SUPER FUNNY UPDATE ON JOEL OSTEEN: Check out Joel Osteen’s super scammy books he sells on Amazon (24!!!) including his self help BS book
and his hilarious book on “Wise Choices”. If only he’d follow his own advice!
LOL! For all you Joel Osteen fanboys – remember he just cynically feeds on you to make money so he can live his fancy lifestyle. He couldn’t care less about you in reality.
Popular televangelist preacher Joel Osteen has been named the “Most Influential Christian in America” in 2006 by the Church Report, was one of
Barbara Walters, “10 Most Fascinating People of 2006 and operates an extraordinarily profitable religious scam operation that probably will one day end in scandal.
So who is this guy who has appeared on 60 Minutes, Larry King Live and has his own television shows?
Who is this guy who thinks he can share the mighty name of Joel?
Joel Osteen has not yet had major sex scandals, drug scandals or molestation scandals like the other megachurch pastors: Pat Robertson, Al Sharpton, Ted Haggard, Paul Barnes, D.E. (Earl) Paulk, Jimmy Swaggert, Jim Bakker, William Dodd and too many others to possibly mention here. What Joel Osteen DOESN’T do is the real question.
In his sermons, Joel Osteen does not talk about God. Joel Osteen instead talks about almost everything except God. He has a television ministry, a massive church, $43 million a year in tithes and another $36 million a year in mailed in donations, but he won’t talk about God. He, like Pastor Kevin Gerald, talks about more pleasant topics, such as donating money to him and positive thinking. He has written two books, the second of which sold 3 million copies, but his books don’t really talk about God either. It’s just his bland and boring advice on how to live a happy life that has been thought of by other people first, “Think positively about yourself” and other such drivel.
What does Joel Osteen say when people ask him about why he does not discuss God or Jesus Christ or sin or what you need to do to go to Heaven? “That’s not my gift.” What are you doing being a freaking megachurch pastor then, bonehead?!
If you are going to try to operate a religious scam, at least make it religious! I actually think that Joel Osteen operating a secular “Christian” church is more of a scandal than Ted Haggard and his transsexual prostitutes and meth! (Though not nearly as funny of a scandal).
Joel Osteen didn’t even found his megachurch; instead the business was handed down to him by his father. When Joel Osteen became the head pastor of his church, he had only preached ONE sermon in his entire life- and that was the week before. Joel Osteen does not have any training in the Bible (seminary, degrees, etc.), which is probably why he doesn’t want to talk about it much.
My loyal readers have pointed out to me many times that the ridiculous actions of leaders in religion do not invalidate their beliefs. They are absolutely correct on this. However, there has never been anything that VALIDATES their beliefs either. The Flying Spaghetti Monster has the same amount of evidence on his side as most other gods. Here is another question I put to you: Please find me a single megachurch pastor who is NOT a scam-running, meth-eating, prostitute-abusing criminal. Anyone?
Update March 3, 2008 on JOEL OSTEEN:
Many people have been discussing Joel Osteen in the comments and making statements about his beliefs, behavior and preaching methods that show a distinct lack of understanding of his profit driven motives. Below I have added a video of Joel Osteen on Larry King Live where he dances around the core question of the Christian faith: What does it take to get to heaven? Joel Osteen hems and haws and won’t even say that people of different religions won’t make it to heaven.
The partial transcript for Joel Osteen’s interview with Larry King is below. I have basically pulled out the most pertinent excerpts to the point I have tried to make on televangelist Joel Osteen.
Televangelist Joel Osteen Discusses Christianity with Larry King
First is Larry King’s impressive introduction of Joel Osteen:
LARRY KING, CNN HOST: Tonight, Joel Osteen, evangelism’s hottest rising star, pastor for the biggest congregation in the United States… Pastor Joel Osteen is here for the hour…. Joel Osteen is the author of the number one “New York Times” best-seller, “Your Best Life Now.” There you see its cover. “Seven Steps to Living at Your Full Potential.” There is now a compendium been published called “Your Best Life Now Journal,” a guide to reaching that full potential. Joel Osteen is pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas. His father before him. He has been called the smiling preacher.
Larry King knows Joel Osteen Ministries is huge and tries to play nice with him throughout the interview.
