Anonymous
01/22/2023 09:39
Subject: is joel osteen a false preacher?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Can someone explain if they think Joel Osteen is a false preacher or not? I think he teaches the bible from what I've seen but I know a lot of people don't like him for whatever reason.
I used to listen to him until he refused to allow people in after the devastating hurricane in Houston.
In an interview on TODAY Wednesday, Houston pastor Joel Osteen disputed that his megachurch turned away evacuees from Hurricane Harvey and countered a wave of criticism by saying city officials initially didn't ask him to use it as a shelter.
"(The city) didn’t need us as shelter then,'' Osteen said. "If we needed to be a shelter, we certainly would’ve been a shelter right when they first asked.
"Once they filled up, they never dreamed that we'd have this many displaced people, (and) they asked us to become a shelter. I think this notion that somehow we would turn people away or we weren't here for the city is about as false as can be."
Osteen received heavy criticism on social media starting on Saturday, with people writing that he had not offered the church as a sanctuary for those affected by the cataclysmic storm, which could dump up to 50 inches of rain in some areas.
"Our church doors have always been open,'' Osteen said. "We took people in right when waters started to recede, which was a day or two after the storm hit."
The church had also flooded before and there were safety issues, so they were initially being precautious by not immediately opening the doors to refugees from the storm over the weekend, Osteen said.
"The fact is that I don't know that we would've opened any sooner because again there were safety issues,'' Osteen revealed. "I think some somehow social media can be very powerful and they can create this false narrative.
"It's easy to say, 'There's that big building, and they're not using it,' but we don't have volunteers and we don't have staff that could get here.' If they would've asked us to be a shelter early on, we would've prepared for it all."
"Think of the story if we had housed a whole bunch of evacuees and the building flooded, that wouldn't have been a good story."
On Tuesday, Osteen tweeted that his megachurch, which can hold more than 16,000 people, is providing shelter for hurricane victims.
Hundreds of volunteers soon arrived to help collect donations from local residents.
"In 2001, Lakewood housed 3,000 people during tropical storm Allison, so we're all about helping people,'' Osteen said. "We'll be here five years from now helping these people, so we feel good about who we are and what we're doing."
https://www.today.com/today/amp/tdna11568
Osteen and his church did let people in. They could not during the initial storm. After flood receded and it was safe for volunteers to travel, they did. Even first responders won’t go out during a hurricane, yet Osteen and his volunteers were supposed to?
The claim: Joel Osteen closed his Lakewood Church to those suffering from cold weather and power outages in Texas
Famed Pastor Joel Osteen is facing criticism on social media for purportedly closing the doors of his Lakewood Church in Houston and not offering shelter to those who are dealing with freezing temperatures and rolling blackouts.
In a Feb. 16 Facebook post, a user wrote, "In Houston, megapastor Joel Osteen not opening his 18,000 seat arena to the freezing homeless."
In a similar version of the claim, which has over 400 shares, a user alleged that Osteen received $4.4 million in Paycheck Protection Program loans but did not open his church in Texas to "shelter people freezing to death at his door." Accompanying the post is an image of Osteen's Lakewood Church, which seats thousands of worshippers.
Some users pointed to Hurricane Harvey in 2017, when Osteen was similarly accused of refusing to immediately accept evacuees at his church.
"While Texans need heat, food, and shelter, Joel Osteen's church remains closed...just like it did during and after Hurricane Harvey," reads a text post.
Lakewood Church is open
Osteen did not close the doors of his Lakewood Church; it has remained open to assist those without power and shelter, according to local media reports.
Lakewood Church has had as many as 300 people coming in and out of the building, including those who are homeless and families who are looking to escape the cold, according to the Houston Chronicle.
Church staff are screening attendees for COVID-19 symptoms, as well as requiring masks and maintaining proper social distancing.
Lakewood Church is providing beds, blankets and other needed supplies, and church officials said no one will be turned away, Click2Houston reported.
