My mate Joel

[Duchess]

Aussie, I think she might be spending the money people send in, that jacket is tailored.

[ramseycat]

They have made millions on Joel's books. He does not collect a salary from the ministry.

[aussiefriend]

Aussie, I think she might be spending the money people send in, that jacket is tailored.

Please God not another Tammy Faye, I used to like Jim Bakker back in the day. I thought they were good. I saw an episode when I was young where Tammy Faye was crying and asking people to send in money because it was really important. I thought they were genuine at the time and thought they were really good at what they were doing.

[Cynical Ninja]

Is this guy a crying TV evangelist?

The words “crying”, “televison” and “evangelist” used together in a sentence gives Satan an erection.

At least that's what he told me.

[HairOfTheDog]

An interview with your mate Joel was featured in the Huffington Post today, aussie.

I predict that he's gonna change his stance about Christianity considering homosexuality "against the rules" in the next couple of years. It could cost him followers, thus revenue, if he doesn't.

Seems like it's getting harder from him to effectively side-step the issue as the tide regarding homosexual social issues rapidly changes here in the US. To me, he looks like a disingenuous fool trying to change the subject and jump into feel-good self-help quips every time the topic is broached. Check out this new interview video, you (and/or ramsey) might have a different take on it?



Going on record here and putting my money where my head/mouth is; $10 says Osteen's revelation and complete about face will happen by 6/6/16.

Or, perhaps I'm wrong and Mr. Osteen will choose to be more straight-forward and come right out and say that he believes homosexuality is a sin according to the Bible and stop tip-toeing through the tulips with his "being against gay marriage is not my CORE message" line when asked about it. That might enable him to make up for any losses by attracting more Christian fundamentalists.

6/6/16 -- see you back here on or before then...

[aussiefriend]

I know many people would not consider me a "true" christian because I believe people are born gay and I think if they want to marry they should be free to do it. Joel has such a positive message, he is wanting to focus on people fulfilling their destiny and when you get bogged down in details you miss the bigger picture. Even his response was very kind-hearted. Of course, people are going to ask him about gay marriage, he did say it does come up interviews, I think he managed the question well. Thanks for that HoTD.

[Duchess]

So someone who believes gay love is an abomination is a better Christian than one who is tolerant? I think not.

[HairOfTheDog]

So someone who believes gay love is an abomination is a better Christian than one who is tolerant? I think not.

I agree with you.

What irritates me about Osteen isn't that he's tolerant, it's that I've yet to hear anybody who objects to gay marriage on religious grounds support that argument convincingly using the Bible or otherwise.

So, when Osteen claims it's breaking the rules of Christianity and admits that he's therefor against gay marriage -- without wanting to explain/support his position -- that's the move of a politician or a businessman, not a religious/spiritual leader. IMO.

I know the "thou shalt not lay with a man as with a woman" citing in the Bible. But, drunkenness, promiscuity, adultery and a host of other behaviors are equally cited as sins and nobody's trying to deny people who engage in those behaviors the right to buy alcohol, have premarital sex, or schmooze on religious grounds.

I think I posted upthread that I think Osteen is a good business marketing and sales professional; excellent in fact. And, if people who follow him and donate to his multi-million dollar Christian self-help empire get something positive out of it, good for them.

It's his business acumen that leads me to believe that he will follow in the footsteps of some of the lesser visible churches and organizations and change his stance on homosexuality within the next 2 years, because he'll want to remain as relevant and profitable as possible (and avoid being labeled a discriminator whilst gay marriage becomes legal in a lot more states over the next couple of years). He'll do that because he is a good business man and a political one, IMO..

Or, I could be way off base and he'll stick to his position that homosexuality is against the rules of Christianity, fail to support that position, and continue to thrive with little backlash. It's possible. In that case, I'll owe aussie $10 USD!

[aussiefriend]

So someone who believes gay love is an abomination is a better Christian than one who is tolerant? I think not.

OMG Duch you should hear them go off!! A polite smiley face can turn very quickly and spew out the most hateful rhetoric you have ever heard in your life. If you start challenging them and stay calm it gets them even more angry. This senior Pastors wife came up to me after a service (1^st visit) and asked with a smile:

"How did you find the service?'.

I said "yes, it was good, but I didn't like how you passed out literature regarding gays and the information was incorrect (linking homosexuality to mental illness and drug abuse, homelessness, suicide) that was on them, I don't think you should be getting members of your congregation to sign these forms"

she screeeched back at "WELL, WE'RE PREPARED TO GO TO PRISON FOR WHAT WE BELIEVE IN!"

I calmly responded "well...." (as if to infer maybe that is where she belonged).

Sarcastically she said "WE BELIEVE WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS"

I retorted "So do I!"

She responded again "WE'VE NEVER HAD ANYBODY COME IN AND SAY ALL THIS BEFORE".

calmly again I responded "you are vilifying a minority group and I am not sure if what you are doing is even legal, I work with these "people" you are talking about and I work in mental health and the literature that you are linking with homosexuality to is completely false"

I finished it and said "anyway, it was lovely to meet you, have a nice day".

Never went back. Now she was a crazy lady, no doubt used to the adulation from her congregation that I did not have in me to give her.

[aussiefriend]

HoTD, I like Joel, I do think he is a genuine good human being, he wasn't even going to be a minister until his father died, he stepped up. They do lots of work for the poor particularly in 3^rd world countries, and his brother is a doctor who spends up to 6 months overseas working there. They do put their money where their mouths are. It costs me nothing to watch him, and I get something positive out of it.