KING: Why are you a preacher?
JOEL OSTEEN: You know, I never was for 17 years. I worked with my dad there at the church. He tried to get me to minister. I didn’t have it in me. I worked behind the scenes. I loved doing production and things. But when my father died, I just knew — I don’t know how to explain it, it sounds kind of odd, but I just knew down to here I was supposed to step up to the plate and pastor the church. And it was odd because I had never preached before. But I just knew I was supposed to do it.
Hmmm… either God gave him the “calling” or he was scared of losing his father’s multi-million dollar preaching business.
KING: But don’t you think if people don’t believe as you believe, they’re somehow condemned?
JOEL OSTEEN: You know, I think that happens in our society. But I try not to do that. I tell people all the time, preached a couple Sundays about it. I’m for everybody. You may not agree with me, but to me it’s not my job to try to straighten everybody out. The Gospel called the good news. My message is a message of hope, that’s God’s for you. You can live a good life no matter what’s happened to you. And so I don’t know. I know there is condemnation but I don’t feel that’s my place.
Joel Osteen comes right out and says that he will refuse to condemn sinners. He is too afraid, it’s not his place, he just wants to spew bland niceties… hmmm.
LARRY KING: Where were you ordained? OSTEEN: I was ordained from the church there, Lakewood, under my dad’s ministry.
LARRY KING: So you didn’t go to seminary?
JOEL OSTEEN: No, sir, I didn’t.
LARRY KING: They can just make you a minister?
JOEL OSTEEN: You can, you can.
Wow. Joel Osteen never even attended Bible school or classes for future preachers. No wonder he is so clueless about Biblical theology.
LARRY KING: Is it hard to lead a Christian life?
JOEL OSTEEN: I don’t think it’s that hard. To me it’s fun. We have joy and happiness. Our family — I don’t feel like that at all. I’m not trying to follow a set of rules and stuff. I’m just living my life.
LARRY KING: But you have rules, don’t you?
JOEL OSTEEN: We do have rules. But the main rule to me is to honor God with your life. To life a life of integrity. Not be selfish. You know, help others. But that’s really the essence of the Christian faith.
Of course its not hard for Joel Osteen to lead a Christian life. BECAUSE HE’S NOT!!!
LARRY KING: What if you’re Jewish or Muslim, you don’t accept Christ at all?
JOEL OSTEEN: You know, I’m very careful about saying who would and wouldn’t go to heaven. I don’t know …
LARRY KING: If you believe you have to believe in Christ? They’re wrong, aren’t they?
JOEL OSTEEN: Well, I don’t know if I believe they’re wrong. I believe here’s what the Bible teaches and from the Christian faith this is what I believe. But I just think that only God with judge a person’s heart. I spent a lot of time in India with my father. I don’t know all about their religion. But I know they love God. And I don’t know. I’ve seen their sincerity. So I don’t know. I know for me, and what the Bible teaches, I want to have a relationship with Jesus.
The last exchange between Larry King and Joel Osteen hits the nail on the head of everything that is wrong with the Joel Osteen Ministry. All it is is fluff. He can’t even defend the single core belief of Christianity- that a personal relationship with Jesus Christ is a requirement to gain access to Heaven.
Below is more Joel Osteen preaching videos. Joel Osteen preaches on cheesy, transparent topics that have nothing to do with the Bible. He twists scripture around to serve his own purposes of mass produced drivel. My question to Joel Osteen is where in the Bible does it say Christians have a “right to total victory” over physical pain, financial problems and other issues? Did he completely miss the book of Job or the trials and tribulations that the early Christians had to suffer under the Romans? I don’t think that Joel Osteen has ever even read the Bible.
DO NOT LET JOEL OSTEEN CONTINUE TO GET AWAY WITH HIS BIBLE-CONTRADICTING, POLITICALLY CORRECT AND PROFIT SEEKING DRIVEL! JOEL OSTEEN’S SCANDAL IS OUTRAGEOUS!
Jesus once went into a temple and threw out currency traders and salespeople…. WHO WILL THROW THE SCANDAL CREATING JOEL OSTEEN OUT OF GOD’S ASTRODOME TEMPLE?
