General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsTwitter is taking Joel Osteen to the woodshed. Here are some of my faves.
almightygod? @almightygod
Joel Osteen won't let his megachurch be used to help Houston's flood victims. Maybe I shoulda put something in the Bible about this.
Eugene Gu, MD? Verified account @eugenegu
Joel Osteen's megachurch is designed for the rising tithe, not tide.
Doug Keegan? @doug_keegan
H-Town, let the record show that Mattress Mack opened Gallery Furniture as a shelter but Joel Osteen kept doors of Lakewood Church closed.
Michael, still here? @Home_Halfway
Joel Osteen is to Christianity what Trump is to morality.
Link to tweet
Eliot Rosewater
(31,097 posts)NastyRiffraff
(12,448 posts)They're grifters, strictly in it for the money and fame. Joel even looks like a horrible human being.
shenmue
(38,503 posts)rustydog
(9,186 posts)I seem to recall something about a camel passing through the eye of a needle before a rich man will enter the kingdom of heaven...
BlancheSplanchnik
(20,219 posts)Pharisees and False Prophets in your midst, yet many will not see them.
ancianita
(35,816 posts)ollie10
(2,091 posts)I think Jesus would throw the money changer out onto the flooded street.....and let the people in.
malaise
(267,843 posts)Eugene Gu, MD? Verified account @eugenegu
Joel Osteen's megachurch is designed for the rising tithe, not tide.
lordsummerisle
(4,649 posts)them that has, gets...
Docreed2003
(16,817 posts)logosoco
(3,208 posts)I saw something about this earlier today and then someone said the church was in Houston and was being impacted by the flood. Looks like that is not the case here.
And that is one ugly looking building. One thing I have always appreciated about churches, especially really old ones, was their architecture. I guess this one is more like a shrine to money.
Mariana
(14,849 posts)Whoever puts up the ugliest church building wins something. That's the only explanation I can think of to explain the presence of so many hideous churches.
TexasTowelie
(111,319 posts)George II
(67,782 posts)TexasTowelie
(111,319 posts)where the Houston Rockets basketball team played. Lakewood Church leased the building after the Rockets moved to the Toyota Arena.
Pope George Ringo II
(1,896 posts)"This is the home of hoops and hockey!"
klook
(12,134 posts)trusty elf
(7,350 posts)I flip the bird at that place every time I drive past it.
Fritz Walter
(4,281 posts)Why a so-called church would need a loading/unloading dock.
Crash2Parties
(6,017 posts)Dustlawyer
(10,493 posts)cannabis_flower
(3,764 posts)that church wasn't built as a church. It used to be The Summit. It was an arena for concerts and the Rockets used to play there.
logosoco
(3,208 posts)I just saw someone on twitter defending Osteen saying it is not a place of shelter, it is a place of worship!
GeoWilliam750
(2,519 posts)"Vanni Fucci is alive and well, and living in Hell"
An excellent recording of it:
https://soundcloud.com/steve-alpaugh/vanni-fucci-is-alive-and-well-and-living-in-hell
SonofDonald
(2,050 posts)Every time I see his picture I get pissed, smiling away, grid ting money from old folks and anybody he can.
It's all just bullshit, disgusting.
LuckyLib
(6,814 posts)values into practice? Nah! Who needs our fellow humans who need care?
Grifter. Pure and simple.
Duppers
(28,094 posts)Aren't a number of them?
Pauldg47
(640 posts)They were going to open it. I do like Joel..he's different than others Evangelist's. Im glad it is not true what some of you are saying. I will try to attach. Hope it comes out...
https://www.instagram.com/p/BYV87Mkg0Br/
For all you people who jump to conclusions, Joel was going to open it but for two reasons he couldn't ...first, there wasn't access and next it was flooded inside.
His flock is made equally of all races...I guess flock is the way to say it...sounds corny but you all should read his books...not overwelming about Jesus.
Finally, and I might be rambling...it seems that dems are better Christians ....Just saying???!!! Now I'm judging and going to Hell...Right?!
yardwork
(61,418 posts)Pauldg47
(640 posts)Which doesnt show water.
yardwork
(61,418 posts)AllyCat
(16,039 posts)The one on the inside shows water ABOVE in a balcony and none below. Maybe there really is flooding and these still shots don't capture it in the right angle. Most of us recognize Osteen for the hateful things he says about certain groups, his support for the maniac in the WH, and his gritting ways.
elehhhhna
(32,076 posts)The carpenter, not the deity
TNNurse
(6,911 posts)He takes money and builds buildings (and a really nice house) what does that have to do with being a Christian?