"If you need a warm place to stay, Lakewood is open. Hundreds arrived last night & more today due to power outages. Staff & volunteers are on site ready to help," Osteen tweeted on Feb. 16. "We have beds, blankets, a hot meal and supplies for those in need. Stay safe, continue to pray for Texas."
Hurricane Harvey
This is not the first time social media users have criticized the pastor for allegedly keeping his church shut.
In 2017, Osteen came under fire when the church posted a notice saying the building was closed due to "severe flooding" following Hurricane Harvey, USA TODAY reported.
Osteen refuted the claims that he turned away flooding victims and said that "the church has always been open" and that "we received shelter victims in the first day or two." He added that the church initially flooded and could not immediately open its doors.
Fact check: No, Joel Osteen’s megachurch isn’t charging for online prayer requests
Our rating: False
The claim that megachurch pastor Joel Osteen is not allowing Texans without heat and power to shelter in his Lakewood Church in Houston is FALSE, based on our research. Tweets from Osteen, the church and the city of Houston all confirm that the church is open to those needing shelter. Numerous local outlets have also reported on Lakewood opening its doors to residents in Texas.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2021/02/19/fact-check-joel-osteens-lakewood-church-open-texas-winter-storm/4503362001/
And this is dynamite.
Anonymous
01/22/2023 09:38
Subject: is joel osteen a false preacher?
Anonymous wrote:Then maybe watch the HBO documentary about the Falwells? Basically the same story. And Joel Osteen identity is pretty much that he is wealthy, has a plane, a hot wife, a big house and he did precious little to earn those things. Instead mr. Charlatan tells us that he was “favored” and that if you send him money you can be too.
“Precious little?”
The man has unique and amazing public speaking talents, and has worked like a dog for decades. Do you think he memorizes his talks on one pass?
And “charlatan?” He’s not everybody’s cup of tea. He is not mainstream evangelical. But he is not absolutely outside the pale of Christianity either. He does not pretend that his ministry is all people needs. He tells them to find, attend and support a local church. And his personal money comes from books and speeches. It is one thing when people are caught up in a big emotional experience and write a big check or empty their wallet (back when people carried cash) into the collection. But a book purchase is bay a distance. People have time to think, check reviews, even skim pages if they go to a bookstore.
Anonymous
01/22/2023 09:01
Subject: is joel osteen a false preacher?
Then maybe watch the HBO documentary about the Falwells? Basically the same story. And Joel Osteen identity is pretty much that he is wealthy, has a plane, a hot wife, a big house and he did precious little to earn those things. Instead mr. Charlatan tells us that he was “favored” and that if you send him money you can be too.
Anonymous
01/22/2023 08:21
Subject: is joel osteen a false preacher?
Anonymous wrote:Go watch the Righteous Gemstones on HBO.
That’s the problem. People believe made up stories on HBO are reality.
Anonymous
01/21/2023 19:30
Subject: is joel osteen a false preacher?
Go watch the Righteous Gemstones on HBO.
Anonymous
01/21/2023 12:31
Subject: is joel osteen a false preacher?
JOEL OSTEEN AND LAKEWOOD CHURCH HONORED BY CITY OF HOUSTON FOR POST-HARVEY HELP
https://abc13.com/amp/joel-osteen-hurricane-harvey-lakewood-church-honored/3957138/
OUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Pastor Joel Osteen, who initially took criticism for not opening the doors of his famed megachurch to those displaced in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, was recognized Tuesday by Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and city council members for his role in storm relief.
Osteen, his family, and his Lakewood Church staff were honored at city hall.
According to the city, Lakewood helped thousands affected by Harvey's flooding get back on their feet, including assisting in rehabbing flood-damaged homes.
Turner presented a proclamation to Osteen in recognition of the church's efforts in the aftermath of the storm. Any council member can request a proclamation, which in this case was initiated by Councilman Jack Christie.
https://abc13.com/amp/joel-osteen-hurricane-harvey-lakewood-church-honored/3957138/
I don’t like Osteen, but his church does help people.
https://abc13.com/amp/joel-osteen-hurricane-harvey-lakewood-church-honored/3957138/
OUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Pastor Joel Osteen, who initially took criticism for not opening the doors of his famed megachurch to those displaced in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, was recognized Tuesday by Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and city council members for his role in storm relief.
