Osteen rep lying furiously on CNN -- claiming all that water "drained away" since MONDAY and

[anneboleyn]

that the church "always" had its doors open and that they were "sheltering" people the whole time. Erin Burnett asked how many people were there during and immediately after the storm, and Osteen's rep was talking as quickly as possible and not answering questions. He then said there were maybe ten people there sheltering during the storm and that "some" of them were maintenance workers there to watch the building.

Now he is claiming they have "busloads" of people there (no photos of the people supposedly there now) -- then Erin asked how many, again -- and he replied two or three busloads (and then more blathering about not being designated a "shelter" by the government, etc etc).

The "lying" bit in the title of my post is my feeling about this -- their story is NOT believable.

Osteen couldn't even be bothered to phone in himself? The answers should be very easy if they are true...

[Skittles]

1. cornered con man

it is sickening how many people believe in his utter bullshit

[shenmue]

2. Yes

[ChubbyStar]

34. Quote from GOD in the movie Oh God

"God: You take these answers and give them to Reverend Big Mouth and you say that God says he's a phony. And also tell him, if he wants to get rich, fine, tell him to sell earth shoes. But, personally, tell him, I'd like him to shut up."

[irisblue]

43. thanks MIRT for the message removed below.

excellent Zotting!

[likesmountains 52]

10. A preacher who lives in a 10 million dollar home...really?

[ChubbyStar]

22. Come on now he needs that space for his wife's big hair

[Hieronymus]

32. Big hair, a requirement to Religious Right Wingers.

Plus lots of makeup.

[ChubbyStar]

37. Tammy Faye showed them the way

[Hieronymus]

44. Just as God intended ..

a woman should model herself as cheap whore.

[bobbieinok]

50. Did you ever see Jan Crouch?

She and her husband Paul (both now deceased) founded TBN (Trinity Broadcasting Network).

[ChubbyStar]

52. FFS I MET Her!!!

Lovely Orange County at their mega church when they were neck deep in Trinity Broadcast Network I could tell you a story....what a doozy...it is too naughty to post here but PM me if you want to hear it.

[volstork]

56. Is she the one

with the enormous pink hair? I would LOVE to hear that story....

[ChubbyStar]

58. That would be her!

Give me a minute and I will send you a PM.

[volstork]

60. Mercy.

Yes, she looks VERY righteous. (self-righteous, that is...)

[elehhhhna]

76. The first time my husband saw her on television with her big pink hair in her pink outfit he said

look honey she put her wig in the washing machine with all her pink clothes

[DangerousRhythm]

73. Well, now I'M curious!

That woman haunted my nightmares for a while.

[Whiskeytide]

79. You can't tease us with ...

... that disclaimer and not tell the story! You have seriously piqued my curiosity. We can handle naughty around here. We deal in Trump stories everyday.

[VOX]

80. "Ex-Worker Accusing TBN Pastor Says He Had Sex to Keep His Job"

Is this 9/22/2004 Los Angeles Times article related to what you know?

http://articles.latimes.com/2004/sep/22/local/me-tbn22

A former Trinity Broadcasting Network employee who was paid $425,000 to keep quiet about his claims of a homosexual tryst with televangelist Paul Crouch has disclosed details of his complaint, saying that he had felt forced to engage in the alleged sexual acts to keep his job.

Enoch Lonnie Ford, 41, said he was going public with his story because he believes TBN officials breached a confidentiality agreement that was part of a 1998 settlement that provided the payment to him. Network officials broke the agreement, he contends, by issuing a statement last week responding to a news account of the ministry's legal effort to silence him. TBN's statement described the circumstances of the settlement and highlighted Ford's criminal background.

Crouch, 70, is president and popular on-air personality of Orange County-based TBN, the world's largest religious broadcaster.
<snip>

Or perhaps it's found in this 6/5/2017 Orange County Register article:
https://www.google.com/amp/www.ocregister.com/2017/06/05/jury-awards-2-million-to-granddaughter-of-trinity-broadcast-network-founders-in-personal-injury-case/amp/
Granddaughter who alleged rape cover-up is awarded $2 million in Trinity Broadcasting Network lawsuit

An Orange County jury Monday, June 5 awarded $2 million in damages to the granddaughter of late televangelist Jan Crouch, finding that the minister acted outrageously when she blamed and berated her 13-year-old granddaughter after the girl told her she had been sexually assaulted by a church employee.