How many people in his "congregation" have actually met him? How many does he visit in the hospital? How many does he comfort and counsel? He is a business.
Quoting scripture and drawing big crowds does not impress me as Christian activity.
When he speaks I get a really creepy, oily feeling like someone in a really awful story from my childhood.
all these "mega" churches give me the creeps. passing them on the road makes my skin prickle.
If you're making/keeping millions off your congregation you're not a Christian.
keithbvadu2
(36,371 posts)Judas got 30 pieces of silver, but just once, for selling Christ.
Pat Robertson, Joel Osteen, Jim Bakker and their ilk get millions of dollars repeatedly for selling Christ.
Judas was a fool for doing a one-time sale.
SammyWinstonJack
(44,129 posts)gopiscrap
(23,674 posts)Pauldg47
(640 posts)Showing the balcony and stage. I just found it on line.
yardwork
(61,418 posts)elehhhhna
(32,076 posts)Ilsa
(61,675 posts)Then what is the point?
If he's a prosperity gospel minister, you can keep him.
anneboleyn
(5,611 posts)zero to do with the Christ of the New Testament. I don't care how many times he says "Jesus" in his books; his mission in life isn't about imitating the NT Christ. He rakes in $$$ from poor and elderly constituents who believe his very standard prosperity gospel lie that gawd will bless them with MORE money and more "blessings" if they send HIM money.
likesmountains 52
(4,093 posts)Bengus81
(6,907 posts)LiberalFighter
(50,504 posts)The drywall has been cut out. Isn't drywall is cut out after the disaster is over and repairs begin? Something is fishy. Even if there isn't fish in the water.
anneboleyn
(5,611 posts)And he didn't want to help his fellow Christians or his precious "flock" until people on Twitter took their OWN PHOTOS ARE SHAMED THAT MILLIONAIRE TELEVANGELIST ASSHOLE INTO OPENING HIS CHURCH. He is a scumbag.
Skittles
(152,967 posts)how did THAT happen? because those pics were taken NEAR the church, not AT the church
what a fucking con man he is
Pauldg47
(640 posts)See my pics below.
yardwork
(61,418 posts)How can there be water in the upper galleries and none below?
grossproffit
(5,591 posts)yardwork
(61,418 posts)Turning people in need away, lying about it, doctoring photos, and paying people to spread the fake info on the internet.
grossproffit
(5,591 posts)yonder
(9,631 posts)KY_EnviroGuy
(14,483 posts)grossproffit
(5,591 posts)Pauldg47
(640 posts)...lots of cheap shots though from others who have no proof too. I have never seen Joel take political sides. Im no right wing political bigot.
Pauldg47
(640 posts)grossproffit
(5,591 posts)"Lakewood Church apparently bought countless air mattresses and are prepping to open their doors."
Link to tweet
anneboleyn
(5,611 posts)is a millionaire prosperity gospel type -- this is frankly the least he can do considering how much $$$$ his constituents give so that gawd will bless them.
Hassin Bin Sober
(26,273 posts)He parted the flood waters!!! He cast an air mattress upon the water and it came back one hundred fold!!!!!
Freethinker65
(9,934 posts)sarcasmo
(23,968 posts)Takket
(21,425 posts)rurallib
(62,346 posts)tiptonic
(765 posts)That's all religion is in this country. A tax shelter for the very smart and the very dense.
BigmanPigman
(51,432 posts)Ligyron
(7,592 posts)anneboleyn
(5,611 posts)them. We have had this happen way, way too often with our extended friends and family. Some of them even believed in the Rapture (barf) until they realized they were dying and no Rapture was happening. It happens like clockwork, every time. Very, very sad. Of course when OTHER people suffer they say "pray and god will bless you" and/or "it's god's plan" or they say truly evil things like "well sometimes god punishes..." When it hits home (usually these people are so selfish that they don't care until it actually strikes them personally -- such as getting a terminal cancer diagnosis)
BigmanPigman
(51,432 posts)Sorry, but I couldn't resist. I look at things with a perspective similar to yours.
Ligyron
(7,592 posts)I know I personally tried every trick I could come up with to continue believing in a fairy godfather and that in spite of all the hideous things contained in much of the Christian belief system. "I know: I'll just ignore those!"
I drifted into a sort of pantheism toward the end before just giving up and accepting the truth. Once I did, it was amazing how freeing losing all that baggage became.
I've never been happier!
Still, when I see how many cable channels are dedicated to fleecing folks it just blows my mind. I keep thinking there can't be the number of people which would justify so much bandwidth but apparently there are.
