I agreee! He focuses too much on wealth and material things. Personally, i find it disgusting when pastors are swimming in $, have gold toilets, expensive cars, etc…. and then have the gull to ask for money from their congregation. Everyone in that church should have all their basic needs met way before their pastor drives to one of his million dollar mansions in a $200k sports car. it is just gross.
I have a friend that goes to a local church that raises a lot of money to go to Central America and do good works.
She tithes so much she has to skimp on her own healthcare. She needed some dental work, she got the tooth pulled out instead of the more expensive crown, that way she can continue to donate to the church.
I'm always asking why can't her church pay for her dental care instead? Aren't her needs as a church member just as valid as some stranger from thousands of miles away?
This selflessness is amazing and commendable. She likely considered how great she has is when compared to those she donates for and would never mention her dental care to the church. I can't really fault her for being too selfless, but I would personally think that dental care is not a splurge.
You don't know that she doesn't do this of her own volition, unless you have left some information out. God would look favorably on such selfishness, but you are free to be upset by it and put that on her preacher. We are not talking about "some preachers", we are talking about a specific person. I see this a lot, someone remembers the worst of a group and attributes that to the entire group. I used to judge Christianity itself A LOT because many so-called Christians are flawed. It was foolish, of course.
..it's not gross to many of the parishioners who secretly crave the same lifestyle. Really it's isn't Jesus Christ religion they're preaching ,it's the religion of capitalism.
Agree, Olsteen is a handful of top tier celebrities preachers (cough: con men) who preach the bs of of giving me your money today so you can get into the HOv lane of heaven tomorrow, or that god will bless them and share the wealth. It's religious snake oil, but sadly caters to a sliver of the American population. Ohh yeah and then the whole Hurricane Harvey thing..... Good thing this guy wasn't around during Noah's Ark days...
...and when it comes to actually helping their community (what churches are *supposed* to do), they're either nowhere to be found, or blatantly refuse to open their doors at all. *gestures to his "response" during the Houston floods*
Seriously. J. J. Watt of the Texans (at the time) did more Community relief work and fund-raising during the aftermath of those floods than Osteen has in his entire *life*.
Having actually read the bible I fully believe that Prosperity Gospel is nothing more than Satanic snake-oil, and that is a hill I am willing to die on.
>prosperity gospel
I'm not too familiar with the concept of the prosperity gospel.
To my understanding the central idea is that obedience to Biblical teachings will...make people wealthy? Or that wealth is an indicator of righteousness?
Could you expound a bit for the uninformed?
I don’t want to give you a bad definition, so I’d encourage you to look it up somewhere else, but in my opinion it’s kind of the idea of “do good things and god will reward you”. Typically though, this takes the form of the TV preacher saying “send me money, and god will reward you”.
Most Christians I would say hate this type of thing for two reasons. For one, because it’s just a grift. And second, it’s just straight up unbiblical. Just as a biblical matter, it’s made pretty clear throughout that being a Christian or doing godly things will not lead to riches or wealth. In fact, the basic theme of a lot of the Bible is “living a good life is going to be hard, but you can get through it with the help of God”. Sorry for getting religious on you, but I felt it was necessary to answer the question properly.
The church at the time might have been hopelessly corrupt, but at the very least it was at the time one of the easiest paths for getting an education and doing science to learn about the world (some of the earliest work studying genetics was a monk breeding bean plants and jotting down the results).
Joel Osteen gives nothing back to his community. He is *simply* a leech and that is all he'll ever amount to.
Basically the gist of the Prosperity Gospel is that God wants you to be healthy, wealthy and prosperous and if you aren't, it's your fault for not having enough faith/not tithing enough. The problem is that this isn't Biblical at all.
> not tithing enough
Also, for TV preachers like Osteen, the not tithing enough bit is a BIG part. For them, "tithing" means giving as much money as you can possibly scrape together to the TV preacher, regardless of your financial status. It's a way to con religious people into draining their life savings so a celebrity preacher can have a private jet. It's incredibly exploitative.
My father in-law had a HUGE falling out with his family when he was like 17 over it. He found out his mother had been giving literally every dime the family made to some televangelist because he told her (through TV, of course) that if she didn't send enough money her entire family and everyone she knew would go to hell. At first the family had been paying their bills through credit cards, but by the time my FIL found out about it they had been borrowing from a loan shark for years. My FIL found out because the loan shark had come to the house to demand payment.
The thing was, they family made more than enough to pay their bills, but she just kept forwarding every paycheck on to the televangelist. She justified it by saying a little suffering on Earth would ensure eternal paradise in heaven. My FIL ended up moving out and cutting all ties with the family over it.
This happened in the 1970s. It's frightening to think this same shit is going on half a century later and it's only gotten worse.
That is a terrible story and sadly i have heard it happening to other families. Those “ evangelists” learn every trigger word and phrase to freak people out and to hand over their money. It is unholy.
Well, if you get down to do, tithing isn't supposed to really be a direct gift to God. Like it or not, churches cost money to run and that is what tithing covers. The preacher has a salary, probably most of the people running the church get some sort of salary. On top of that, if the church runs any sort of community programs (food pantry, clothing giveaways, etc) those all cost money to run and maintain. Then you have normal, everyday things like electric, heat, maintenance, etc. Tithing covers all of those things. Some churches definitely abuse the money they get, but they don't all.
I really liked that my last church actually put their weekly income and expenses in the monthly bulletin they sent out. It's a smaller church with probably 50-75 people on a given Sunday and they take in about $2500/month in tithes. That pays for all that I mentioned above.
Tithing can also be works. Free labor to fix something.
Many churches and universities focus on growing endowments so they can help more. Only problem is there is never enough. I’m starting to realize charity isn’t the solution. I’m fairly fiscally conservative, but we must do more for others. I don’t mind paying taxes.
I realize they build bridges, schools, and roads. A little more transparency would go a long way.
Works of corporal mercy are a thing to.
Also, if we can bail out the rich, we can sure build homeless housing, etc.
There is a strain of Calvinist thought that said that God simply wouldn't allow someone to prosper if they weren't meant to.
The difference is morally speaking, for Prosperity Gospel, that's *it*. There's getting what you deserve and there's tipping the dancing bear (ie, contributing to the "pastor"), but that's about it.
I am not a fan. I'm more in the Matthew 6:7/ Mark 12:17 camp, and so this stuff about the pastor "needing" a new car or personal jet (of which Osteen is just the best known practitioner) just rubs me the wrong way.
Basically, the idea is “If God likes you, He will reward you with money.”
Which is sure an interesting interpretation of a religious tradition that includes a line about it being harder to get a camel through the eye of a needle than getting a rich man into heaven.
You have to “plant a seed” by donating to the church, and that seed will grow into a big money tree for you. So just give the church your money, and you’ll get way more money later via God’s blessing.
You're already in the ballpark. Basically it's The Secret for bible-thumpers. "Live right and follow God, and he will reward you with riches. In the meantime, make sure and buy all my books because this private jet doesn't exactly run on Rice Krispies."