The jury deliberated nearly eight hours before determining that Jan Crouch, who co-founded the Trinity Broadcasting Network empire with her late husband Paul, caused her granddaughter Carra Crouch, now 24, years of emotional pain and suffering.

The judgment was $1 million for past emotional damage, and $1 million for future pain and suffering.
<snip>

[ChubbyStar]

81. No my story has to do with being a volunteer at the creepy TBN phone bank ONE TIME!!

Awful people Paul and Jan, although my interaction was directly with her.

[trof]

84. And here she is!

[jmowreader]

85. Her hair isn't all that big

Google "pictures of Victoria Osteen." Her hair, makeup and clothes are very much like Melania Trump's. She isn't doing the Jan Crouch/Tammy Faye Bakker thing.

[DesertRat]

12. Welcome to DU

I don't think that Osteen is a man of God. I see him as a motivational speaker who pretends to be Christian in order to get tax breaks.

[Eko]

13. Why?

What does whether a person is an atheist or not have to do with this?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

35. He's a con man. Whether or not somebody who criticizes him is an atheist is irrelevant.

Osteen pretends to be a Christian while failing to do what Jesus commanded - I see a guy who lives like a king instead of giving his material possessions to the poor. If he's ever read Matthew 25 he sure doesn't pay it any mind.

[Skittles]

14. no, I am not an atheist

it doesn't take an atheist to spot a con man

so sorry you cannot see through him

[Blue_true]

15. I am not an atheist.

But I am a Deist. If I wanted to buy snakeoil, I will find a real snake that sells it. Osteen is the type that if I meet on ANY car lot, I get away from ASAP.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

38. If there's anything worse than snake oil it's fake snake oil.

I wouldn't buy a used car from Osteen. He reminds me of a carnival barker.

[NRaleighLiberal]

18. isn't the library closed? don't fall for this one, folks...

frequent flyer here.

[KelleyKramer]

48. Zing!!!

I see what you did there

Heh ha!

[Maven]

19. So what if she were?

What does that have to do with it?

(Skittles, I am not being presumptuous and I see that you have already replied stating that you are not. Just don't understand what being an atheist or not has to do with the credibility of your statement. So pls do not schedule me for an ass-kicking, thx )

[irisblue]

23. umm, you sure you want to start off by insulting people here?

and there is nothing wrong with being an atheist.

[AnotherMother4Peace]

27. Welcome. One's beliefs or lack of are irrelevant. Osteen preaches

and accepts money so that he can help and minister to his flock. The evidence indicates he turned his back on desperate people. I'm very upset about that.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

40. He accepts money so he can live in a mansion.

[AnotherMother4Peace]

46. Yes, you're correct. He just proved it. nt

[JenniferJuniper]

30. If you don't know any details,

why bother with your post?

Go find the details instead.

[Flaleftist]

3. OMG It's a miracle!

The lying fake Christian grifter piece of shit.

[anneboleyn]

5. Honestly, I used to think he was better than the others. I was obviously totally wrong. He is a

total lying, money-grubbing creep.

[pangaia]

7. None of them are better than the others.

They are all worse than the others..

[FSogol]

36. You know which one is better than the others? The one that quietly

helps out at the food bank or women's shelter and doesn't have a $10 million dollar home, private helicopter, and luxury jet.

[Iggo]

82. That one who was swimming around yesterday checking abandoned cars for victims.

He's better than the others.

At least he's better at being a goddam'd human being.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/houston-pastor-checks-cars-submerged-in-floodwaters-to-make-sure-no-one-is-inside/

[FSogol]

83. Agreed. Thanks for posting that story. n/t

[catbyte]

4. I'm sure Osteen saw the uproar on social media & knew this could cause his

ill-gotten gravy train to derail, so he had to do something, anything to stop the bleeding. He's so vile. I just can't understand why people fall for that bullshit.