I must say, I just love The Atheist Experience show on youtube! Big shout out 'cause that helped me a lot and is a never ending source of amusement.
lunamagica
(9,967 posts)I'd doubt that. If anything, they would stop trusting televangelists, or even religion
BigmanPigman
(51,432 posts)lunamagica
(9,967 posts)The_REAL_Ecumenist
(713 posts)over the last 20 years. These grifter/fake creeps are the ultimate in identity thieves, hiding behind God to justify what they do to others in the name of God...
Jamaal510
(10,893 posts)see so many people try to ridicule Christianity (and religion in general) just because of a handful of bad actors like Olsteen. It's not enough for some people to not believe in the religion--they have to diss it and portray all believers as dumb.
lunamagica
(9,967 posts)anneboleyn
(5,611 posts)And that this god supposedly loves and protects the "most blessed" -- the poor, the sick, children, the vulnerable members of society. I think it's painfully obvious that this isn't the case. Yes, I have a graduate degree, and over the years I have heard every tortured argument well-educated theologically-minded Christians from various traditions (Catholics and some Protestants) have developed over the past 1500 years or so to explain why a supposedly all-loving and all-knowing god allows hideous, agonizing suffering that is not justifiable IN ANY WAY (they will cry "free will!" -- this doesn't cut it -- sorry -- also doesn't explain the suffering of those who are not capable of exercising free will -- the mentally ill, children and babies, and animals -- who are not considered moral agents in Christian belief.
Other religious traditions have different explanations -- as in Hinduism for example "god" (Shiva for example) has a destructive side as well as a creative, all-loving side). Obviously the god of Judaism works in a different way as does Allah and other traditions such as Buddhism, which regards suffering as an inherent part of human existence.
But I lost any belief in the Christian god as I got older the reality of human suffering opened my eyes.
LiberalLovinLug
(14,154 posts)Being brought up in a Christian fundie household. One of my 'favorite' excuses is: Its all in God's great plan that we are too small and stupid to see. That so much more good will come out of tragedy like this than bad....in the long run. (that only our Dear Saviour can see and has planned)
One of the last straws for me was my father, a decent kind person who was a devout Christian his whole life, never smoked or drank a drop of liquor, develop a form of Alzheimers not long after finally retiring. This was God's reward for his faithful dedication. And robbing my mother of the love of her life just as they would have been able to enjoy their twilight years together. And on the other hand, at the time, watching a fake Christian like W Bush fleecing so many with lies, and being rewarded with his part in the looting of Iraq. And being supported by the evangelical community in the US, completely blinded and hoodwinked as they are being now by even Trump, someone who is the antithesis of everything that is Christ like. Any group that can be so easily duped and led around by the nose by any charlatan has to be not only a cult but a dangerous one.
kairos12
(12,817 posts)Best_man23
(4,891 posts)Two words: eminent domain.
Duppers
(28,094 posts)Would these desperate folks be charged with breaking and entering if they went in?
grossproffit
(5,591 posts)ELY08
(76 posts)[link:https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10100727523579252&id=54101586&_rdr|
Dusty takes you on a tour
Response to ELY08 (Reply #27)
Glorfindel This message was self-deleted by its author.
applegrove
(118,022 posts)CanonRay
(14,038 posts)That is all.
msongs
(67,199 posts)treestar
(82,383 posts)who claim the US is a "Christian nation." Then why aren't the rich rushing to give money away? Given that verse, they should be terrified to have enough to be called "rich."
Turbineguy
(37,212 posts)to figure out how to make some money off it.
politicat
(9,808 posts)Tag-team grifting.
Fla Dem
(23,353 posts)You don't think he's doing this out of "Christian Charity" do you? He will be itemizing every single one of those air mattresses and every other expense that goes into to him providing "Christian Charity". He will then send that bill to the US gov't so all tax payers can share in his "Christian Charity", while he doesn't spend one red cent.
anneboleyn
(5,611 posts)Lifelong Protester
(8,421 posts)CentralMass
(15,265 posts)left-of-center2012
(34,195 posts)TexasBushwhacker
(20,044 posts)Not the Red Cross. Not United Way. Not the city's Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund (https://ghcfdisaster.kimbia.com/hurricaneharveyrelieffund). He wants the checks to be made out to "Lakewood Church".
Initech
(99,915 posts)When it comes time to do something Jesus would do, they give you the finger.
Lazy Daisy
(928 posts)There should be a tax on these mega churches. If a church is making people into millionaires they're not a church, they're a for profit business.
RKP5637
(67,032 posts)llmart
(15,502 posts)I can't stand to see him on TV on Sundays. I switch the channel so fast it makes my head spin. He's just a newer version of Jim and Tammy Baker.