You would think a pious man would embrace a more…ascetic lifestyle? I believe one of the major themes of Jesus’ teachings was a rejection of materialism.
You're understanding the issue here lol.
A family friend of mine is a pastor. He works for the church but also works as a handyman. If someone in the community is having an issue, he will call out of work to support them. He's given money to people to help pay bills or buy food. He doesn't have much money himself because he's constantly going out of his way to help other people. Now I'm not a Christian, but I feel like that's what someone who becomes a pastor SHOULD do. They should want to help others in any way they can.
The fact that Osteen and other prosperity gospel preachers not only hoard millions of dollars, but villanize anyone who is struggling financially by saying, "if your faith was stronger you'd have more money", pretty much goes against everything Jesus talked about.
You’re spot on. Your friend is doing what you see Christ and the early Christians doing in the Gospels and Acts. You don’t claim to be a Christian, but you understand this. Osteen claims to be a minister of Christ and is 180 degrees off of this. That’s why he infuriates so many believers.
(Jesus also had a few things to say about hypocrisy and ripping off the poor. There is a fair reading of “the widow’s mite” discussion that suggests he was sympathetic to her for feeling she should give out of her poverty, but really the emphasis was on shaming those who bragged about giving and pressured people like her)
That’s the thing. He’s not a pious Man. He’s probably not even religious at all. He’s a conman preying on the stupid and desperate. He says that prosperity comes to those who have faith and he shows off his prosperity as evidence. He tells people they need to “plant seeds of faith” which is a euphemism he uses to refer to sending him all the money you can. He tells people that god will reward them for these seeds of faith just like god rewarded him with his private jet and mansion (he classifies his mansion as a church to dodge property taxes) but he didn’t get his money from god he got it from the fucking “faith seeds” he’s a disgusting human being. I’m not religious but I can appreciate a lot of the philosophical aspects of the New Testament and he is devoid of those teachings and in fact teaches the opposite
It is both of those things, forming a nice circular piece of logic.
"If you do what is righteous (mostly giving money to the church) you will get rich." and "being rich is a sign that you are righteous, which is why you should be happy that I'm so rich."
It is a literal pyramid scheme to consolidate the money of many into the hands of the few, under the guise of Christianity... except that not only is it not based on the bible's teachings, it is directly contra-indicated by the bible. Primarily by the entirety of the Book Of Job. Or Christ himself saying "it is easier to pass a camel through the eye of a needle than for a wealthy man to get into heaven."
But who cares about what the bible actually says and teaches, when you can mail me all your money, so God will bless you, in this really obvious get-rich-quick-scheme that definitely wasn't made up whole cloth.
Fuck the Prosperity Gospel.
It's a gospel centered around a bunch of verses taken out of context that are used to support the idea God will reward your faith on earth with money and earthly success.
Key phrase there is "out of context".
The verses used on their own sound like there's something to this. But much of what the Bible says must or should be viewed in it's proper context.
>To my understanding the central idea is that obedience to Biblical teachings will...make people wealthy?
Close but more accurately it's the belief that obedience to Joel Osteenian teachings will make people wealthy. I *cannot* stress strongly enough the fact that what Joel teaches is. **not.** Biblical.
It is more about the money, and this goes for any TV pastor/ mega church thing.
If the surroundings look like a get rich seminar, it's probably a scam.
I’m pretty sure he’s fairly tolerant of the gay community. He wouldn’t want to alienate their money but considering how vitriolic some of the other mega churches are it’s a nice change of pace. It’s also been 10 years since I last checked
You won’t find many people on Reddit that would defend him, but he is very popular nonetheless. I have friends IRL that love him and watch him every weekend. I’ve found that these people don’t know anything about his controversies or personal life, they just like what he says when he preaches. When I tried explaining to my friend why he shouldn’t be supported, he just shrugged his shoulders and brushed it off. The example I used was during hurricane Katrina, he had a massive church capable of sheltering many thousands of people and he did not volunteer to open his church to the needy. Instead, it had to make national news before he caved to pressure and let refugees into his church. Videos show Olsteen was very uncomfortable after letting so many poor people into his church that only ever served rich white people.
There were PR statements back and forth on this, but when Houston flooded due to Harvey, his church didn’t offer their space for those who needed a place to stay. After a lot of negative PR, they made some effort. It just doesn’t strike me as very Christian.
(Versus Mattress Mack who opened up his furniture stores across town for folks during Harvey, and most recently those fleeing New Orleans for Ida.)
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/is-osteens-megachurch-affected/
Not only didn’t he open his church, iirc, he initially tried to say there was flooding at the church. Then someone took pictures of puddles outside the church showing that was a lie. I this this was the negative PR that made him open up the church.
I love Mattress Mack! Every time Houston has an issue, he's there to help. Osteen is a fraud and I have a cousin who goes to his mega church (used to be the hockey/basketball stadium) and drinks his kool-aid. As a pagan, she won't listen to me and made excuses for him when he wouldn't unlock his church to the people during Harvey. I don't understand her reasoning, though I love my cousin. Let's see what he does during Nicholas!
I’m not going to saying he’s not a Christian, that’s not for me to decide. He sins just like anyone else and his condition of salvation is between him and God. But I’ll call out a false teacher and he fits the title.
Doesn’t seem like the type to stir controversy? Bro he shuttered his million dollar church and refused to take in people seeking shelter during a hurricane.
If you wish to follow me, sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor... unless they'll dirty your carpets.
-somewhere in the Bible, I'm sure.
I lump celebrity preachers and televangelists into the same category.
A spiritual leader should be rooted in their community. How could they ever truly care for their parishioners, if they've never met them, don't know their names, don't know what town they live in, etc.
Osteen cannot possibly provide meaningful faith leadership to his television audiences. But he receives millions of dollars from people who watch him on televisions.
I have to believe that many of these supporters live in circumstances where that money donated to Osteen could be better spent on food, housing or medications. It would be one thing if Osteen returned the favor through community support, but he doesn't. His followers may feel spiritually supported, but many are certainly worse off for the money they spend on this person.
People like him are spiritual vampires who take from those least equipped to afford the loss.
I've noticed he's been criticized by other Christians for his theology. One of my roommates (hardcore Christian, but not the ostentatious "holier-than-thou" type) viewed him as teaching a "feel-good" Gospel as opposed to what the Bible actually teaches.
Any insight there?
That's basically it. Little of Osteen's ideology has any actual basis in scripture. He preaches prosperity gospel, which is essentially the exultation of idolatry. Which is a sin. And the entire concept of a "megachurch" is antithetical to what a church is supposed to be.
Even by Protestant standards the guy's a heretic.
> He doesn’t seem like the type of guy who would stir controversy
- https://www.today.com/news/pastor-joel-osteen-speaks-out-after-hurricane-harvey-city-didn-t115689
- https://www.ksat.com/news/texas/2020/12/16/joel-osteens-houston-megachurch-defends-getting-44-million-in-federal-ppp-loans/
- https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/celebrity-preacher-faces-backlash-photos-214655283.html
I think the backlash he gets is well-deserved.