Osteen, his family, and his Lakewood Church staff were honored at city hall.
According to the city, Lakewood helped thousands affected by Harvey's flooding get back on their feet, including assisting in rehabbing flood-damaged homes.
Turner presented a proclamation to Osteen in recognition of the church's efforts in the aftermath of the storm. Any council member can request a proclamation, which in this case was initiated by Councilman Jack Christie.
https://abc13.com/amp/joel-osteen-hurricane-harvey-lakewood-church-honored/3957138/
I don’t like Osteen, but his church does help people.
Anonymous
01/21/2023 12:20
Subject: is joel osteen a false preacher?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Can someone explain if they think Joel Osteen is a false preacher or not? I think he teaches the bible from what I've seen but I know a lot of people don't like him for whatever reason.
I used to listen to him until he refused to allow people in after the devastating hurricane in Houston.
In an interview on TODAY Wednesday, Houston pastor Joel Osteen disputed that his megachurch turned away evacuees from Hurricane Harvey and countered a wave of criticism by saying city officials initially didn't ask him to use it as a shelter.
"(The city) didn’t need us as shelter then,'' Osteen said. "If we needed to be a shelter, we certainly would’ve been a shelter right when they first asked.
"Once they filled up, they never dreamed that we'd have this many displaced people, (and) they asked us to become a shelter. I think this notion that somehow we would turn people away or we weren't here for the city is about as false as can be."
Osteen received heavy criticism on social media starting on Saturday, with people writing that he had not offered the church as a sanctuary for those affected by the cataclysmic storm, which could dump up to 50 inches of rain in some areas.
"Our church doors have always been open,'' Osteen said. "We took people in right when waters started to recede, which was a day or two after the storm hit."
The church had also flooded before and there were safety issues, so they were initially being precautious by not immediately opening the doors to refugees from the storm over the weekend, Osteen said.
"The fact is that I don't know that we would've opened any sooner because again there were safety issues,'' Osteen revealed. "I think some somehow social media can be very powerful and they can create this false narrative.
"It's easy to say, 'There's that big building, and they're not using it,' but we don't have volunteers and we don't have staff that could get here.' If they would've asked us to be a shelter early on, we would've prepared for it all."
"Think of the story if we had housed a whole bunch of evacuees and the building flooded, that wouldn't have been a good story."
On Tuesday, Osteen tweeted that his megachurch, which can hold more than 16,000 people, is providing shelter for hurricane victims.
Hundreds of volunteers soon arrived to help collect donations from local residents.
"In 2001, Lakewood housed 3,000 people during tropical storm Allison, so we're all about helping people,'' Osteen said. "We'll be here five years from now helping these people, so we feel good about who we are and what we're doing."
https://www.today.com/today/amp/tdna11568
Osteen and his church did let people in. They could not during the initial storm. After flood receded and it was safe for volunteers to travel, they did. Even first responders won’t go out during a hurricane, yet Osteen and his volunteers were supposed to?
The claim: Joel Osteen closed his Lakewood Church to those suffering from cold weather and power outages in Texas
Famed Pastor Joel Osteen is facing criticism on social media for purportedly closing the doors of his Lakewood Church in Houston and not offering shelter to those who are dealing with freezing temperatures and rolling blackouts.
In a Feb. 16 Facebook post, a user wrote, "In Houston, megapastor Joel Osteen not opening his 18,000 seat arena to the freezing homeless."
In a similar version of the claim, which has over 400 shares, a user alleged that Osteen received $4.4 million in Paycheck Protection Program loans but did not open his church in Texas to "shelter people freezing to death at his door." Accompanying the post is an image of Osteen's Lakewood Church, which seats thousands of worshippers.