[Skittles]

11. that is CORRECT

he is a fucking con man

he wants to make money off people, not spend money on them

fuck him

[cwydro]

75. Yep, nail on head.

Thank you.

[anneboleyn]

17. Yep. I think you are right. And he couldn't even call in himself. Twitter is exposing his lies

[TlalocW]

31. I'm sure his thinking process went something like

Holy shit... I stand to lose millions and millions of dollars if I don't take the hit of having all the utilities on and having to replace $30,000 on carpet, most likely. OPEN THE DOORS!

TlalocW

[applegrove]

6. It was Osteen's brother-in-law talking with Burnett. He claimed that the church building

had had 8 feet of water in it during hurricain Allison (before the Osteen's bought the building).

[anneboleyn]

20. He also claimed that they had flooding from this storm and that the water had receded. Also, flood

gates were/are barely resisting a massive amount of water. This is what he claimed. He was deliberately evasive. It was obvious. Same with the uh...uh...one or two or three busses now...uh...

[applegrove]

26. I wonder why the brother in law spoke instead of Osteen himself as well.

[Sunlei]

65. They did flood in their lower parking garages. but 24 hours with sump pumps & storm sewers open

storm sewers open (storm sewers flowing TO the bayous-not backing up)can clear out flooded lower level parking areas.

They were lucky, could have been much, much worse, if say a tornado touched down or the storm sewers were over whelmed and couldn't drain the parking garages.

[Sunlei]

24. Thats correct and on this Sat. the churches parking was flooded out. schools were used FIRST as

immediate emergency shelter. places like the church and mattress Mack's showroom and a couple other large buildings are now in use to handle convention center overflow.

The emergency schools have moved out the homeless to convention center and SECONDARY volunteer places like Olsteins church.

[Solly Mack]

8. The purloin profit would call that a victory of the mind.

[Sunlei]

16. Its ok, mayor of houston is using places like olsteins to take a few buses of convention center ove

convention center overflow. convention center is at 10,000 max. so they bus some to places like olsteins church.

Initially public schools were used all over Houston area for immediate emergency shelters.

I have to say the Mayor and chief of police were and are now AWESOME. on tv 2- 24/7 directing where to shelter people. Management flow of people homeless is excellent.

[anneboleyn]

21. What is okay? OSTEEN is a despicable jackass who obviously cares about his image and $$$$ far more

than the people or his "flock." This has nothing to do with Houston officials. Osteen could have stepped in all by his wealthy and powerful self. He didn't until he was called out publicly in a big way on twitter.

[Sunlei]

29. I hear you. But he DID volunteer his church to take OVERFLOW homeless from convention center.

The convention center is now at 10k and people are being bused to places like the church.

[Skittles]

39. only after he was shamed into it

fuck that con man piece of shit

[Sunlei]

45. yes public shaming may have helped :P, but the public schools were PLANNED first emergency shelters

Thank Obama for the emergency disaster planning policies they put in place over past 8 years. WORKS VERY WELL.

[Skittles]

67. they were quickly overwhelmed

that piece of shit Osteen should have stepped up to the plate immediately

alas, the only plate he is interested in is the one that gets passed around

[Sunlei]

68. no, the planned use of public schools weren't overwhelmed. you may not like the megachurch but at

least they did_coordinate_with disaster plans & open their doors and collect a lot of disaster items.

He's really a public figure around Houston just like 'mattress mack'. The church did flood in parking garage and no buses could have made it to the mega church as streets to church were impassable FRI-SAT-SUNDAY. Even the sunday church was canceled because of flooding.

[Skittles]

70. HE IS A FUCKING CON ARTIST

EDUCATE YOURSELF...the man had to be SHAMED into helping...after LYING about why they weren't helping.....that is FUCKED UP

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2017/08/29/heres-why-people-hate-joel-osteen/?utm_term=.c47ae91e6115

http://www.wlky.com/article/houston-residents-ask-joel-osteen-to-open-lakewood-church-for-harvey-flooding-victims/12113547

http://www.totalprosports.com/2017/08/29/ex-espns-sean-salisbury-exposes-joel-osteen-for-lying-about-being-able-to-house-houston-flood-victims-video/

[Sunlei]

71. ok, I can see that's most important to you. I live in SSW Houston & missed flooding by about 1 inch

good night, coffee is finally wearing off.