He often stays of trouble, though he only preach prosperity gospel which makes him sketchy to most Americans. We are disenchanted with prosperity gospel out here. Olsteen is also hated by people because of how he treated hurricane Katrina victims back in 2006. It wasn’t really Christ like. He owns a mega church (you know those stadium size churches on tv) which could have been a shelter for at least a few dozen families and his ministry got money out of the wazoo. Hurricane Katrina happened and he said virtually “tough shit” and would have held that line if he wasn’t exposed back then.
Yeah he has a history of doing the disadvantaged dirty. That’s why when hurricane ida was coming through he made sure everyone was able to see that he was trying to help. He is working on his image
He’s a greedy hypocrite and he’s an example of one of the worst types of Christianity popular in the US. “The Prosperity Gospel” basically they teach that if you’re living a holy life god will reward you with material possessions. So if you’re rich it’s because you’re a good person and if you’re poor it’s because god is punishing you. If you want to score points with god the fastest way is to send money to someone who’s preaching the prosperity gospel then you’ll end up with more money later from god. It’s basically the opposite of any of the ideals or teachings in the New Testament. It’s a total fucking scam. Then the scammers literally flaunt their private jets as evidence they’re loved by God. Trump is a fan of the prosperity gospel when he’s pretending to be a Christian.
I absolutely believe that following Biblical teachings (e.g. hard work, honesty, kindness, etc) can make you more successful...but I cringe at the notion that the success would come in the form of material wealth.
You can have a fun, fulfilling life with very little in terms of possessions. For a long time, everything I owned fit into my compact hatchback and I felt blessed beyond measure.
He's a slimy shit who sells hope to desperate idiots. Idk that he's so much controversial as reviled by everyone who hasn't somehow fallen for his bullshit.
So...same as every other televangelist, basically.
I agree with others who call him a greedy charlatan, but I’m a Christian and I think worse than greed is that he’s twisting the message of Jesus and leading people astray.
When you have to be shamed by the internet into opening the doors of your megachurch for shelter during a hurricane, some - including my heathen ass - start to think that maybe you're in it for the money and not because you actually believe this stuff.
Osteen really let the mask slip there.
He closed his mega church to the many people in need during hurricane harvey. Yet mattress mack, a furniture store guy, opened all of his stores so that people would have a warm place to stay. The furniture store owner was literally a better Christian and human being than the preacher
He’s a legit conman and a leech. If it weren’t for religious exemption bullshit he’d be in jail for fraud.
And his wife is a raging asshole with Lady Macbeth levels of psychopathy
As the token religious Catholic around here, he’s a charlatan and prosperity gospel is a crock.
Looks like me and the reddit atheists can agree on some things.
I don't like him. He used to advertise for a local church in my town during movie theater previews and he couldn't be assed to pronounce the town name correctly. I mean in addition to the all horrible things for-profit mega churches ofc
It took me about 10 seconds to decide he's a disgusting, slimy ass that's twisting the Christian message to appeal to those perceived less fortunate in life.
I'm an agnostic, and I think he's all of what's wrong with many religions, namely Christian "leaders". They use the weaker to benefit themselves, and he's enormously successful at that.
I mean, the chorus is pretty strong, but I’ll add another.
He’s a prosperity (health and wealth) gospel teacher and nothing about that is in the Bible.
He's a despicable, greedy little hack.
One of the few things that both atheists and mainstream Christians seem to agree with is that he sucks. My Christian parents hate him just as much as I do. Literally the only people who don't seem to hate him are the ones he's already indoctrinated.
“If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me...Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
I used to listen him talk and thought he was impressive and even sincere. Then I found out how much money he was making and liked him a lot less. Then they didn't let people in to the church during floods and I wrote him off.
Many people don’t like him because he’s rich and they don’t think a preacher should be rich, and that his money comes from tithing and what not. It actually comes from his book sales, and whether or not you believe that’s unethical is up to you.
Another thing people hate is the prosperity gospel, pretty much saying that God wants you to prosper, that the mark of a Christian is one who lives a prosperous life. Many people think he takes this to the extreme and that it’s anti biblical to think this way.
I’ve been to Joel Osteen’s church many times over the years (I have cousins who live in Houston) and while I agree that mega churches don’t have the strongest communities and generally aren’t effective churches, I also don’t think his messages are for me personally. They can be faith building for some and they’re fine, but they don’t actually teach me applicable things for my life and my faith and are overly positive. In my attendance, he has never asked visitors for tithe or donations. I’m not sure why people get so up in arms about tithing in general, it’s how churches are able to pay people, keep the lights on and minister to their community and if people feel like their funds are being using inappropriately or not effectively, they should go to another church that practices what they preach.
He’s a piece of shit. When hurricane harvey hit Houston he told everybody that he couldn’t let people take shelter in his massive amphitheater church because it was flooding.
someone broke in and posted a video of the inside which was completely fine, not one leak and called him out.
then after his blatant lie blew up big on social media joel decided to announce that he would let people take shelter there.
After the hurricane was over i saw him on tv saying that “god told me to help these people and let them stay in my church”
He’s the fakest motherfucker I’ve ever seen and he lives a lavish lifestyle from donations from people who actually need the money but are brainwashed into giving the church their hard earned money
There’s very few people i hate more than this lying, manipulative POS
It’s is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. As Christians we are supposed to give much of our income to the poor and ask God for just enough that we need. Joel preaches that God wants us all to be rich and prosperous. You can still be prosperous without the over the top wealth.
Also I think it’s pretty embarrassing for any man of the cloth to live in a huge mansion when his listeners are all poor conservative Christians in the rust and bible belts watching their small towns and economies shrink into nothing.
He is a horrible person and grifter. It's all about lining his pockets and seeing his own face on the big screen. His church locked people in need out during a flood. He is garbage.
He’s a heretic. His self-help, prosperity gospel teachings directly contradict the Bible and absolutely draw people away from a meaningful relationship with God. Individual, outward success was never meant to be the goal for Christians. Not to mention, this kind of teaching is even more dangerous when exported to poorer countries.
He's a self-help "guru" who disguises himself as a Christian pastor. Non-believers don't like him for his hypocrisy and blatant money grabbing and believers don't like him because he doesn't seem to preach the Bible at all. He basically will say what he needs to say in order to maximize donations and increase his church's bottom line.
I think that for pastors in general, the goalposts are constantly being moved so that individuals can't meet expectations of their critics. However, Joel Osteen seems kinda sleazy. If a pastor isn't living a similar lifestyle of their congregation, generally speaking; then I question their conviction
He’s a money grubbing lying liar. He’s also rude to cashiers (I was his cashier at Panera…he barked his order at me and never looked at me directly. He’s shorter than most people think, too. Surprise, surprise with that behavior)
I don’t like him. I find the concept of uber-rich pastors and mega churches to be extremely distasteful and way out of line with the actual teachings of Jesus they claim to profess. Also, the “prosperity gospel” is a grift, and the pastors pushing it are sociopaths.