Some users pointed to Hurricane Harvey in 2017, when Osteen was similarly accused of refusing to immediately accept evacuees at his church.
"While Texans need heat, food, and shelter, Joel Osteen's church remains closed...just like it did during and after Hurricane Harvey," reads a text post.
Lakewood Church is open
Osteen did not close the doors of his Lakewood Church; it has remained open to assist those without power and shelter, according to local media reports.
Lakewood Church has had as many as 300 people coming in and out of the building, including those who are homeless and families who are looking to escape the cold, according to the Houston Chronicle.
Church staff are screening attendees for COVID-19 symptoms, as well as requiring masks and maintaining proper social distancing.
Lakewood Church is providing beds, blankets and other needed supplies, and church officials said no one will be turned away, Click2Houston reported.
"If you need a warm place to stay, Lakewood is open. Hundreds arrived last night & more today due to power outages. Staff & volunteers are on site ready to help," Osteen tweeted on Feb. 16. "We have beds, blankets, a hot meal and supplies for those in need. Stay safe, continue to pray for Texas."
Hurricane Harvey
This is not the first time social media users have criticized the pastor for allegedly keeping his church shut.
In 2017, Osteen came under fire when the church posted a notice saying the building was closed due to "severe flooding" following Hurricane Harvey, USA TODAY reported.
Osteen refuted the claims that he turned away flooding victims and said that "the church has always been open" and that "we received shelter victims in the first day or two." He added that the church initially flooded and could not immediately open its doors.
Fact check: No, Joel Osteen’s megachurch isn’t charging for online prayer requests
Our rating: False
The claim that megachurch pastor Joel Osteen is not allowing Texans without heat and power to shelter in his Lakewood Church in Houston is FALSE, based on our research. Tweets from Osteen, the church and the city of Houston all confirm that the church is open to those needing shelter. Numerous local outlets have also reported on Lakewood opening its doors to residents in Texas.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2021/02/19/fact-check-joel-osteens-lakewood-church-open-texas-winter-storm/4503362001/
Anonymous
01/21/2023 11:58
Subject: is joel osteen a false preacher?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:The Bible addresses those who get their award on earth. They don’t also get rewarded in heaven. He has hoarded up treasure on earth not in heaven. He will be a goat separated from the sheep. God will say: away with you. You preached in my name but I never knew you.
Christians can be financially stable and prosperous and go to heaven. They just need to keep their relationship with God as the most important thing in their life and not place money as the center of their life.
Money isn’t “awarded” to anyone on earth by God as a prize.
Quoting Scripture is different than presuming to know what God will say to someone. Even the most educated and learned theologians know they don’t know what God will say and do.
Matthew 19:26
New International Version
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
New Living Translation
Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”
English Standard Version
But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Berean Standard Bible
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Berean Literal Bible
And Jesus having looked on them, said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
King James Bible
But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
Anonymous
01/21/2023 08:58
Subject: is joel osteen a false preacher?
Anonymous wrote:The Bible addresses those who get their award on earth. They don’t also get rewarded in heaven. He has hoarded up treasure on earth not in heaven. He will be a goat separated from the sheep. God will say: away with you. You preached in my name but I never knew you.
Christians can be financially stable and prosperous and go to heaven. They just need to keep their relationship with God as the most important thing in their life and not place money as the center of their life.
Money isn’t “awarded” to anyone on earth by God as a prize.
Anonymous
01/21/2023 07:19
Subject: is joel osteen a false preacher?
The Bible addresses those who get their award on earth. They don’t also get rewarded in heaven. He has hoarded up treasure on earth not in heaven. He will be a goat separated from the sheep. God will say: away with you. You preached in my name but I never knew you.
Anonymous
01/21/2023 05:44
Subject: is joel osteen a false preacher?
Yes. He has a globe on the stage and no cross. That’s the first clue. The second is his house. Google it. He’s a scam artist.
Anonymous
01/20/2023 23:38
Subject: is joel osteen a false preacher?