Further discussion: Joel Osteen megachurch building – Joel Osteen paid the city of Houston $90,000,000 to remodel the former home of NBA team Houston Rockets and an additional $14,000,000 to lease the building for 30 years. Preacher Joel Osteen’s megachurch does not even own the building! Pastor Joel Osteen doesn’t care though- he’ll be dead by then and this church is all about him. The most interesting thing about the new church is that there is not a SINGLE cross in the whole building! Want to know why? Joel Osteen says that he wants to remove all “stumbling blocks” from the way of people coming to his church and being comfortable. Since when has Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross been a STUMBLING BLOCK for faith?! The scandal here is that the Joel Osteen is doing and saying blasphemous things… and no one is calling him out on it. The pastor of the largest church in America won’t even follow the basic tenets of Christianity!
Visit the Prayer Helpers site here to buy prayers for sale.
Joel Osteen is unable to even keep his own family under control. Pastor Joel Olsteen’s wife, Victoria Osteen, has been fined $3,000 and is being sued for assaulting a flight attendant on her first-class trip to the playground of the rich and famous Vail, Colorado.
Bible Verses that Condemn Megachurch Pastor Joel Osteen
I have had quite a few people post in the comments asking what does it really matter what Joel Osteen believes if he’s helping people? If Joel Osteen teaches nice things, isn’t it okay for him to be a Christian pastor? I understand that my opinions of right and wrong should not sway you, but I ask you to consider what the Bible says on the matter. First, let’s take the Bible verses that are the standard definition of who is a Christian:
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 (NIV)
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23 (NIV)
For the wages of sin is death. Romans 6:23 (NIV)
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faithand this not from yourselves, it is the gift of Godnot by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV)
To summarize, the only way to be saved and go to heaven is by the grace of Jesus and by faith in God. These are the basic verses that every Christian who has accepted Christ knows. Now for the verses that clearly state that only Christians who believe the above will go to Heaven:
-John 3:3: no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.
-John 3:15: everyone who believes in him [Jesus] may have eternal life.
-John 3:18: whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of Gods one and only Son.
-John 14:6: Jesus answered: No one comes to the Father except through me
-Acts 3:23: And it shall be, that every soul that shall not hearken to that prophet, shall be utterly destroyed from among the people. (ASV)
-Acts 4:12: Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved
-Romans 10:9: Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved
-Hebrews 9:28: he [Christ] will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him
-1 John 5:12: he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
The nine quoted verses above clearly state that only Christians can go to Heaven. Now, if Joel Osteen truly believed and was a pastor of a Bible-based church, would he preach a false message of hope to people? Joel Osteen is essentially subverting the word of God, which motivated me to write this post. I am not sure why Joel would do this, but my postulation (as above) is that he is doing it for financial gain. Joel Osteens father was a pastor and he has been a pastor for a long time now and he should know better than most people the MOST basic tenets of Christianity. Ignorance is an excuse for new Christians (as long as they work at it), but not for a shepherd of the flock.
Do you know what the Bible says about false teachers like Joel Osteen?
-2 Timothy 4:3,4 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth , and be turned aside to fables.
-Matthew 7:15,16 Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheeps clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits.
-Acts 20:29-31 For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves . Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears.
-2 Peter 2:1 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
-2 Peter 3:16,17 as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures. You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked;
-Colossians 2:8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.
-Hebrews 13:9 Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them.
The Bible is very, very harsh in its condemnation of people who change, twist or leave out parts of its doctrine. False leaders (Joel Osteen), to me, are more disgusting than someone who is a hypocrite (Ted Haggard).
For more information on mega church pastor Joel Osteen you can search Google with the terms joelosteen.com or joel osteen.com to find the man’s website. You could also use terms such as Joel Osteen Website or Joel Osteen Lakewood Church for other sorts of information on him.
Why do I care what Joel Osteen does or doesnt do in his church, especially seeing that I am not religious? People who are cheats, fakes, and phonies really bother me. I have written quite a few other posts on various community leaders who lead people astray for their own personal gain. My tax dollars go to support Joel Osteen (every church in America is exempt from taxes, but Joel Osteen is making millions tax-free teaching his Prosperity Message when he is basically just another self-help guru). I also am very wary of megachurch pastors (I used to attend one and have seen many on television)- they often seem to be some of the craziest people (Jim Jones-Want some Kool Aid?)