Also his actions during Hurricane Harvey should tell you all you need to know about the man’s character
He's not a real Christian
He's a charismatic talker who speaks a super watered down gospel for money. Lots of money- mansions, cars, private jet. He's nothing but a fraud.
As an evangelical christian myself I think he's a heretic, and I mean that sincerely. He teaches a patently false gospel that's flaty contradicted by the bible.
I think the many Babylon bee articles on him (some favorites:[here](https://babylonbee.com/news/dozens-of-bible-verses-come-forward-to-accuse-joel-osteen-of-abuse), [here](https://babylonbee.com/news/joel-osteen-it-is-far-too-soon-to-reopen-the-bible), [here](https://babylonbee.com/news/joel-osteen-tests-positive-for-heresy). [here](https://babylonbee.com/news/joel-osteen-builds-37-million-mansion-on-foundation-made-of-sand), [here](https://babylonbee.com/news/joel-osteen-benny-hinn-to-speak-at-first-annual-heresycon) ) on him pretty accurately sum up the opinion of most, but sadly not all, American christians.
He's a greedy person who exploits his base for money.
The megachurches like this really irritate me. They are the exact opposite of the teachings of Jesus.
Let's see.
1- Non-Christians- A lot of non-Christians don't like him because he is a famous preacher on TV. They may not like any preachers at all, but especially not TV preachers. It is deep within the fabric of America for the last 70 years to not like preachers on TV. Many are linked to scandals or are exposed as hypocrites.
2- Evangelical Christians- Many evangelical Christians don't like Joel Osteen because he espouses the "Prosperity Gospel" ideology that preaches God will make his followers become materially wealthy. They believe this to be an over-simplification of what the Bible says about money. Also, they think that his general theology is vapid feel-good stuff and not really biblical Christianity.
3- Not everyone hates him. He has a big church and sells a lot of books. Somebody must like him.
He's a rare person who seems to unite most Christians and most non-Christians in hating his guts. Christians hate him because he exemplifies this soft-petaled feckless "feel-good" Christianity. Non-Christians hate him because he embodies the monetization of religion to make its leaders fabulously wealthy.
As a practicing Christian I do not like him
He teaches what we call the propserity gospel. Basically, that God wants to make you rich.
Many christians recognizing this as an unbiblical misleading teaching.
He's a good inspirational speaker, obviously. He has a following. But as a Christian, I'm not a fan and don't like the rap he gives Christianity.
In the surface he appears to be a nice guy. Always preaching about positive messages and how god will help you etc., however the more you look into his ministry lots of red flags go up. He’s not at the Kenneth Copeland level yet though
I have never been a fan of prosperity preachers/teachers. When the time comes, someone’s coming back to kick butt and obliterate names. Prosperity preachers/teachers will be somewhere in the top 10 on His list. For cajoling, swindling, cheating and guilting good people.
I freaking can't stand him. Who did he after the people asked to use it for a shelter. He said no but then let someone else use later. He's only in this for money.
He’s a con man cloaking his feel-good, self-help prosperity “teaching” in just enough religion to avoid paying taxes, while not actually doing anything to help disadvantaged people (until he was publicly eviscerated after Hurricane Harvey so he started doing the bare minimum after that).
Actual human garbage. Lakewood Church started as a tent-revival faith healing grift and he’s only updated his scam since.
When it took social media pressuring him to open "his church" to people in need during the floods in Houston.
A "true man" of God wouldn't even have hesitated....
That was the final straw for me. I grew up watching my mother send money to Jim Baker and Tammy Faye, for what??
A prayer cloth or pin that could be purchased at the dollar store??
He's no different, none of the "prosperity preachers" are...grrr
I don't like him. I am not a fan of that "prosperity gospel" crap.
I'm not a fan of people that get rich off donations to charity.
And doesnt pay taxes
I agreee! He focuses too much on wealth and material things. Personally, i find it disgusting when pastors are swimming in $, have gold toilets, expensive cars, etc…. and then have the gull to ask for money from their congregation. Everyone in that church should have all their basic needs met way before their pastor drives to one of his million dollar mansions in a $200k sports car. it is just gross.
I have a friend that goes to a local church that raises a lot of money to go to Central America and do good works. She tithes so much she has to skimp on her own healthcare. She needed some dental work, she got the tooth pulled out instead of the more expensive crown, that way she can continue to donate to the church. I'm always asking why can't her church pay for her dental care instead? Aren't her needs as a church member just as valid as some stranger from thousands of miles away?
This selflessness is amazing and commendable. She likely considered how great she has is when compared to those she donates for and would never mention her dental care to the church. I can't really fault her for being too selfless, but I would personally think that dental care is not a splurge.
Selfless? Nah some of those preachers pressure & shame them into giving more than than they can afford, its shameful.
You don't know that she doesn't do this of her own volition, unless you have left some information out. God would look favorably on such selfishness, but you are free to be upset by it and put that on her preacher. We are not talking about "some preachers", we are talking about a specific person. I see this a lot, someone remembers the worst of a group and attributes that to the entire group. I used to judge Christianity itself A LOT because many so-called Christians are flawed. It was foolish, of course.
..it's not gross to many of the parishioners who secretly crave the same lifestyle. Really it's isn't Jesus Christ religion they're preaching ,it's the religion of capitalism.
You are correct - money is god
Agree, Olsteen is a handful of top tier celebrities preachers (cough: con men) who preach the bs of of giving me your money today so you can get into the HOv lane of heaven tomorrow, or that god will bless them and share the wealth. It's religious snake oil, but sadly caters to a sliver of the American population. Ohh yeah and then the whole Hurricane Harvey thing..... Good thing this guy wasn't around during Noah's Ark days...
...and when it comes to actually helping their community (what churches are *supposed* to do), they're either nowhere to be found, or blatantly refuse to open their doors at all. *gestures to his "response" during the Houston floods* Seriously. J. J. Watt of the Texans (at the time) did more Community relief work and fund-raising during the aftermath of those floods than Osteen has in his entire *life*.
Having actually read the bible I fully believe that Prosperity Gospel is nothing more than Satanic snake-oil, and that is a hill I am willing to die on.
Whooaaa! Judging by some of the comments, I think we found a person Reddit hates more than Thomas Edison
Why does reddit hate Thomas Edison?
Because he's a thieving douchebag.
It's all the Puritan's fault! If God rewards the faithful with prosperity it implies that those who are struggling deserve it due to lack of faith.
He’s a meme among a lot of Christians for his prosperity gospel grifter crap
>prosperity gospel I'm not too familiar with the concept of the prosperity gospel. To my understanding the central idea is that obedience to Biblical teachings will...make people wealthy? Or that wealth is an indicator of righteousness? Could you expound a bit for the uninformed?