Anonymous wrote:Can someone explain if they think Joel Osteen is a false preacher or not? I think he teaches the bible from what I've seen but I know a lot of people don't like him for whatever reason.
I used to listen to him until he refused to allow people in after the devastating hurricane in Houston.
Anonymous
01/20/2023 22:19
Subject: is joel osteen a false preacher?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:No where in this passage does Jesus say wealth is bad. He doesn’t rebuke the rich young ruler for being rich. Rather, for placing his identity in his wealth.
It’s not a sin to be rich. Jesus never said that. All rich people aren’t bad and all poor people aren’t good.
Yes what Jesus says is if you want to get to the kingdom of heaven you must give up your worldly belongings. He didn’t say don’t identify with your wealth. He said give it way. If you don’t and you die rich it’s hard for you to get into heaven. He couldn’t be clearer.
Why do you think the rich young man went away sad? Because he didn’t want to give up his wealth as Jesus told him to.
NP. The rich young ruler didn't obey Jesus, because he loved his money more than Jesus. Money was his idol. That's really the point of that scripture. The passage is about putting God first and being obedient to God; it does NOT say that God requires everyone to be poor. According to the Bible, taking a vow of poverty or giving up your worldly possessions doesn't guarantee heaven or salvation. That alone is accomplished by Grace through faith in Christ. That said, I'm not an Osteen fan because the focus of his teaching is primarily wealth and prosperity, not about the Christ of the gospels.
Jesus explicitly says if you want to enter heaven, give up your wealth. That pretty much guarantees that people who keep their wealth are not being offered entrance.
Being a true follower of Christ entails sacrifice that most people are unwilling to make. I include myself among that, so not pointing fingers. I’ve met very few people I thought were truly living by the gospels. It’s too hard for most.
You're missing the point. Jesus didn't tell everyone they have to give up their wealth to gain eternal life. Go back and read the whole passage in context, starting at Matthew 19:16. Jesus is focused on complete obedience to God's commandments, which is impossible for absolutely everyone. Jesus tells the rich young ruler to give up his wealth, because he has put his wealth before God, which is breaking the first Commandment. Then he goes on to say that it is harder for a rich man to go to heaven than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, but that through God all things are possible. It is made possible for a rich man to go to heaven because of what Christ accomplishes on the cross, not because anyone can perfectly keep God's commandments or save themselves. There is nothing for you to do to gain eternal life; Christ already did it. That is the point of the gospels.
Sorry. I interpret it differently than you.
Christians should not love of money over God. There is nothing inherently wrong with being financially secure, as long as you don't put it before your relationship with God. Use your wealth to serve God and spread the gospel.
Anonymous
01/20/2023 22:11
Subject: is joel osteen a false preacher?
When Jesus called this young rich man to give up his money, the man started to grieve, because money was the center of his identity. It wasn’t that the man was rich; it was that his money was the most important thing in his life; not God.
The Bible doesn’t say that someone who is rich can never go to heaven. In fact, some of the Bible’s most faithful men and women were also wealthy (or at least prosperous)—people like Abraham and Job in the Old Testament, or Joanna and Lydia in the New Testament.
But the Bible does warn us about the dangers of wealth—and one of the greatest dangers is that it can keep us from God. Instead of putting God first in our lives, we put our money and wealth first, and end up ignoring God. We also can become proud, and we trust our money for our security. This is why the Bible warns us that “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.”
Not having money or being prosperous- but loving money above all things, that’s the problem.
The Talmud, a collection of ancient rabbinical writings, records the second-century Rabbi Bar Yochai saying, “Better had a man throw himself into a fiery furnace than publicly put his neighbor to shame.” This is similar rhetorically to Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:29: “If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away; it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell.”
Should we actually pluck our eyes out or jump into furnaces? No. Jesus is simply showing us that sin is serious, and we should do whatever it takes to avoid it. We don’t have to pluck out our eyes, but we should not forget that our eyes could lead us into sins like lust and adultery (see Matthew 5:27). Likewise, we don’t have to literally sell all that we own, but our wealth can lead us into sins like greed and exploitation. St. Paul even warned Timothy “the love of money is the root of all evil” (1 Tim. 6:10).
