Posted on 08/30/2014 7:00:33 PM PDT by 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.
(Excerpt) Read more at christianpost.com ...
I remember the thread.
I don’t recall any Christian there saying that Paul did it.
That’s what you claimed and that’s the claim I asked for the link for.
Ok. Which denominations do that?
If there are many as you claim, you ought to be able to provide the names of said denominations.
If we are worshiping Him to make ourselves happy, we’re doing it for the wrong reasons.
We worship Him because He alone is worthy of being worshiped.
A side benefit of that is that it does bring the Christian joy, but that’s not the reason to worship Him. It’s His due because of who He IS and what he’s done.
Well said! “God is most Glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him” ~ John Piper
That’s what you claimed and that’s the claim I asked for the link for.
And in fact I have saw comments right here on F.R that Paul invented Christianity.
Having followed the thread further down, I chose to piggy-back on Metmom’s response.
Alright Ravenwolf... How about an actual link to the specific comment where someone made the claim? Be sure to differentiate between a protestent making the claim and a catholic making the accusation.
If you can’t do that perhaps you can name a specific Free Republic member who made this claim. Tag them in the response so we might hear their argument.
Do you have more than your claim?
Saul of Tarsus zealously persued and tortured Jesus’ followers. He received permission to seize some in Damascus. While on the road he was confronted by Jesus who asked him “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
Jesus blinded Saul and sent him to Ananias who was terrified of meeting the zealot who arrested and tortured his brothers in Christ. Jesus reassured Ananias, telling him “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”
Note - In Acts 13 Luke began to refer to “Saul” as “Paul.”
I am a Baptist and I believe Jesus, the Christ, created Christianity. In fact, through Him all things were created.
What do you believe?
I’m not doing your work for you.
If you made the claim, it’s up to you to back it up if you’re going to treat it like fact.
If you’re not, then it can rightfully be presumed that it is in fact, not true but opinion, and it will be challenged so that people know the truth.
“Worshiping God should make US happy.”
It could but it may not. We may be convicted.
We may be saddened by our sin that caused Christ to go to the cross.
A 14 year old threw that one at me in Sunday School today.
There’s also the line about offering to God the sacrifice of praise.
Sometimes, it IS painful to praise God when things don’t go our way. It is a sacrifice to move on in faith and believe that even when things don’t go the way I wanted or expected, that God knows best what He’s doing and I need to, in faith, thank and praise Him even when NOT giving me what I want.
Cause what I want is often not what’s best for me. It’s the flesh rising up and not the Spirit within me.
I gave you the name, you can look it up and deny it or what ever you want to do with it, I don`t give a dam.
You’ve showed me nothing. There are no links to any FR posts and no FR member names.
Bearing false witness...isn’t that in the top ten “Thou Shalt Nots?”
I’m not doing your work for you.
Fine. Then we are free to presume that the is no evidence to support what you claimed.
Bluff called.
my conversation was not with you in the first place
Be honest, the comments aren’t there. If they were you would have provided links.
Be honest, the comments aren’t there. If they were you would have provided links.
I could have looked the link up and given it to you but you can look it up as easy as I can.
If you think the comments are not there it may be torture for me but I will see if I can live with it.
Why should he defend a position you hold?
It’s not HIS opinion. It’s yours.
You stated it in post 122.
Since when is someone expected to provide support for a position they do not hold based on a comment that someone else made?
He’s right. Be honest.
If you had the link, you would have provided it.
Fine. Then we are free to presume that the is no evidence to support what you claimed.
Bluff called.
I could have looked the link up and given it to you but you can look it up as easy as I can.
You made the claim. The burden of proof is on you. Of course you would provide them if they existed.
You made it up. It's not true. They don't exist. Just like purgatory.
What excuse for what? If you provided the link that proves what you claim is true, you get to saw * I told you so* and we would admit that we were wrong.
I could have looked the link up and given it to you but you can look it up as easy as I can.
The thread had over 1,300 replies. Why should someone else waste their time doing what you yourself refuse to do.
If you think the comments are not there it may be torture for me but I will see if I can live with it.
We know the comments are not there or you would have provided them.
We know the comments are not there or you would have provided them.
It seems this one claimed there were plenty made the claim about Paul. You’d think with so many raven could at least give a name.
This one fabricates data just like an anchor on MSNBC!
We know the comments are not there or you would have provided them.
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