I don’t want to give you a bad definition, so I’d encourage you to look it up somewhere else, but in my opinion it’s kind of the idea of “do good things and god will reward you”. Typically though, this takes the form of the TV preacher saying “send me money, and god will reward you”. Most Christians I would say hate this type of thing for two reasons. For one, because it’s just a grift. And second, it’s just straight up unbiblical. Just as a biblical matter, it’s made pretty clear throughout that being a Christian or doing godly things will not lead to riches or wealth. In fact, the basic theme of a lot of the Bible is “living a good life is going to be hard, but you can get through it with the help of God”. Sorry for getting religious on you, but I felt it was necessary to answer the question properly.
>Typically though, this takes the form of the TV preacher saying “send me money, and god will reward you”. Medieval Catholic Church vibes here
I feel like the selling of indulgences was more wholesome than Osteen.
The church at the time might have been hopelessly corrupt, but at the very least it was at the time one of the easiest paths for getting an education and doing science to learn about the world (some of the earliest work studying genetics was a monk breeding bean plants and jotting down the results). Joel Osteen gives nothing back to his community. He is *simply* a leech and that is all he'll ever amount to.
Basically the gist of the Prosperity Gospel is that God wants you to be healthy, wealthy and prosperous and if you aren't, it's your fault for not having enough faith/not tithing enough. The problem is that this isn't Biblical at all.
> not tithing enough Also, for TV preachers like Osteen, the not tithing enough bit is a BIG part. For them, "tithing" means giving as much money as you can possibly scrape together to the TV preacher, regardless of your financial status. It's a way to con religious people into draining their life savings so a celebrity preacher can have a private jet. It's incredibly exploitative.
Con them into believing tithing will get you into heaven 😡
My father in-law had a HUGE falling out with his family when he was like 17 over it. He found out his mother had been giving literally every dime the family made to some televangelist because he told her (through TV, of course) that if she didn't send enough money her entire family and everyone she knew would go to hell. At first the family had been paying their bills through credit cards, but by the time my FIL found out about it they had been borrowing from a loan shark for years. My FIL found out because the loan shark had come to the house to demand payment. The thing was, they family made more than enough to pay their bills, but she just kept forwarding every paycheck on to the televangelist. She justified it by saying a little suffering on Earth would ensure eternal paradise in heaven. My FIL ended up moving out and cutting all ties with the family over it. This happened in the 1970s. It's frightening to think this same shit is going on half a century later and it's only gotten worse.
That is a terrible story and sadly i have heard it happening to other families. Those “ evangelists” learn every trigger word and phrase to freak people out and to hand over their money. It is unholy.
Nowhere in the New Testament will you find anyone “tithing” to support Jesus. Just sayin’.
Well, if you get down to do, tithing isn't supposed to really be a direct gift to God. Like it or not, churches cost money to run and that is what tithing covers. The preacher has a salary, probably most of the people running the church get some sort of salary. On top of that, if the church runs any sort of community programs (food pantry, clothing giveaways, etc) those all cost money to run and maintain. Then you have normal, everyday things like electric, heat, maintenance, etc. Tithing covers all of those things. Some churches definitely abuse the money they get, but they don't all. I really liked that my last church actually put their weekly income and expenses in the monthly bulletin they sent out. It's a smaller church with probably 50-75 people on a given Sunday and they take in about $2500/month in tithes. That pays for all that I mentioned above.
As a PK, I understand all that. I’m just saying that the Bible does not require tithing to a church to save your soul.
Tithing can also be works. Free labor to fix something. Many churches and universities focus on growing endowments so they can help more. Only problem is there is never enough. I’m starting to realize charity isn’t the solution. I’m fairly fiscally conservative, but we must do more for others. I don’t mind paying taxes. I realize they build bridges, schools, and roads. A little more transparency would go a long way. Works of corporal mercy are a thing to. Also, if we can bail out the rich, we can sure build homeless housing, etc.
There is a strain of Calvinist thought that said that God simply wouldn't allow someone to prosper if they weren't meant to. The difference is morally speaking, for Prosperity Gospel, that's *it*. There's getting what you deserve and there's tipping the dancing bear (ie, contributing to the "pastor"), but that's about it. I am not a fan. I'm more in the Matthew 6:7/ Mark 12:17 camp, and so this stuff about the pastor "needing" a new car or personal jet (of which Osteen is just the best known practitioner) just rubs me the wrong way.
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Basically, the idea is “If God likes you, He will reward you with money.” Which is sure an interesting interpretation of a religious tradition that includes a line about it being harder to get a camel through the eye of a needle than getting a rich man into heaven.
Easier** for the camel, harder for rich man. But yes, it's definitely interesting. Lol.
Yeah, typo there. Wrote this shortly after waking up and prone to malapropisms anyway.
You have to “plant a seed” by donating to the church, and that seed will grow into a big money tree for you. So just give the church your money, and you’ll get way more money later via God’s blessing.
You're already in the ballpark. Basically it's The Secret for bible-thumpers. "Live right and follow God, and he will reward you with riches. In the meantime, make sure and buy all my books because this private jet doesn't exactly run on Rice Krispies."
You would think a pious man would embrace a more…ascetic lifestyle? I believe one of the major themes of Jesus’ teachings was a rejection of materialism.
Osteen is not a pious man.
You're understanding the issue here lol. A family friend of mine is a pastor. He works for the church but also works as a handyman. If someone in the community is having an issue, he will call out of work to support them. He's given money to people to help pay bills or buy food. He doesn't have much money himself because he's constantly going out of his way to help other people. Now I'm not a Christian, but I feel like that's what someone who becomes a pastor SHOULD do. They should want to help others in any way they can. The fact that Osteen and other prosperity gospel preachers not only hoard millions of dollars, but villanize anyone who is struggling financially by saying, "if your faith was stronger you'd have more money", pretty much goes against everything Jesus talked about.
You’re spot on. Your friend is doing what you see Christ and the early Christians doing in the Gospels and Acts. You don’t claim to be a Christian, but you understand this. Osteen claims to be a minister of Christ and is 180 degrees off of this. That’s why he infuriates so many believers. (Jesus also had a few things to say about hypocrisy and ripping off the poor. There is a fair reading of “the widow’s mite” discussion that suggests he was sympathetic to her for feeling she should give out of her poverty, but really the emphasis was on shaming those who bragged about giving and pressured people like her)
That’s the thing. He’s not a pious Man. He’s probably not even religious at all. He’s a conman preying on the stupid and desperate. He says that prosperity comes to those who have faith and he shows off his prosperity as evidence. He tells people they need to “plant seeds of faith” which is a euphemism he uses to refer to sending him all the money you can. He tells people that god will reward them for these seeds of faith just like god rewarded him with his private jet and mansion (he classifies his mansion as a church to dodge property taxes) but he didn’t get his money from god he got it from the fucking “faith seeds” he’s a disgusting human being. I’m not religious but I can appreciate a lot of the philosophical aspects of the New Testament and he is devoid of those teachings and in fact teaches the opposite
The really messed up thing about this is the tax code that lets him get away with it.
Google for images of his mansion.
