S/O: I like Joel Osteen. Change my mind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find him so uplifting and joyful. Watching one of his sermons always puts me in a better frame of mind for the week.

And people like you is why he’s worth $50 million!

That’s the spirit of Christ, right?

It’s his prosperity gospel. If you’re not rich, you must not be doing something right with God. Being poor is a sign of your sinful nature. That’s the message. Being poor is your own fault.

+ 1 Flimflam at its finest

it's Nietzsche being preached as Christian

Oh my. Spoken like someone who has never read Nietzsche.

Now go apologize to Nietzsche before he rolls over anymore in his grave. What a quack you are

[Anonymous]

His lifestyle is pretty far removed from the message of Christ.

[Anonymous]

He's no mother Theresa

[Anonymous]

Texas isn't flyover country? LOL...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gullible people come in all income brackets. It's just more galling when grifters like Osteen profit from the aspirations of poor people.

Why are so many assuming that it's the poor people who send him money? At my church, the wealthiest parishioners are the largest donors. I'm sure his isn't much different.

+1

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's clear you don't want your mind changed, so why start this stupid thread

NP. Aka your insults and rudeness didn't work, so now you're mad. Yawn

Okay. I'll ask you for a third time. What do you think about the church taking 4 million in PPP? Can you defend that?

What's the problem with that? I'm so confused...

Are you really confused? Come on or you cannot be the simple. I hate this game playing. Think about the restaurants and small businesses that have could be used 4 million dollars. Not a self-sustaining mega church.

Okay... and this is a church helping tens of millions around the world. IMO that's pretty important

And they could have helped so many more if JO wasn't feathering his nest with millions of dollars. How can you go to sleep in a mansion knowing that so many of God's people, God's children, are suffering without a home? Honestly, it is unfathomable to me that people don't see this, but here we are.

Well, he doesnt take any money from the church, so you're wrong. Maybe get your facts straight before spouting your self righteous nonsense?

He uses his role in the church to make money though.

Nope. He makes money from his books and writing. He built that church up to what it was. People flock to him because of his amazing gift for speaking God's words and blessings. And he's had many blessings because of it. Good.

He sells his books to the suckers that he targets through the church. Thus “he uses his role in the church to make money.” You didn’t think that they were two different pools of gullible people, did you?

What nasty and condescending language. How shameful.

FWIW, I am college educated and grew up in a major coastal city. I am a "sucker" who loves him, and I dont look down on middle america, or think of myself as smarter because my interests mainly align with coastal-urban stuff. I think there is a lot of classism and class conflict at play with the constant insulting of Osteen's base

I'm not in this PP thread, but I find it incredibly strange that you'd become so defensive over "middle americans" (Texan here: we're not flyover anyway but thanks for the white knighting?) being called suckers by a random internet commenter because they're being bilked by Osteen, but not get defensive over them actually being bilked in the first place.

This is like 2 steps off of people commenting on threads about Sea Org that you must just be bigoted against Scientology and personally full of Thetans if you think people should be allowed to sleep 8 hours a night and not be pressured to get abortions. Your priorities are whack.

I never said you were flyover country, but you are "middle america", and if you're not aware of the biases that exist in coastal cities against such places, then good for you. I for one dislike the rude comments and condescension routinely directed towards residents of such places. And the fact that they are all stereotypes as being these poor little bozos that are easily taken advantage of. It's not the case.

But you do need to get that chip off your shoulder, so you instantly jumped to "WE ARE NOT FLYOVER COUNTRY!"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find him so uplifting and joyful. Watching one of his sermons always puts me in a better frame of mind for the week.

And people like you is why he’s worth $50 million!

That’s the spirit of Christ, right?

It’s his prosperity gospel. If you’re not rich, you must not be doing something right with God. Being poor is a sign of your sinful nature. That’s the message. Being poor is your own fault.

+ 1 Flimflam at its finest

it's Nietzsche being preached as Christian

Oh my. Spoken like someone who has never read Nietzsche.

Now go apologize to Nietzsche before he rolls over anymore in his grave. What a quack you are

nope- philosophy major with an advisor who specialized in Nietzsche. I've read just about everything he wrote and way to many treaties on his work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's clear you don't want your mind changed, so why start this stupid thread

NP. Aka your insults and rudeness didn't work, so now you're mad. Yawn

Okay. I'll ask you for a third time. What do you think about the church taking 4 million in PPP? Can you defend that?

What's the problem with that? I'm so confused...

Are you really confused? Come on or you cannot be the simple. I hate this game playing. Think about the restaurants and small businesses that have could be used 4 million dollars. Not a self-sustaining mega church.

Okay... and this is a church helping tens of millions around the world. IMO that's pretty important

And they could have helped so many more if JO wasn't feathering his nest with millions of dollars. How can you go to sleep in a mansion knowing that so many of God's people, God's children, are suffering without a home? Honestly, it is unfathomable to me that people don't see this, but here we are.

Well, he doesnt take any money from the church, so you're wrong. Maybe get your facts straight before spouting your self righteous nonsense?