The same is true of Joel Osteen’s sermons and writings; if they do not remind you of something Jesus said, would you call that the work of the Holy Spirit?
Jock,
Regarding the apostle Paul, please find time to read the account found in the Book of Acts, Chapter 9:1-22. I think this would indicate that Paul had our Lord’s blessing and was in truth a true servant of the Lord.
Also, please take a moment to review Luke 13:1-5 wherein it is written:
1. Now on the same occasion there were some present who reported to Him about the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.
2. And He answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were greater sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered this fate?
3. I tell you no, but, unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.
4. Or do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, were worse culprits than all the men who live in Jerusalem?
5. I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”
Notice how necessay it is that we repent.
Edward,
St Luke who wrote the acts of the apostles and his account of what happened to Saul on the road to Damascus is not credible.
In the acts of the apostles luke gives four different accounts of what happened to Saul on the road to Damascus and all four accounts contradict each other.
Nor is it credible to me that God knocked saul off of his horse with a bright light that blinded him.
God loves us and his Holy Spirit that was abiding in Jesus during his public ministries cured and healed thousands of people with infirmities.
The Holy Spirit abiding in Jesus did not knock sinners to the ground and blind people or give them infirmities.
It’s pretty obvious to some Christians that it was the devil who knocked Saul off of his horse, not the Holy Spirit,
God doesn’t want to forsake us but when we turn our backs on God, God has no choice but to forsake us and when that happens the devil takes over and tries to make us think that God does not love us and punishes us because we’re bad.
Saul actually thanks God in his letters for giving him infirmities and says that the ifirmities are a blessing from God that helps him to be a good Christian. How absurd is that?
Why would God give us infirmites that would restrict our ability to serve him?
The only thing I like In Saul’s letters are the things that remind me of what Jesus said.
“The Holy Spirit will bring remembrance to all that I have said to you” Jn.14:26
Edward,
If I told you the same thing Saul tells us in his letters would you believe me?
“I am the master builder who laid the foundation for God’s true church here on earth;”
or would you try to correct me and say “The heavenly Father is the master builder and the Holy Spirit abiding in Jesus helped the heavenly Father lay the foundation?”
The pauline letters are cryptic. We don’t know if it was the Holy Spirit speaking through Saul or the devil speaking through Saul?
A cool site indeed!
And woe to those who critisize the Holy Spirit for trying to help the followers of Joel Osteen.
I agree with this article and believe O’Steen blew it when he had a chance to witness Christ to Oprah. If not by His shed blood and the cross of Calvary then how to we make heaven our home.
Stop being hateful! God is not the author of confusion. Pray instead and love your own family instead of passing judgment on other people. Give it all to God and you will sleep soundly.
Joelx,
You say your not a religious man and yet your writings are better than some of the things I’ve read that were published by the Catholic church ministries, the Billy Graham ministries, the Joel Osteen ministries or the Pat Robertson ministries.
It never ceases to amaze me how these learned men, some with 12 years of theology behind them are mislead by the writings of St. Paul; it gives a whole new meaning to me what St. Peter said when he wrote that the ignorant and unstable would be mislead by the Pauline letters in the last couple of verses of his second letter.
mel,
Maybe you can sleep soundly but the Good shepherd Jesus is worried about his little lambs who are being led astray by the devil.
Joelx,
Don’t listen to them Joelx! Your brother Jerry and myself are praying for you.
May the Good Shepherd Jesus and the Holy Spirit abide in you 24/7 and may the Holy Spirit abiding in you continue to make Good discernments and judgement that help the little lambs who have been led astray by that ole devil.
jock mot, Why would the Good shepherd Jesus be worried when He is a Good shepherd? maybe its you who is worried????
Mel,
I’ll let Jesus answer your questions for you!
John chapter 10 verses 7 through 18
He is the only one on TV besides Andrew Womac, or Joseph Prince, that truly preaches about the grace of God.
I’ve had it with legalistic preaching.
“Think not that Jesus came to destroy the law but to fullfill the law.” Mt. 5:17
You Have some issues to deal with I see. You need to stop looking for the negitive, puting word in that are not there. Sounds like you are a hipocite your self.
