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So he learned his lesson after denying Jesus on national TV and gave a lukewarm answer on gays. Let's look at what else he said and what his actions are.

Joel Osteen Doesn’t Want Anti-Gay Stance To Define His Ministry. He says "but I don’t really focus on a lot of those things, I try to stay in my lane of what I feel called to do. [Gay marriage] does come up in interviews and things, but that’s not my core message.”

His core message? Does he really think he is not called to preach against homosexuality?

Acts 20, 26Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, 27for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. 28Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God,d which he obtained with his own blood.e 29I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. 31Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears.

Thankfully Paul preached the while counsel of God. According to Scriptur if someone, like Osteen doesn't, he has blood on his hands.

Elsewhere Osteen has said that gays can go to Heaven, which the certainly may. But Osteen once again left out repentance and the tapping into the grace offered by the atoning death and resurrection of Jesus.

And what did he say in another interview?

"I believe that scripture says that it's a sin but I always follow that up by saying you know what, we're not against anybody," Osteen said to Larry King. "There's a lot of things Larry that I don't understand - so I just don't want to preach on it, preach about it."

What is there to understand. Scripture teaches homosexuality is a sin. He is again dodging the question.

Dodging it just like he did here. This time it was so egregious that it drew the attention of Al Mohler, former president of the Southern Baptist Convention, who opined

“established the perfect platform for Osteen to respond with the gospel of Jesus Christ,” Osteen “did not.”
“Viewers of CNN saw a display of confusion, evasion, and equivocation coming from one presented as a Christian pastor,” charged Mohler. “What they were really seeing is the total theological bankruptcy of the word of faith movement and the gospel of positive thinking.
“Osteen cannot, or at least will not, speak even the simplest word of biblical conviction. He states his intention to stay in his ‘lane’ of glib affirmation.”

And actions speak louder than words. Don't forget he prayed at the ingratiation ceremony Houston's gay mayor Annise Parker. I'm sure he prayed a Christ centered prayer there. Oh. Wait! He didn't.

So who is Houston mayor Annise Parker? You may have seen that she recently went after 5 Houston pastors who, like Paul, preach the whole counsel of God. Did she go after her buddy Osteen? No. Did he, as one of the most "influential pastors in America" come to there defense? No.

He is, like others have said a snake oil salesman and not a very good one at that.

Thank you for the thought and time you've taken to respond to my post to you.

I appreciate how you've explained the opinions you've come to.

Loving the sinner while hating the sin can be quite a challenge, especially regarding all things sex and now homosexuality.

I know how much I struggle with that love/hate challenge with some in my world and I'm just me with a small circle of influence, not a pastor nor Pope.

Jesus is the only one I can think of who got that one right and His is often a difficult example to follow unless you're fully tuned in to the God Channel.

Otoh, Satan has enjoyed quite a lot of success with it and it may be what trips Osteen up and leads to his downfall, as so often happens with those in the spotlight.