Honeycombe8
(37,648 posts)Eugene Gu, MD? Verified account @eugenegu
Joel Osteen's megachurch is designed for the rising tithe, not tide.
oberliner
(58,724 posts)Brother Buzz
(36,217 posts)Prosperity Gospel preacher Joel Osteen to open megachurch to Hurricane Harvey refugees after public shaming
http://www.rawstory.com/2017/08/prosperity-gospel-preacher-joel-osteen-to-open-megachurch-to-hurricane-harvey-refugees-after-public-shaming/
It's dry inside the church
Nevernose
(13,081 posts)Because he just opened up the church to evacuees and refugees. That's the basement of the parking garage.
oberliner
(58,724 posts)Anyone who wants to help has my support.
yardwork
(61,418 posts)When people walked around his dry empty church (see the video upthread) he was shamed into opening the church. It's dry. It's been dry.
oberliner
(58,724 posts)I would think that a church would want to help out if it was able.
Maybe there were some logistical problems due to the flooding in the parking garage at first and now that things have subsided a bit, they are able to set up a shelter.
Don't we owe folks the benefit of the doubt in these emergency situations?
RhodeIslandOne
(5,042 posts)Yeah, well maybe that's the point of all this.
dflprincess
(28,057 posts)a true believer in the Supply Side Jesus who would cheat your grandmother out of her last dollar to finance his very opulent lifestyle.
elehhhhna
(32,076 posts)Orrex
(63,086 posts)You have to be kidding, right? Osteen doesn't run a church--he runs a printing press for money
And it all dumps right into his pocket.
cwydro
(51,308 posts)anneboleyn
(5,611 posts)Hassin Bin Sober
(26,273 posts)Pauldg47
(640 posts)More will come out.
friendly_iconoclast
(15,333 posts)Eliot Rosewater
(31,097 posts)anneboleyn
(5,611 posts)Any "pastor" or whatever he calls himself who would prefer to let his FELLOW CHRISTIANS SUFFER AND POSSIBLY DIE and lie about his church being flooded deserves to be run out of town. Scumbag.
rockfordfile
(8,682 posts)A typical right-wing scumbag
VermontKevin
(1,473 posts)Pauldg47
(640 posts)friendly_iconoclast
(15,333 posts)Seems Joel didn't want anyone in his church that wasn't a paying customer and came up with some frankly
shoddy attempts at excuses.
cwydro
(51,308 posts)You said it better than I would.
yardwork
(61,418 posts)It's physically impossible for the spaces above to be flooded while the spaces below stay dry.
The photos are fake.
Thor_MN
(11,843 posts)Hook a generator to Osteen's eyelids and get him to start talking and you could power the entire recovery effort....
KY_EnviroGuy
(14,483 posts)Maybe this will encourage owners of other facilities to open up, too - perhaps all over Texas and Louisiana as the need spreads and the long grind of recovery sets in. During Katrina, we had folks bused up here to KY and Indiana.
CentralMass
(15,265 posts)MFM008
(19,782 posts)Are the type of scum HE drove from the temple.
Money changers.
If Donald J Maggot had an outside profession he would be Osteen.
yuiyoshida
(41,765 posts)@$$#()Le
ProudProgressiveNow
(6,129 posts)Kentonio
(4,377 posts)Enorgnoz
(8 posts)I paid about $150 to take my girlfriend (now wife) to see him about 6 years ago at a convention center in Orlando. She's a recovering Christian from rural SC, but had always been a fan of his. I was very much agnostic at the time (now an Atheist), but I have to admit, I didn't mind him. He's very charismatic and, on TV, he seemed to keep his sermons focused more on the lessons and morality of the bible than preaching it as actual fact. I didn't mind that at all, so I surprised her with a couple tickets for her birthday.
I remember two things vividly from that performance - and what a performance it was. 1) the band was BUMPING. They had this drummer that was on point all damn night - tight as hell. Blood of the lamb my ass, he had the blood of Terry Bozzio. 2) every 15 minutes, literally, he paused to allow people to walk through the crowd with donation buckets; for his church, for someone else's church, for his church, for a mission to Haiti, for his church, for the disabled, for his church, for the FCA, for every group under the sun...and his church. It was about a year or so later than I learned of his sprawling estate and saw the BS for what it was - yep, it all made sense.
Anyway, he was much heavier into the literal interpretation of the bible in-person. Meh. We left early, partied downtown, had crazy drunk hotel room sex, and conceived our first child that night. Good times.
FakeNoose
(32,356 posts)geretogo
(1,281 posts)money as far as I'm concerned .