God doesn’t want is to be poor and hungry and wandering the streets in His name. He wants us to take care of ourselves and those we can help with our blessings.
The Bible doesn’t say that someone who is rich can never go to heaven. In fact, some of the Bible’s most faithful men and women were also wealthy (or at least prosperous)—people like Abraham and Job in the Old Testament, or Joanna and Lydia in the New Testament.
But the Bible does warn us about the dangers of wealth—and one of the greatest dangers is that it can keep us from God. Instead of putting God first in our lives, we put our money and wealth first, and end up ignoring God. We also can become proud, and we trust our money for our security. This is why the Bible warns us that “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.”
Not having money or being prosperous- but loving money above all things, that’s the problem.
The Talmud, a collection of ancient rabbinical writings, records the second-century Rabbi Bar Yochai saying, “Better had a man throw himself into a fiery furnace than publicly put his neighbor to shame.” This is similar rhetorically to Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:29: “If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away; it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell.”
Should we actually pluck our eyes out or jump into furnaces? No. Jesus is simply showing us that sin is serious, and we should do whatever it takes to avoid it. We don’t have to pluck out our eyes, but we should not forget that our eyes could lead us into sins like lust and adultery (see Matthew 5:27). Likewise, we don’t have to literally sell all that we own, but our wealth can lead us into sins like greed and exploitation. St. Paul even warned Timothy “the love of money is the root of all evil” (1 Tim. 6:10).
God doesn’t want is to be poor and hungry and wandering the streets in His name. He wants us to take care of ourselves and those we can help with our blessings.
Anonymous
01/20/2023 21:10
Subject: is joel osteen a false preacher?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:No where in this passage does Jesus say wealth is bad. He doesn’t rebuke the rich young ruler for being rich. Rather, for placing his identity in his wealth.
It’s not a sin to be rich. Jesus never said that. All rich people aren’t bad and all poor people aren’t good.
Yes what Jesus says is if you want to get to the kingdom of heaven you must give up your worldly belongings. He didn’t say don’t identify with your wealth. He said give it way. If you don’t and you die rich it’s hard for you to get into heaven. He couldn’t be clearer.
Why do you think the rich young man went away sad? Because he didn’t want to give up his wealth as Jesus told him to.
NP. The rich young ruler didn't obey Jesus, because he loved his money more than Jesus. Money was his idol. That's really the point of that scripture. The passage is about putting God first and being obedient to God; it does NOT say that God requires everyone to be poor. According to the Bible, taking a vow of poverty or giving up your worldly possessions doesn't guarantee heaven or salvation. That alone is accomplished by Grace through faith in Christ. That said, I'm not an Osteen fan because the focus of his teaching is primarily wealth and prosperity, not about the Christ of the gospels.
Jesus explicitly says if you want to enter heaven, give up your wealth. That pretty much guarantees that people who keep their wealth are not being offered entrance.
Being a true follower of Christ entails sacrifice that most people are unwilling to make. I include myself among that, so not pointing fingers. I’ve met very few people I thought were truly living by the gospels. It’s too hard for most.
You're missing the point. Jesus didn't tell everyone they have to give up their wealth to gain eternal life. Go back and read the whole passage in context, starting at Matthew 19:16. Jesus is focused on complete obedience to God's commandments, which is impossible for absolutely everyone. Jesus tells the rich young ruler to give up his wealth, because he has put his wealth before God, which is breaking the first Commandment. Then he goes on to say that it is harder for a rich man to go to heaven than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, but that through God all things are possible. It is made possible for a rich man to go to heaven because of what Christ accomplishes on the cross, not because anyone can perfectly keep God's commandments or save themselves. There is nothing for you to do to gain eternal life; Christ already did it. That is the point of the gospels.
Sorry. I interpret it differently than you.