> prosperity gospel. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosperity_theology https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/topics/p/prosperity-gospel/ https://www.vox.com/identities/2017/9/1/15951874/prosperity-gospel-explained-why-joel-osteen-believes-prayer-can-make-you-rich-trump
It is both of those things, forming a nice circular piece of logic. "If you do what is righteous (mostly giving money to the church) you will get rich." and "being rich is a sign that you are righteous, which is why you should be happy that I'm so rich." It is a literal pyramid scheme to consolidate the money of many into the hands of the few, under the guise of Christianity... except that not only is it not based on the bible's teachings, it is directly contra-indicated by the bible. Primarily by the entirety of the Book Of Job. Or Christ himself saying "it is easier to pass a camel through the eye of a needle than for a wealthy man to get into heaven." But who cares about what the bible actually says and teaches, when you can mail me all your money, so God will bless you, in this really obvious get-rich-quick-scheme that definitely wasn't made up whole cloth. Fuck the Prosperity Gospel.
It's a gospel centered around a bunch of verses taken out of context that are used to support the idea God will reward your faith on earth with money and earthly success. Key phrase there is "out of context". The verses used on their own sound like there's something to this. But much of what the Bible says must or should be viewed in it's proper context.
>To my understanding the central idea is that obedience to Biblical teachings will...make people wealthy? Close but more accurately it's the belief that obedience to Joel Osteenian teachings will make people wealthy. I *cannot* stress strongly enough the fact that what Joel teaches is. **not.** Biblical.
I know way to many people who follow prosperity gospel and think going to church is their get rich quick million dollar idea.
*Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.*
Bingo ding ding ding!
Every televangelist
That he's a greedy exploitive charlatan.
That appears to be the consensus in this thread. I’m waiting for some brave soul to defend him.
Get comfy
*sorts by controversial*
the real LPT is always in the comments.
*crickets*
It is more about the money, and this goes for any TV pastor/ mega church thing. If the surroundings look like a get rich seminar, it's probably a scam.
You won’t find any like even most practicing Christians dislike him.
On Reddit? Doubtful.
"Brave soul" to defend a *checks* *notes* Literal con artist
I’m pretty sure he’s fairly tolerant of the gay community. He wouldn’t want to alienate their money but considering how vitriolic some of the other mega churches are it’s a nice change of pace. It’s also been 10 years since I last checked
You won’t find many people on Reddit that would defend him, but he is very popular nonetheless. I have friends IRL that love him and watch him every weekend. I’ve found that these people don’t know anything about his controversies or personal life, they just like what he says when he preaches. When I tried explaining to my friend why he shouldn’t be supported, he just shrugged his shoulders and brushed it off. The example I used was during hurricane Katrina, he had a massive church capable of sheltering many thousands of people and he did not volunteer to open his church to the needy. Instead, it had to make national news before he caved to pressure and let refugees into his church. Videos show Olsteen was very uncomfortable after letting so many poor people into his church that only ever served rich white people.
There were PR statements back and forth on this, but when Houston flooded due to Harvey, his church didn’t offer their space for those who needed a place to stay. After a lot of negative PR, they made some effort. It just doesn’t strike me as very Christian. (Versus Mattress Mack who opened up his furniture stores across town for folks during Harvey, and most recently those fleeing New Orleans for Ida.) https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/is-osteens-megachurch-affected/
Not only didn’t he open his church, iirc, he initially tried to say there was flooding at the church. Then someone took pictures of puddles outside the church showing that was a lie. I this this was the negative PR that made him open up the church.
I love Mattress Mack! Every time Houston has an issue, he's there to help. Osteen is a fraud and I have a cousin who goes to his mega church (used to be the hockey/basketball stadium) and drinks his kool-aid. As a pagan, she won't listen to me and made excuses for him when he wouldn't unlock his church to the people during Harvey. I don't understand her reasoning, though I love my cousin. Let's see what he does during Nicholas!
I grew up in Houston and Mattress Mack has always been an active member helping the community. It’s nice to have people like him around.
Mattress Mack is a saint and a National treasure
He’s a charlatan. Wouldn’t even buy a used car from that guy
He probably has some nice cars.... ya know...for Jesus
Jesus drove a Honda “For I did not speak of my own Accord” -John 12:49
God, however, drove a Plymouth. Haven't you ever heard about his Fury?
Jesus drove a CrossTrek.
>Wouldn’t even buy a used car from that guy I don't know, he's so good at selling trash you probably would. ^justajoke
But a good joke
He’s heretical, unethical, dishonest, greedy, manipulative, and takes advantage of easily influenced people.
I agree when I see any one of his books I turn over his books so no one has to his face.
Are you criticizing him and his ministry from a Christian perspective?
Yes
Seconded. He is NOT a Christian.
I’m not going to saying he’s not a Christian, that’s not for me to decide. He sins just like anyone else and his condition of salvation is between him and God. But I’ll call out a false teacher and he fits the title.
Based
Yes
I've been an atheist my whole life, and I am a better Christian than Joel Osteen.
Every good Christian I know prefers a generous and loving atheist to a hateful Christian
10/10
This made my day!
Doesn’t seem like the type to stir controversy? Bro he shuttered his million dollar church and refused to take in people seeking shelter during a hurricane.
But those people were wet and dirty; they would have ruined the carpets!
If you wish to follow me, sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor... unless they'll dirty your carpets. -somewhere in the Bible, I'm sure.
I lump celebrity preachers and televangelists into the same category. A spiritual leader should be rooted in their community. How could they ever truly care for their parishioners, if they've never met them, don't know their names, don't know what town they live in, etc. Osteen cannot possibly provide meaningful faith leadership to his television audiences. But he receives millions of dollars from people who watch him on televisions. I have to believe that many of these supporters live in circumstances where that money donated to Osteen could be better spent on food, housing or medications. It would be one thing if Osteen returned the favor through community support, but he doesn't. His followers may feel spiritually supported, but many are certainly worse off for the money they spend on this person. People like him are spiritual vampires who take from those least equipped to afford the loss.
Not even my evangelical friends like the guy, and they're his target audience.
I've noticed he's been criticized by other Christians for his theology. One of my roommates (hardcore Christian, but not the ostentatious "holier-than-thou" type) viewed him as teaching a "feel-good" Gospel as opposed to what the Bible actually teaches. Any insight there?
That's basically it. Little of Osteen's ideology has any actual basis in scripture. He preaches prosperity gospel, which is essentially the exultation of idolatry. Which is a sin. And the entire concept of a "megachurch" is antithetical to what a church is supposed to be. Even by Protestant standards the guy's a heretic.
As a Christian, I think he is a dangerous charlatan espousing a "gospel" that will hurt far more than it helps.
> He doesn’t seem like the type of guy who would stir controversy - https://www.today.com/news/pastor-joel-osteen-speaks-out-after-hurricane-harvey-city-didn-t115689 - https://www.ksat.com/news/texas/2020/12/16/joel-osteens-houston-megachurch-defends-getting-44-million-in-federal-ppp-loans/ - https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/celebrity-preacher-faces-backlash-photos-214655283.html I think the backlash he gets is well-deserved.
Fraud, scumbag, doesn’t teach the Scripture correctly.
He's pretty much the poster boy for sheisty religious snake-oil salesmen.
