you do? fall on your knees and start worshiping him?

(this is what you said you think he wants us to do)

so .. now your on you knees or possibly completely flat and prostrated....

according to you ... this is what God wants us to do...

so...

I guess your God would just stand there and say something to the effect of... that's right! WORSHIP ME!

personally I would like to think God would prefer a hug, and a tearful thank you from the bottom of my heart than me lying their worshiping him.

[ravenwolf]

You mean your wife, daughter, mom, Freepers like me?

---

No, I like to hear women talk, I mean women should not be teaching or preaching to the congregation.

[TexasFreeper2009]

and I think if one were to start worshiping him as you suggested he wishes, the first thing he would do would be to pick you up off the ground just as he did the prostitute.

[Revelation Concepts]

Exactly. Not only does the book of Job address this question but I would like to know to those who agree with Mrs. Osteen what biblical passage is she quoting?

[metmom]

You sure read a lot into my one comment.

Let's see what happened when Jesus appeared to John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, on the island of Patmos.

Revelation 1:10-17 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.

And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; and in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.

His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; and his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.

And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.

And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:

If anyone knew Jesus, it was John. If anyone was in a position to give him a great big hug, it was John.

If you think you're going to do better than that when you come face to face with a holy God, you are deluded.

[GBA]

I've read it. Not saying that you're wrong, but that I don't see Job's story as being a lesson in altruism.

To me, it offers a multitude of lessons, but that Job's love of God wasn't motivated by love of things of the world, by material wealth.

Satan couldn't misery Job away from his love for and faith in God, as it wasn't a bribe or stuff that caused it.

No matter what he lost, Job never lost his faith and trust in God. He was a good and faithful servant. It was Satan who lost.

I see this as more of a lesson in unconditional love for God, no matter what, not unlike His love for us. Dogs are often good examples of this lesson also. But is unconditional love for God the same as altruism?

[metmom]

Worshiping God is not about making us happy.

It’s about glorifying HIM.

The whole emphasis of her comments is on the wrong person.

[Rides_A_Red_Horse]

Well said.

[ravenwolf]

What, Joel is wise?

Come on that is a stupid thing to say.

---

Maybe so but it was not me that said anything like that.