Religion thread...

Cotton

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We have been through this and I'm not gonna rehash it.
 

townsend

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You folks really make me puzzled. I am not aligned with him but the people that are choose to be. He isn't bamboozling anyone. If the people support him financially then what is that to anyone. There's no fraud , or otherwise scheming going on. No one has any basis to disagree with his methods or practices. Now you can disagree with his message but that's a different matter.
I think he suffers from the burden of being the most well known televangelist. Which is a crooked profession filled with crooked people. Olsteen happens to be the only household name, so even though he isn't crooked (that we know of) he's still the face of the profession.
 

Kbrown

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Almost all TV preachers disgust me but I don't have a problem with Joel. I'm not a fan or follower but he's fine with me.
One time I flipped the channel to him and he was preaching about how our bodies need water. I kept expecting him to turn it to a metaphor for baptism, or the living water flowing from the right side of the temple, or something. Nah, just reminding you to stay hydrated, bro.

I have problems with the prosperity gospel, which I feel is distinctly American (in a bad way), but he strikes me as pretty innocuous.
 

L.T. Fan

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I think he suffers from the burden of being the most well known televangelist. Which is a crooked profession filled with crooked people. Olsteen happens to be the only household name, so even though he isn't crooked (that we know of) he's still the face of the profession.
That's not even rationale. You assoociate him in a profession that you arbitrally paint as dishionest, then because he is extremely well known in his calling you again arbitrarily conclude he must be the worst of the worse. Tell me how that makes sense. That seems to border on bigotry to me.
 

Kbrown

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That's not even rationale. You assoociate him in a profession that you arbitrally paint as dishionest, then because he is extremely well known in his calling you again arbitrarily conclude he must be the worst of the worse. Tell me how that makes sense. That seems to border on bigotry to me.
Not sure what the wealthy and powerful would do without your support.
 

townsend

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That's not even rationale. You assoociate him in a profession that you arbitrally paint as dishionest, then because he is extremely well known in his calling you again arbitrarily conclude he must be the worst of the worse. Tell me how that makes sense. That seems to border on bigotry to me.
This isn't my association. I said he was harmless a few posts back. I'm saying that he suffers from being the most well known televangelist.

I do not arbitrarily paint televangelism as dishonest, any more than I paint politics as dishonest "arbitrarily". Televangelists are as close to modern day snake oil salesmen as you could possibly find. In fact selling "blessed" oil is part of their very diverse ways to extort the faithful and naive. If there truly is a hell, they're chock full of televangelists.

I went out of my way to praise Olsteen for his harmlessness, but he might as well be the only man out there selling snake oil to put on your salad, for what I think of his profession.
 

L.T. Fan

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This isn't my association. I said he was harmless a few posts back. I'm saying that he suffers from being the most well known televangelist.

I do not arbitrarily paint televangelism as dishonest, any more than I paint politics as dishonest "arbitrarily". Televangelists are as close to modern day snake oil salesmen as you could possibly find. In fact selling "blessed" oil is part of their very diverse ways to extort the faithful and naive. If there truly is a hell, they're chock full of televangelists.

I went out of my way to praise Olsteen for his harmlessness, but he might as well be the only man out there selling snake oil to put on your salad, for what I think of his profession.
You don't know all televangelist therefore you do not know what all of them are like. You have a perception of the profession and I am sure some of those are correct but to place everyone in the same niche is nothing less than stereotyping.
 

E_D_Guapo

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You don't know all televangelist therefore you do not know what all of them are like. You have a perception of the profession and I am sure some of those are correct but to place everyone in the same niche is nothing less than stereotyping.
You are throwing stones with this criticism of townsend, but do you live in a glass house? Are you suggesting that there are no cases where you cast a net over an entire group of people based on your perception of/feelings about their lifestyle?
 
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Kbrown

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You are throwing stones, but do you live in a glass house? Are you suggesting that there are no cases where you cast a net over an entire group of people based on your perception of/feelings about their lifestyle?
You sound like a weak-minded reefer addict to me.
 

L.T. Fan

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You are throwing stones with this criticism of townsend, but do you live in a glass house? Are you suggesting that there are no cases where you cast a net over an entire group of people based on your perception of/feelings about their lifestyle?
I am trying to do the opposite as throwing stones. I am saying it isn't equitable to judge a entire group by the know or perceived understanding of some.
 

Texas Ace

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I don't even consider Joel Osteen a pastor. He's just more of a positive, motivational, prosperity speaker. Just tells people what they want to hear to make them feel good while invoking the name of God.
That's how I see him too.

That's why I've never had the desire to go to his church nor did I take my wife when she asked me to way back when.
 

Cotton

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Maybe instead of being mad at Joel Osteen I should be mad at the masses of idiots that have to have his guidance to get by in their daily lives.

Let's do this.
 

L.T. Fan

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Maybe instead of being mad at Joel Osteen I should be mad at the masses of idiots that have to have his guidance to get by in their daily lives.

Let's do this.
That makes just as much sense. We like to think all those folks are being duped but they likely prefer to be the was they are.
 

skidadl

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Joel makes people feel good, tells them God loves them and sell a crapton of books.

I personally don't care for his theology but he seems pretty harmless.

I don't see anyone angry at McDonalds or the myriad of other product/entertainment companies out there pushing their product to poor people or whatever.
 

skidadl

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Watch Joel's preaching, he specifically says that if you have a home church then tithe there. He also says that if you feel lead and free to ahead.

Then you get commercials on his books.

I challenge anyone who thinks he's a crook to watch a few of his shows and then make a judgment.
 
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Texas Ace

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I don't dislike Joel Osteen not do I think he's a crook, but there's just something about how he does business that doesn't sit well with me.

I posted this in another thread a few months ago.

This will better explain how I feel....

While I agree for the most part, I do think there is such a thing as having too much money like a Joel Osteen.

I consider myself to be a maturing Christian. I began going to church with the intention of becoming a Christian about 18 months ago. I've come a long way, but I still have a long way to go.

The reason I say that is because I don't pretend to have it all figured out and I may even be wrong or not completely understand what is and isn't acceptable in the eyes of the lord. So forgive me if I'm being ignorant here, but I don't care for the megachurch or for Joel Osteen claiming to be this God-fearing man who just wants to help people and spread the gospel.

Again, I don't have a problem with wealthy ministers. They have to earn a living too, and there isn't a more righteous thing that one can do for a living than to spread God's word and help others accept God. I think that's a great, and they too deserve to be compensated for that if that is what they are doing on a full time basis. But if you're truly in it for the lord, or your heart is pure, shouldn't you at some point stop accepting this outrageous amounts of money?

Once Joel Osteen became a millionaire, shouldn't he have stopped accepting lots of money or at least stop pocketing all of it to go and speak at places? I mean, you're doing it for God and all, aren't you? If you're doing it in the name of Jesus and to save people, then shouldn't you be doing that from the heart and without the need to be compensated? Especially if you've already got more money than you'll be able to spend?

Let's say someone wants to fly him out so he can speak. I don't think it's wrong to ask for the traveling expenses to be covered and for a donation to be made, but have it made to organizations or efforts that are proven to help people.

Instead of paying me 50K or whatever, how about I take 5 or 10K, and the other 40 you send to our efforts in Haiti, in Africa, in the Middle East where those of Christian faith are executed.

That to me is how business should now be conducted by the Osteen's now that they are so well off. But that's not how they're doing it, is it? Whatever service Joel Osteen provides, he and he alone is compensated for it and it goes straight into his bank account. That to me is wrong and I just don't agree with it.

Am I wrong for thinking this way?
 
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