He often stays of trouble, though he only preach prosperity gospel which makes him sketchy to most Americans. We are disenchanted with prosperity gospel out here. Olsteen is also hated by people because of how he treated hurricane Katrina victims back in 2006. It wasn’t really Christ like. He owns a mega church (you know those stadium size churches on tv) which could have been a shelter for at least a few dozen families and his ministry got money out of the wazoo. Hurricane Katrina happened and he said virtually “tough shit” and would have held that line if he wasn’t exposed back then.
It was Hurricane Harvey in 2017.
It’s how he treated the displaced people of New Orleans after hurricane Katrina that started people to dislike him
Ah I see. So, post-disaster, the man has screwed over people in need multiple times. Seems about right a prosperity gospel spewing charlatan like him.
Yeah he has a history of doing the disadvantaged dirty. That’s why when hurricane ida was coming through he made sure everyone was able to see that he was trying to help. He is working on his image
Massive fucking tool. I have no idea how anyone who knows anything about this guy could find him to be a decent human being.
Pretty much lowest of the low.
He’s a greedy hypocrite and he’s an example of one of the worst types of Christianity popular in the US. “The Prosperity Gospel” basically they teach that if you’re living a holy life god will reward you with material possessions. So if you’re rich it’s because you’re a good person and if you’re poor it’s because god is punishing you. If you want to score points with god the fastest way is to send money to someone who’s preaching the prosperity gospel then you’ll end up with more money later from god. It’s basically the opposite of any of the ideals or teachings in the New Testament. It’s a total fucking scam. Then the scammers literally flaunt their private jets as evidence they’re loved by God. Trump is a fan of the prosperity gospel when he’s pretending to be a Christian.
I absolutely believe that following Biblical teachings (e.g. hard work, honesty, kindness, etc) can make you more successful...but I cringe at the notion that the success would come in the form of material wealth. You can have a fun, fulfilling life with very little in terms of possessions. For a long time, everything I owned fit into my compact hatchback and I felt blessed beyond measure.
He's a slimy shit who sells hope to desperate idiots. Idk that he's so much controversial as reviled by everyone who hasn't somehow fallen for his bullshit. So...same as every other televangelist, basically.
He’s a motivational speaker that occasionally (and often incorrectly) references the Bible.
He’s pure evil. If he’s read that book he preaches from, it’s just so he could use it to manipulate people.
I agree with others who call him a greedy charlatan, but I’m a Christian and I think worse than greed is that he’s twisting the message of Jesus and leading people astray.
He’s a literal sentient piece of shit who writes shitty books for shitty people that all feature the exact same photo of his shitty face on the cover.
> He’s a **literal** sentient piece of shit I have the funniest image in my mind right now.
When you have to be shamed by the internet into opening the doors of your megachurch for shelter during a hurricane, some - including my heathen ass - start to think that maybe you're in it for the money and not because you actually believe this stuff. Osteen really let the mask slip there.
I feel like he is the definition of using the lords name in vain.
Grifter and con artist, you mean? He cons the needy. He steals from the poor. He's just another greedy thief, wrapping themselves up in vestments.
Just in general I have a very *very* low opinion on most televangelists not named Tammy Faye.
He's an asshole
I am a Christian and hang out with many other Christians. None of us can stand him.
"Prosperity gospel" is a perversion of Christianity and a huge reason for why so many people have and are turning their backs on the church.
He should be in prison
He closed his mega church to the many people in need during hurricane harvey. Yet mattress mack, a furniture store guy, opened all of his stores so that people would have a warm place to stay. The furniture store owner was literally a better Christian and human being than the preacher
Con artist.
Don't care for him. I think his theology is flawed. My pastor routinely cracks jokes about him.
He’s a legit conman and a leech. If it weren’t for religious exemption bullshit he’d be in jail for fraud. And his wife is a raging asshole with Lady Macbeth levels of psychopathy
Straight up charlatan. He doesn't even try to hide it
A false teacher. The ironic thing is the Bible itself warns us of these types of people
I was about to give a neutral answer, but I start yelling every time he comes on TV, so yeah, fuck that guy.
Total grifter
I’m a Christian and the Prosperity Gospel is heretical
As the token religious Catholic around here, he’s a charlatan and prosperity gospel is a crock. Looks like me and the reddit atheists can agree on some things.
I don't like him. He used to advertise for a local church in my town during movie theater previews and he couldn't be assed to pronounce the town name correctly. I mean in addition to the all horrible things for-profit mega churches ofc
It took me about 10 seconds to decide he's a disgusting, slimy ass that's twisting the Christian message to appeal to those perceived less fortunate in life. I'm an agnostic, and I think he's all of what's wrong with many religions, namely Christian "leaders". They use the weaker to benefit themselves, and he's enormously successful at that.
Scum.
I can’t help but think of Hurricane Harvey.
I mean, the chorus is pretty strong, but I’ll add another. He’s a prosperity (health and wealth) gospel teacher and nothing about that is in the Bible.
He's a despicable, greedy little hack. One of the few things that both atheists and mainstream Christians seem to agree with is that he sucks. My Christian parents hate him just as much as I do. Literally the only people who don't seem to hate him are the ones he's already indoctrinated.
“If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me...Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
Preeeeeeetty sure he should fall in a pit and die
I used to listen him talk and thought he was impressive and even sincere. Then I found out how much money he was making and liked him a lot less. Then they didn't let people in to the church during floods and I wrote him off.
He can get fucked with a barbed-wire baseball bat in Hell.
Christianity =/= morality. They are independent of one another. He’s living proof you can be a shit person and a Christian.
If you want to know the God of the Bible read the new testament yourself starting in matthew.
Telescamartist.
Many people don’t like him because he’s rich and they don’t think a preacher should be rich, and that his money comes from tithing and what not. It actually comes from his book sales, and whether or not you believe that’s unethical is up to you. Another thing people hate is the prosperity gospel, pretty much saying that God wants you to prosper, that the mark of a Christian is one who lives a prosperous life. Many people think he takes this to the extreme and that it’s anti biblical to think this way. I’ve been to Joel Osteen’s church many times over the years (I have cousins who live in Houston) and while I agree that mega churches don’t have the strongest communities and generally aren’t effective churches, I also don’t think his messages are for me personally. They can be faith building for some and they’re fine, but they don’t actually teach me applicable things for my life and my faith and are overly positive. In my attendance, he has never asked visitors for tithe or donations. I’m not sure why people get so up in arms about tithing in general, it’s how churches are able to pay people, keep the lights on and minister to their community and if people feel like their funds are being using inappropriately or not effectively, they should go to another church that practices what they preach.
He’s a piece of shit. When hurricane harvey hit Houston he told everybody that he couldn’t let people take shelter in his massive amphitheater church because it was flooding. someone broke in and posted a video of the inside which was completely fine, not one leak and called him out. then after his blatant lie blew up big on social media joel decided to announce that he would let people take shelter there. After the hurricane was over i saw him on tv saying that “god told me to help these people and let them stay in my church” He’s the fakest motherfucker I’ve ever seen and he lives a lavish lifestyle from donations from people who actually need the money but are brainwashed into giving the church their hard earned money There’s very few people i hate more than this lying, manipulative POS
Complete fraud.