To the author of this post: Please investigate Rev. Ernest Angley of Grace Cathedral Church in Akron, Ohio. Like many of the other mega church pastors, he has his own television shows, books, and Jet airplane. Millions of dollars are sent to his ministry each year. However there is something you will find different about this man. He is a true stuart of God’s money. I will defend this man to my grave. He lives in the same small house that him and his late wife Angle purchased decades ago (for about $40 thousand). She passed away about 40years ago and he never remarried or had children. According to Wikipedia, 100% of all the royalties from his books goes back into the ministry. He does not preach the prosperity gospel but rather his moto is “win the lost at any cost”. He preaches the truth to people about what the wages of sin are and doesnt care what people think of him. He turned 90 years old last year but is still going strong. He travels to Africa often with his team to bring Jesus’s love and healing to a hurting people. He has said many times, “I told God that if I can’t have (win) souls, then I dont want to be here anymore, take me home.” He is presently working on his last great novel, “Armageddon”. Then he plans to make it into a motion picture to show the world. I truly believe he God’s man for this hour.
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU …. I’ve turned this guy on occasionally in the past few years trying to figure out if it was me or just all of my older friends that are being duped. The first time to listen was by my choice and I didn’t need to listen long before I knew something was terribly wrong. In the times I’ve managed to sit thru his sermons (???) I never heard about the Lord, never had the slightest urgining from the Holy Spirit to stay tuned and continue to listen, never saw the cross (thanks for enlightening me as to why we don’t see this in his gymnasium). So what gives???? I don’t know what the elderly of our generation sees in this guy. You’d think they’d have more discernment than that. I know we’re losing our youth to grand slams like this why so many of our wonderfully devout, Bible reading Christians. I just am not understanding that. Osteen has absolutely no knowledge, no character, no committment, no growth, no guts and now may I add … “NO GLORY!”
Suz,
Read John 10:7-18. The reason he lacks these qualities is because he is a hirling. Just see what he does when the wolves come out.
you people dont have work to do,, what have you done to honour you judging others? you seem to blaspheme the work of GOD and that is clear at the first place because of the way you narrate the article,, listen you are more than nothing in front of the intelligent if you discuss an issue biased like this,, by the way it seems the devil have sent you because the style of the talk is from the negatives and this is typical devilish because the devil will never allow somebody to move positively,, I advise you, the one responsible for the article to become grown up now and bring here topics for the intelligent,, in fact if you have concluded arleady that the man doesnt preach GOD why did you put a column for comments? because this is not a neutral topic anymore as long as you have met your intentio of telling people how bad JOEL is and his ministry,, tell us the good then at least to show us you are coming up because no body can have the bad only if you are serious enough,,, how much have you been paid by doing this?? find out a good paying job because this is just humiliating your understanding
How is it possible to love others without making judgments?
The answer is obvious; the Holy Spirit abiding in you can and does make judgements for you and it is the Holy Spirit’s judgments that helps others and yourself gain eternal life
Helping others is an act of love.
When we see or hear others doing or saying something that seems to be contradicting the direct quotations of Jesus, our loving savior and one and only teacher Jesus is telling us to be like Good shepherds and try to help the little lambs who are being led astray.
Joel Olsteen tells us “God loves us unconditionally and that we should love others unconditionally.
Does picking up the cross and following Jesus sound unconditional?
Jesus spent three years of his life giving us conditions on what we must do to gain eternal life and one of those conditions was to help others if we think they are being led astray.
Unconditional means making no discernments good or bad.
Is our heavenly Father an animal? Are we to act like animals like Joel osteen is telling us?
Heaven forbid!
Read Jn. 14:26
The gospel of John that was co-written by beloved John and Mary magdalene tells us how the Holy Spirit works when the Holy Spirit abides in us.
Jesus said the Holy Spirit will remind us of everything that Jesus said to us.
If we want to help others then we should let the Holy Spirit abiding in us remind others of what Jesus said to us.
Even though some wiil curse us because of the judgement that came out of our mouth they are not really cursing us; they are unknowingly cursing the Holy Spirit and if they did it knowing it was the Holy Spirit speaking through us they would be guilty of the unforgivable sin.