Posted on 11/01/2014 6:38:45 AM PDT by Gamecock
Let’s begin with a pop quiz. If I told you a well-known public figure did the following:
Which side would you say such a person is on?
The “person” in question here is none other than Joel Osteen, otherwise known as “America’s Pastor.”
Pastor of what exactly is open to interpretation, depending on the prevailing winds of pop culture and what helps pad the bank account at the time.
It’s been said the greatest trick the devil ever pulled is convincing the world he doesn’t exist. Satan doesn’t usually show up in a bright red suit and a pitchfork. No, the devil knows we are visually and sensually driven creatures. So Satan is usually glamorous, titillating, and smiling with a bright double-decker of pearly whites. Never forget the most poisonous serpents are often the prettiest.
We fall for it because we judge based on what’s on the outside, and from the outside Joel Osteen has it going on. He lives in a $10 million mansion with his movie-star gorgeous wife. He’s the rare 51-year old man with six-pack abs. His publicity tours generate so much demand scalpers can ask for up to $850 per ticket. He renovated a NBA team’s old arena for $105 million to house the nation’s largest “church” there. His estimated net worth is at least $40 million.
From the outside, Joel Osteen lives a life the world covets. There’s just one problem with that. I can’t think of a single truly great figure in the 2,000-year history of Christianity who didn’t pay some kind of worldly price for defending the faith—beginning with Christ himself at the Cross. On the other hand, it seems as if the world is paying Osteen quite handsomely for the self-esteem gospel according to Joel.
By the way, while the Cross where Christ died for the sins of the world is the most recognized symbol in history, you won’t find one of those at Osteen’s “church.” You won’t find too much talk about suffering, sin, and salvation, either. Instead, you’ll find a lot of shiny, happy people. Just like Joel Osteen. A team always takes on the characteristics of its (life) coach. After being beaten, imprisoned, ship-wrecked, and beheaded for his beliefs, the Apostle Paul who wrote most of the New Testament would be unrecognizable to Osteen’s adherents.
Happiness draws a crowd. We all want to be happy. The problem is what often makes us happy are the instruments of our destruction. For example, we do drugs to be happy, which is why we call it “getting high” and not “getting low.”
But God sees what’s on the inside. And what He sees is that something is very wrong with the inside of us. We’re spiteful, greedy, selfish, dishonest, lustful, prideful, and at times capable of unspeakable evil.
Despite what the progressives claim, we’re not getting any better, either. Nowadays parents sue for “wrongful birth” because they didn’t get the chance to kill their own kids before they were born, and moms publicly boast about “wishing everyday” they could kill their children. The 20th century was the most technologically advanced, prosperous, and educated century in human history—and also the bloodiest.
Thankfully, Joel Osteen is right about one thing. God is good, and He does want what’s best for us. That’s why He sent His Son into the world. Not to condemn the world, but so that through Him the world may be saved from its own (our) wickedness. Unfortunately, this is not the message preached in any of Osteen’s sermons, books, or DVDs.
Meanwhile, in Osteen’s hometown of Houston, the lesbian mayor he prayed a blessing over when she took office has been busy trying to intimidate the church into silencing its public witness. While his peers were being threatened with persecution, Osteen was silent. But cut Osteen some slack, he’s got “A Night of Hope” events booked all over the country. He’s a little preoccupied at the moment, and paying customers get their hope first. It says so right there in the contract.
So why wasn’t “America’s Pastor” singled out for standing up to his pagan mayor’s attempt to redefine morality in his city? When you learn the answer to that question, you’ll know why Osteen is so popular. A culture drowning in its own selfishness, arrogance, and materialism can’t get enough of the forked-tongue philosophy he’s peddling.
Osteen isn’t preaching the Gospel. He’s preaching quicksand.
I don't expect them to live in cardboard boxes and I confess I have not impacted as many people as they have but, seriesly, c'mon, the incessant guilt-trip pleas for money to feed the poor while they live in mansions and drive limos and whatnot seems a little out of sync with what Jesus taught.
But that's just me.
I should print that and place it in every room in my house for my kids to read every single day!
Why is Freeper “Vision” allowed to post Osteen threads as religious - blocking all debate - when clearly Osteen:
1. Is NOT a Christian
2. He rejects Jesus Christ and God’s absolute teachings including choosing the homosexuality lifestyle is so evil it’s an “obamanation”.
3. Osteen refused to speak-up in defense of the true Christian who were threatened by Houston’s homo mayor.
4. Osteen’s net worth > $40 MILLION based on his “religious” scam
5. Osteen is a leftwing political hack...like OwlGore who also made a fortune Preaching his scam.
Church of the Blinking Eye
Driving past his temple the other day I couldn’t help but notice the sign says Joel Osteen Ministries. The “Joel” is huge, overshadowing the rest.
This guy is the biggest fraud since the tent show was created. Anyone who would pay him would vote for Parker and Pelosi.
I believe Osteen donates to FR. It is the only reason he is allowed to constantly submit articles that no one reads.
That would amount to purchasing advertising, which the operator of FR has nixed.
Of course, some other individual on FR may be receiving some sort of compensation for doin this “good work”. No way for me to know one way or the other.
Freeper “Vision” should answer:
1. Why he posts the Osteen threads
2. Why he blocks all debate
3. What compensation (direct & indirect) he receives
Vision - stand up and answer for your leftwing, satanic deeds!!!!
Meant to reply to post #1, but every time I clicked on “reply” it threw me to the top of the page.
I sincerely invite Vision to talk about why he supports Osteen, who said he would have no problem attending a queer “wedding.” There has to be a reason(s).
Vision, if you care enough to post Osteen’s daily devotional threads, you must care enough to defend him.
Good article.
Paging Mr. Gantry .. Mr. Elmer Gantry, please pick up the huckster courtesy phone . . .
Burt Lancaster couldn’t blink like that on his very best day of acting.
He’s basically a motivational speaker and sprinkles the Bible, God, and Yashua in from time to time.
“‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”
That one’s gonna leave a mark.
0steen is probably a Fed operative. I don’t know why his minions are on FR, and I wouldn’t trust any of his cult followers.
0steen actually characterized 0bama as a Christian which is absolutely pathetic.
The occultist 0prah even attended one of 0steen’s sessions.
0steen is among bad company and his followers should wake up and break their ties with this man.
The guy gives me the creeps.
We’ll, at the end of each televised sermon, Joel invites people to say the sinner’s prayer and accept Jesus as their savior and Lord. He then urges people who did to get into a good Bible-based church. But he has a gorgeous wife, his Mother was miraculously cured of Cancer, and the got that big stadium in a really amazing way. So, there must be something wrong with him because Jesus wants all Christians to really suffer and to be really miserable.
What about those who do suffer? Is there room for them in Osteen, Inc?
I hadn't really looked into what he believes before this, but obviously he's a waste of time.
My only contact with Osteen is I see FR threads on him and have seen a commercial on my TV from him.
In that commercial he says there is a power within you that is greater than anything that comes against you.
Just that senseless,empty statement would turn me off to his ramblings.
And it is not that he is taken out of context, because it is an ad for his business. -Tom
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