He uses his role in the church to make money though.

Nope. He makes money from his books and writing. He built that church up to what it was. People flock to him because of his amazing gift for speaking God's words and blessings. And he's had many blessings because of it. Good.

He sells his books to the suckers that he targets through the church. Thus “he uses his role in the church to make money.” You didn’t think that they were two different pools of gullible people, did you?

What nasty and condescending language. How shameful.

FWIW, I am college educated and grew up in a major coastal city. I am a "sucker" who loves him, and I dont look down on middle america, or think of myself as smarter because my interests mainly align with coastal-urban stuff. I think there is a lot of classism and class conflict at play with the constant insulting of Osteen's base

I'm not in this PP thread, but I find it incredibly strange that you'd become so defensive over "middle americans" (Texan here: we're not flyover anyway but thanks for the white knighting?) being called suckers by a random internet commenter because they're being bilked by Osteen, but not get defensive over them actually being bilked in the first place.

This is like 2 steps off of people commenting on threads about Sea Org that you must just be bigoted against Scientology and personally full of Thetans if you think people should be allowed to sleep 8 hours a night and not be pressured to get abortions. Your priorities are whack.

I never said you were flyover country, but you are "middle america", and if you're not aware of the biases that exist in coastal cities against such places, then good for you. I for one dislike the rude comments and condescension routinely directed towards residents of such places. And the fact that they are all stereotypes as being these poor little bozos that are easily taken advantage of. It's not the case.

But you do need to get that chip off your shoulder, so you instantly jumped to "WE ARE NOT FLYOVER COUNTRY!"

How quickly you switched from "I'm here to rep for middle america I'm the only one who understands the underclass" to "get the chip off your shoulder you are flyover country!"?

I live in DC now, after a decade in NYC. I've met people like you every step of the way, including a guy who had only lived in San Francisco and Manhattan who patiently explained to me that I didn't understand how people from the middle of the country think. Keep patting yourself on the back for sticking up for the yokels while you support them being actively bilked by a multimillionaire. You're such a good guy!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's clear you don't want your mind changed, so why start this stupid thread

NP. Aka your insults and rudeness didn't work, so now you're mad. Yawn

Okay. I'll ask you for a third time. What do you think about the church taking 4 million in PPP? Can you defend that?

What's the problem with that? I'm so confused...

Are you really confused? Come on or you cannot be the simple. I hate this game playing. Think about the restaurants and small businesses that have could be used 4 million dollars. Not a self-sustaining mega church.

Okay... and this is a church helping tens of millions around the world. IMO that's pretty important

And they could have helped so many more if JO wasn't feathering his nest with millions of dollars. How can you go to sleep in a mansion knowing that so many of God's people, God's children, are suffering without a home? Honestly, it is unfathomable to me that people don't see this, but here we are.

Well, he doesnt take any money from the church, so you're wrong. Maybe get your facts straight before spouting your self righteous nonsense?

He uses his role in the church to make money though.

Nope. He makes money from his books and writing. He built that church up to what it was. People flock to him because of his amazing gift for speaking God's words and blessings. And he's had many blessings because of it. Good.

He sells his books to the suckers that he targets through the church. Thus “he uses his role in the church to make money.” You didn’t think that they were two different pools of gullible people, did you?

What nasty and condescending language. How shameful.

FWIW, I am college educated and grew up in a major coastal city. I am a "sucker" who loves him, and I dont look down on middle america, or think of myself as smarter because my interests mainly align with coastal-urban stuff. I think there is a lot of classism and class conflict at play with the constant insulting of Osteen's base

I'm not in this PP thread, but I find it incredibly strange that you'd become so defensive over "middle americans" (Texan here: we're not flyover anyway but thanks for the white knighting?) being called suckers by a random internet commenter because they're being bilked by Osteen, but not get defensive over them actually being bilked in the first place.

This is like 2 steps off of people commenting on threads about Sea Org that you must just be bigoted against Scientology and personally full of Thetans if you think people should be allowed to sleep 8 hours a night and not be pressured to get abortions. Your priorities are whack.

I never said you were flyover country, but you are "middle america", and if you're not aware of the biases that exist in coastal cities against such places, then good for you. I for one dislike the rude comments and condescension routinely directed towards residents of such places. And the fact that they are all stereotypes as being these poor little bozos that are easily taken advantage of. It's not the case.

But you do need to get that chip off your shoulder, so you instantly jumped to "WE ARE NOT FLYOVER COUNTRY!"

How quickly you switched from "I'm here to rep for middle america I'm the only one who understands the underclass" to "get the chip off your shoulder you are flyover country!"?

I live in DC now, after a decade in NYC. I've met people like you every step of the way, including a guy who had only lived in San Francisco and Manhattan who patiently explained to me that I didn't understand how people from the middle of the country think. Keep patting yourself on the back for sticking up for the yokels while you support them being actively bilked by a multimillionaire. You're such a good guy!

