Joel Osteen and Family Feud

White Horse Inn ^ | Aug.24, 2012 | James Gilmore

[doc1019]

TY, my education continues. LOL!

[Gamecock]

The Real Osteen Ping!

[Scrambler Bob]

M4L

[Gamecock]

Osteen Ping!

[Jamestown1630]

(Dalberg-Acton, this post is not directed toward you personally; it’s directed to the thread.)

I’ve never understood the level of “religious animosity” that I’ve seen on FR. It seems to me to be out-of-line with our Founders ideals.

I didn’t notice it much during the many years that I lurked here, because I was interested in politics and American political history; and I learned so much from so many wise and educated people here.

But since actually joining and posting, I’ve noticed the religious animosity “big-time”.

Earthly religions are man-made things; but they are one of the ways through which God finds a way to speak to us - to each in his own way, to each according to the level of his understanding. God speaks in many ways, to inspire, alert, and convert. And it’s an intensely personal thing: nobody can create a “Religion” that is right for everybody.

I would never criticize another person’s religion or belief, as long as it is one that reveres LOVE for our fellow man, above all; because I believe that in doing so, I would be attempting to come between that person, and God.

No two people come to God in the same way. Everyone takes his or her own path. Nobody knows what some word, sentence, ideal, might put another on the path to spiritual realization.

Can we quit with ridiculing various religious paths and inways?

So many people seem to think that only THEY know the real path; and that scares me. (The Catholics criticize the Protestants, and vice-versa; people ridicule the Mormons; etc. Only God knows where it stops! and ONLY God cares about actually bringing people to Him.)

A lot of you who criticize other Christ-Believing people, seem to be just trying to validate your OWN belief - and if you have such a need to validate it, maybe you are not so sure of it yourselves.

Just leave people alone, and follow your path, as you see it. Your duty is toward your OWN development, and your own honor of God, as you see it; not toward that of others.

I originally thought that FR was a place to discuss political/social issues. Not a place to attack others for their religious inclinations and beliefs.

I’m starting to re-think that.

-JT

[Gamecock]

And yet there is a religion forum debate religion!

[Gamecock]

Oh, and welcome to FR!

[Jamestown1630]

Sorry; I can’t parse your comment.

But, Thanks for the Welcome!

-JT

[metmom]

We do too, and are relieved to hear that you’re not.

[OneWingedShark]

Olsteen said Obama is a Christian and is doing a good job. I don't know Barack Hussein Obama’s heart, but I can tell you that I don't think he is doing a good job.

I think the question has to be asked: a good job at what?

There are several things that Obama has been doing a good job at, one of which is accumulating the power of the state at an astonishing rate — this alone has produced a bit of an awakening at the liberties that are being lost and illuminating the problem: the government.

So, even though I certainly dislike the direction things are going it's not entirely bad — a consequence of people moving back in with their parents is that the accidental wrong-address no-knock SWAT raid down the street gains an entirely new dimension of reality when people think this could happen to my [extended] family… do you really think that many people would consider the sheer danger of no-knock raids [both literally andabstractly if there was a good economy and there wasn't a sense of I'm the authority, the rules don't apply to me from every level of government?

So, there's some bright spots despite all the bad things.

[Sans-Culotte]

The article was an attempt to show that Osteen's brand of Christianity has little to do with Biblical Christianity. You seem to be easily offended by religious disagreements. I am just as easily offended/bored by your brand of ''all paths lead to God/Coexist'' Christianity, or whatever you call it. It's a religion forum, and religious subjects are apt to be discussed. When a thread looks like it is degenerating into denominational nastiness, I don't participate. IMO, you are guilty of what you decry by basically saying we have no business having these threads on FR.

BTW, some religion threads are labeled as 'caucus' threads. This means they are closed to people who are not a member of the caucus thread. People who crash those threads are breaking the rules and are usually asked to leave by a moderator.

[Religion Moderator]

This thread is posted in the Religion Forum.

If you do not wish to see Religion Forum posts, do NOT use the "everything" option on the Free Republic browse option list. Instead, browse by "News/Activism." When you log back in, the browse will reset to "everything" - so be sure to set it back to "News/Activism."

[wjcsux]

I could be very wrong, but to me, that guy comes off as being like a crooked lawyer(I know that’s redundant) or the used car salesman type. I wouldn’t trust him any further than I could throw him.

I agree 100%. He does have a hot wife though.

[Jamestown1630]

Um...I don’t think I mentioned the “Coexist” meme. And, who cares if some people find Osteen inspiring?

I don’t know what a “caucus” thread is. That’s something I’ve ever encountered during years of lurking, since 1998.

I found this thread under the general “Forum” heading.

If I’ve made a mistake, please inform me as to exactly WHERE I am permitted to respond in a religious sense, to a thread or post that involves Religion.

(And, as to your sense of what is ‘Biblical’ or not: I don’t think that anybody really knows, for sure!)

I’m about Spirit, and letting it in.

YMMV.

My best to you,

-JT

[Religion Moderator]

Click here for more guidelines on the Religion Forum.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

I carry a Bible. But I put it in my purse.

My husband does not, he shares mine.

Out of the rest of the family, Mom carries a purse Bible as well. Dad carries an IPad with Bibles in various languages and translations ditto brother, the rest follow along on their smart phones.

So you would not see any of us carrying Bibles as we walked in yet we would all have access to one during the service.

Conclusions, jump not to them.

[Alex Murphy]

On Friday, July 13, 2012, Joel Osteen made an appearance in Cleveland, Ohio. Fourteen thousand people filed into Quicken Loans Arena that evening to take in “A Night of Hope”....I had decided to take note of two phenomena: (1) the number of people I saw toting Bibles (those prepared to say, “This is my Bible…”), and (2) the number of people who stopped to engage in a more in-depth conversation....Let me here report the results:

15 bibles, 1,250 passers by. That’s 1.25% Bible-carrying Osteenites.

I wonder how many of those fifteen were the Joel Osteen Bible. A "red letter version" of a paraphrased translation is an oxymoron IMO:

[PoloSec]

There are many multitudes of Joel Osteen's...(Ro 16:18)

For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

[Iscool]

I watched the end of a Joel Osteen program the other day...At the end of the program Osteen gave out the typical Protestant plan of salvation and encouraged the tv watchers to find a good bible believing church in their area...

My question is; would these people at Osteen’s church attend another church if he quit???

In my experience, all the different personalities out there respond to different kinds of preaching...I’m sure God doesn’t take all preachers and turn them into robots or drones...Some people will respond to a tack-hammer type of preaching and others will respond to a jack-hammer style...

Perhaps Osteen’s church has a large turnover and people move on to churches where they get a little meat as opposed to all milk...