[Skittles]

72. and this is why he gets away with it

because, like Trump, he is able to fool a LOT OF PEOPLE

[Wednesdays]

63. Just like how Jesus fed the five thousand

... just as soon as officials announced that the convention centers were exhausted.

[Sunlei]

64. lol, true :).conven. center is just full. Disaster Plans-excellent thanks to Obama admin. 'up grades

Our Obama admin made several disaster plans upgrades over the past 8 years, Federal government coordinating with states and LOCAL governments. like public schools first emergency shelters...move to convention center...then move overflow people to places local to their neighborhoods like Lakewood church, GM center, many other local churches and large stores (not flood or storm damaged)

The plans were excellent and are currently working very well for Houston. Mayor of Houston/local police even have a curfew now to reduce any looting problems from all the empty homes.

[logosoco]

25. Maybe they figure the folks who believe the story of the parting of the

Red Sea will believe this story. (and sadly, this is probably true).

[Golden Raisin]

28. Jesus would throw Osteen out of the Temple

so fast your head would spin.

[Best_man23]

33. So if Osteen has the power to make water recede

Then let him go up to the trillions of gallons of water flooding Houston and let him touch the water. We'll see whose better at estimating when the water will finally recede, the Army Corps of Engineers or Osteen.

Osteen=Con Man

[BigmanPigman]

51. If you want a miracle he will want to see the cash up front.

[Hieronymus]

41. He's like all the other preachers.

God be damned, he wants money.

[rurallib]

42. Wouldn't there be mud or bits and pieces of various debris

if it did drain? From the videos I saw there was nothing that left any mark or debris.
Just a little skeptical.

[Roland99]

47. A rising tithe lifts all rescue boats

[MrPurple]

49. Osteen & Huckabee-Sanders, of the Lying-My-Ass-Off Denomination

They only think there's busloads of people there because most of the people who follow them grew up riding the really short buses.

[DoctorJoJo]

53. Proving Yet Again ....

... that prostitution is NOT the world's oldest profession, pimping God to the ignorant and fearful is!

JoJo

[kimbutgar]

54. I hope that cretin Is exposed as the charlatan he is!

He is just another christofascist fleecing happy people of their money.

[Duppers]

55. Osteen going on tv tomorrow

To continue the lying.

[IronLionZion]

57. The Islamic Society of Houston's 21 mosques have been open the whole time

to anyone of any faith.

But God wants you to give more money to Joel tax free before you can get your blessings.

[qanda]

59. Sorry, but if you have as much water as they were claiming

You would need a restoration place to come in and clean it up to prevent mold and other problems. Not believing what they're trying to sell.

[musette_sf]

61. From what I could see in the "flooding" photos,

those were photos of the underground parking. I went to the (former) Summit for several concerts back in the day, and I know what the underground part of the parking garage looks like. Flooding in the underground parking area has ZERO to do with access to the facility itself.

From a Texas Monthly article from 1977: "The exterior of the Summit, with attractive landscaping and underground parking, is a welcome departure from most sports arenas."

BUSTED

[AllyCat]

62. I showed the photo of the "flooded church" to two elementary school kids

And asked them what was odd about the photo. The first thing they shake was the water would go downstairs but it was dry in the picture. Photo shop!!

[lpbk2713]

66. Didn't the maint workers have families?

I'm sure they would rather go home to their families over watching any damn building. Or were they told if they wanted their job they would have to stay?

[Sunlei]

69. plenty of people have jobs where part of your job is stay in the building during disasters.

The pay is great as well. I used to work at medical center, double pay plus bonus, all you can eat and paid to sleep or play cards all night (If nothing happens)

[Oneironaut]

77. Oh it's because God spared only them. They're the good ones

The rest of the city was full of heathens. God wants them to die. Just like how God gives Osteen millions of dollars per year, and keeps money from those Satanic poor people!

[kentuck]

78. A fancy scheme to launder money.

These big church frauds that pay no taxes.