I never said you were from flyover country. I said you were from middle america- which you are! Why are you so upset about that?

Who cares where you live now? You're from middle america! And that's okay. No need to get so upset.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find him so uplifting and joyful. Watching one of his sermons always puts me in a better frame of mind for the week.

And people like you is why he’s worth $50 million!

That’s the spirit of Christ, right?

It’s his prosperity gospel. If you’re not rich, you must not be doing something right with God. Being poor is a sign of your sinful nature. That’s the message. Being poor is your own fault.

+ 1 Flimflam at its finest

it's Nietzsche being preached as Christian

Oh my. Spoken like someone who has never read Nietzsche.

Now go apologize to Nietzsche before he rolls over anymore in his grave. What a quack you are

nope- philosophy major with an advisor who specialized in Nietzsche. I've read just about everything he wrote and way to many treaties on his work.

Well you must have failed the section on Nietzche then. How very sad that you've so badly misread his work 😟

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find him so uplifting and joyful. Watching one of his sermons always puts me in a better frame of mind for the week.

And people like you is why he’s worth $50 million!

That’s the spirit of Christ, right?

It’s his prosperity gospel. If you’re not rich, you must not be doing something right with God. Being poor is a sign of your sinful nature. That’s the message. Being poor is your own fault.

+ 1 Flimflam at its finest

it's Nietzsche being preached as Christian

Oh my. Spoken like someone who has never read Nietzsche.

Now go apologize to Nietzsche before he rolls over anymore in his grave. What a quack you are

nope- philosophy major with an advisor who specialized in Nietzsche. I've read just about everything he wrote and way to many treaties on his work.

Well you must have failed the section on Nietzche then. How very sad that you've so badly misread his work 😟

being unapologetic about success and scrapping subservience as a means to salvation- seems pretty Nietzschian

[Anonymous]

Just another con. Joel is just a grown-up Marjoe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find him so uplifting and joyful. Watching one of his sermons always puts me in a better frame of mind for the week.

And people like you is why he’s worth $50 million!

That’s the spirit of Christ, right?

It’s his prosperity gospel. If you’re not rich, you must not be doing something right with God. Being poor is a sign of your sinful nature. That’s the message. Being poor is your own fault.

+ 1 Flimflam at its finest

it's Nietzsche being preached as Christian

Oh my. Spoken like someone who has never read Nietzsche.

Now go apologize to Nietzsche before he rolls over anymore in his grave. What a quack you are

nope- philosophy major with an advisor who specialized in Nietzsche. I've read just about everything he wrote and way to many treaties on his work.

Well you must have failed the section on Nietzche then. How very sad that you've so badly misread his work 😟

being unapologetic about success and scrapping subservience as a means to salvation- seems pretty Nietzschian

So basically you've misread both Nietzche AND Joel Osteen then? Wow! You get double points!

[Anonymous]

Joel Osteen gets money from people from all over the world - not just Middle America. Everyone who gives him money is a sucker, though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is inoffensive really the best measure of someone's job performance.

It's great that he's a nice guy and has a positive approach. He's also a rank hypocrite traveling around in his private jet and not serving the needy during a hurricane in Houston. However, he's not the only hypocrite, so maybe inoffensive is the best measure?

OP here. This whole controversy surrounding the hurricane seemed SO manufactured. The church was flooded. How could they let people into a flooded building? This is what I am talking about- every controversy just seems like an excuse to hate on him.

Except it wasn't flooded, which is why they suddenly unlocked the doors after social media shaming.

Except it was. And anyone who has lived or spent time in Houston or gone to his church knows it. First of all, Houston floods CONSTANTLY. It's a major issue in Houston that, if you live in another city, you may not even realize how a city (or parts of a city) could flood as often as Houston does. Obviously it disproportionally affects certain areas rather than others, but with every single major storm there is an element of flooding. EVERY SINGLE storm.

This was a hurricane, and there was video footage of the completely flooded parking garage. That may not seem like a big deal, but anyone who has been to the church knows that that's the way to get into the building. The building is built on top of the parking garage (so far as I can make out, from my many visits), and you cannot park anywhere else to get in. It's located in the middle of downtown, on a major street/highway with no street parking whatsoever. You could imagine a church being built off the side of 495 to get an idea of the setup. Yes, there are city streets nearby, but the only way I have EVER been able to access the church is through that parking garage, and I go whenever I visit Houston, maybe a few times every year.

You really couldn't expect to provide widespread help to a community, and to the number of people who would flock to Lakewood, when there is no parking and it's located on a highway. And the only entrance people ever use is flooded several meters under water. Obviously it's a huge danger and risk, because a lot of people are going to try to enter that way.

I live in Houston, not far from Lakewood. There was NO flooding near the church. They absolutely could and should have opened their doors like many other churches did. And if hardly compare 59 to 495.

The Osteens fly on private jets, live in a ginormous mansion due to the “charitable” donations of people who car hardly afford their own bills. My all accounts, Victoria Osteen, by all reports, is not a kind person.