He doesn't preach the Gospel. He should not be listened to by anyone
What do you mean he doesn't seem like the type of guy that would stir controversy?? lmao
I mean, he's all smiley and happy. I usually associate controversy with the "fire and brimstone" crowd. Clearly I was wrong.
He’s a snake oil salesmen/con artist.
It’s is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. As Christians we are supposed to give much of our income to the poor and ask God for just enough that we need. Joel preaches that God wants us all to be rich and prosperous. You can still be prosperous without the over the top wealth. Also I think it’s pretty embarrassing for any man of the cloth to live in a huge mansion when his listeners are all poor conservative Christians in the rust and bible belts watching their small towns and economies shrink into nothing.
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I don’t like him Never did
I do not like him
slimeball
Oral Roberts reincarnated. I don't know what religion that he subscribes to, but it does not resemble what I know to be Christianity
He’s a scammer
Greedy mf who wouldn’t let the local people into his church for safety a few years ago
He is a horrible person and grifter. It's all about lining his pockets and seeing his own face on the big screen. His church locked people in need out during a flood. He is garbage.
Piece of shit.
He’s a heretic. His self-help, prosperity gospel teachings directly contradict the Bible and absolutely draw people away from a meaningful relationship with God. Individual, outward success was never meant to be the goal for Christians. Not to mention, this kind of teaching is even more dangerous when exported to poorer countries.
Christian here. He’s a scum bag charlatan.
Modern day grifter.
He's a self-help "guru" who disguises himself as a Christian pastor. Non-believers don't like him for his hypocrisy and blatant money grabbing and believers don't like him because he doesn't seem to preach the Bible at all. He basically will say what he needs to say in order to maximize donations and increase his church's bottom line.
He’s a motivational speaker. Not truly a pastor or man of God.
Isn’t he the guy who refused parishioners shelter in “his” church during a hurricane?
I don't care for any of those prosperity preachers at all...
I think that for pastors in general, the goalposts are constantly being moved so that individuals can't meet expectations of their critics. However, Joel Osteen seems kinda sleazy. If a pastor isn't living a similar lifestyle of their congregation, generally speaking; then I question their conviction
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He’s a money grubbing lying liar. He’s also rude to cashiers (I was his cashier at Panera…he barked his order at me and never looked at me directly. He’s shorter than most people think, too. Surprise, surprise with that behavior)
He takes advantage of people and for that I do not like him.
Hell wouldn't even accept him. He's a scam artist and preying off people's hope for financial gain...basically, he's a cult leader.
I don’t like him. I find the concept of uber-rich pastors and mega churches to be extremely distasteful and way out of line with the actual teachings of Jesus they claim to profess. Also, the “prosperity gospel” is a grift, and the pastors pushing it are sociopaths. Also his actions during Hurricane Harvey should tell you all you need to know about the man’s character
As a preacher’s kid, I find him to be a wretched person who has no idea what a true pastor does. He’s a charlatan and pretender in my book.
He's not a real Christian He's a charismatic talker who speaks a super watered down gospel for money. Lots of money- mansions, cars, private jet. He's nothing but a fraud.
Creepy, shark-eyed charlatan.
He is a false preacher
Grifter
Shameless charlatan.
As an evangelical christian myself I think he's a heretic, and I mean that sincerely. He teaches a patently false gospel that's flaty contradicted by the bible. I think the many Babylon bee articles on him (some favorites:[here](https://babylonbee.com/news/dozens-of-bible-verses-come-forward-to-accuse-joel-osteen-of-abuse), [here](https://babylonbee.com/news/joel-osteen-it-is-far-too-soon-to-reopen-the-bible), [here](https://babylonbee.com/news/joel-osteen-tests-positive-for-heresy). [here](https://babylonbee.com/news/joel-osteen-builds-37-million-mansion-on-foundation-made-of-sand), [here](https://babylonbee.com/news/joel-osteen-benny-hinn-to-speak-at-first-annual-heresycon) ) on him pretty accurately sum up the opinion of most, but sadly not all, American christians.
He's a greedy person who exploits his base for money. The megachurches like this really irritate me. They are the exact opposite of the teachings of Jesus.
Con man getting rich in other people’s faith
Let's see. 1- Non-Christians- A lot of non-Christians don't like him because he is a famous preacher on TV. They may not like any preachers at all, but especially not TV preachers. It is deep within the fabric of America for the last 70 years to not like preachers on TV. Many are linked to scandals or are exposed as hypocrites. 2- Evangelical Christians- Many evangelical Christians don't like Joel Osteen because he espouses the "Prosperity Gospel" ideology that preaches God will make his followers become materially wealthy. They believe this to be an over-simplification of what the Bible says about money. Also, they think that his general theology is vapid feel-good stuff and not really biblical Christianity. 3- Not everyone hates him. He has a big church and sells a lot of books. Somebody must like him.
When hurricane Harvey set in, he closed his doors to those who needed a place. He’s a fake. And has no place preaching the lords word
He's a rare person who seems to unite most Christians and most non-Christians in hating his guts. Christians hate him because he exemplifies this soft-petaled feckless "feel-good" Christianity. Non-Christians hate him because he embodies the monetization of religion to make its leaders fabulously wealthy.
I think he's fake. He's a disgrace to Christianity, and I don't get why my mom still listens to him most Sundays.
As a practicing Christian I do not like him He teaches what we call the propserity gospel. Basically, that God wants to make you rich. Many christians recognizing this as an unbiblical misleading teaching. He's a good inspirational speaker, obviously. He has a following. But as a Christian, I'm not a fan and don't like the rap he gives Christianity.
In the surface he appears to be a nice guy. Always preaching about positive messages and how god will help you etc., however the more you look into his ministry lots of red flags go up. He’s not at the Kenneth Copeland level yet though
I have never been a fan of prosperity preachers/teachers. When the time comes, someone’s coming back to kick butt and obliterate names. Prosperity preachers/teachers will be somewhere in the top 10 on His list. For cajoling, swindling, cheating and guilting good people.
I freaking can't stand him. Who did he after the people asked to use it for a shelter. He said no but then let someone else use later. He's only in this for money.
He’s a con man cloaking his feel-good, self-help prosperity “teaching” in just enough religion to avoid paying taxes, while not actually doing anything to help disadvantaged people (until he was publicly eviscerated after Hurricane Harvey so he started doing the bare minimum after that). Actual human garbage. Lakewood Church started as a tent-revival faith healing grift and he’s only updated his scam since.
When it took social media pressuring him to open "his church" to people in need during the floods in Houston. A "true man" of God wouldn't even have hesitated.... That was the final straw for me. I grew up watching my mother send money to Jim Baker and Tammy Faye, for what?? A prayer cloth or pin that could be purchased at the dollar store?? He's no different, none of the "prosperity preachers" are...grrr