Throughout Monday, there were some really bad reports about Joel Osteen and his Houston megachurch, Lakewood Church. Osteen is one of those pastors preaching the gospel of wealth – aka, if you’re rich, God wants you to be rich and you don’t necessarily have to care about the poor, just as long as you tithe a lot to Lakewood Church. Lakewood has room for more than 50,000 congregants, plus there are lots of open spaces which could have conceivably been used for cots, sleeping bags, etc, all in the wake of the historic Texas flooding. Lakewood kept its doors closed to people seeking shelter from the storm though. When Osteen was being criticized heavily on social media, he released a statement:
“We have never closed our doors. We will continue to be a distribution center to those in need. We are prepared to house people once shelters reach capacity. Lakewood will be a value to the community in the aftermath of this storm.”
The problem was that Osteen and his church initially claimed that Lakewood’s basement/first floor experienced flooding too, and one of Lakewood’s congregants posted these photos of the flooding issue at Lakewood:
Seriously quite sickening when people spread negative news without knowing the situation. This is the situation of our church @lakewoodch pic.twitter.com/0KKBmu6hW8
— Lynne Gabriel (@heyitslynneg) August 28, 2017
As people pointed out in her comments, those are photos of the underground parking garage and basement. The actual “stadium” part of the church is a lot higher. Which brings me to the other photos people posted on social media, about the lack of flooding around the church:
Houston's @indivisible_usa is acquainted with @JoelOsteen's Lakewood Church. They took these pics about an hour ago w/ commentary. pic.twitter.com/YTWrD9UG1z
— Charles Clymer🏳️🌈 (@cmclymer) August 28, 2017
. It doesn't make sense why you're not opening up your mega church to house Houston citizens, help me understand that. Jesus. pic.twitter.com/CzCiEtbkgY
— Emily Timbol (@EmilyTimbol) August 28, 2017
Even TMZ got in on it, noting that Osteen was merely tweeting about the flood and not doing anything about it. Church officials spoke to TMZ and claimed that even if they wanted to open Lakewood as a shelter, “the streets surrounding the church are already so flooded … Lakewood is inaccessible.” So inaccessible that there were a bunch of cars parked in the parking lot yesterday? It’s also worth noting that Houston’s mosques have all opened their doors for anyone of any religion to seek shelter.
Here’s the chaser: Osteen has a $10 million mansion in Houston’s affluent River Oaks neighborhood, a neighborhood which was affected by flooding, although it seems Osteen’s home was unaffected. And he hasn’t offered his home as a shelter either.
Sending thoughts and prayers to Houston's most famous evangelical preacher, Joel Osteen. Hopefully the Lord will spare his modest home. pic.twitter.com/HbYw59C3Sk
— The Hoarse Whisperer (@HoarseWisperer) August 28, 2017
Photos courtesy of WENN, Backgrid.
Joel Osteen has never been anything but a creep. I really don’t know why anybody expected any different of him now.
Because he touts himself as a man of God? Because he’s got a huge arena that could hold a lot of people? But wait, they wouldn’t pay to get in would they.
I’m from Houston and my parents live there, and my mom adores Joel Osteen. She is not even a little bit mad about this, and says his prayers are a help.
Ok mom.
(Fyi- my folks are safe and dry)
I have an Aunt who idolizes him. Doesn’t bother her either. She’ll be sending the church money to help with relief efforts. I don’t get the logic.
I’m really happy your family is safe, but man, I can’t with these “prayer will provide” types. Is prayer plucking people from the floodwaters or providing shelter? Or maybe point me to all the diapers prayer is providing for people displaced from their homes (since most aid groups don’t supply those). There is real need and these people deserve more than prayer, IJS.
If your prayer doesn’t galvanize you into action, then you are praying wrong.
“man, I can’t with these “prayer will provide” types”
I hear you, GOTR. A FB friend just posted asking for advice for her kid who is having some issues. Someone we went to HS with posted “Prayer is the only answer”. Helpful, right? I mean, praying for someone is a lovely gesture, I have nothing against it and do it myself, but you can do that AND offer advice, help, donations, etc. I don’t think Jesus ever said “Sit on your ass and ask me to do everything for everyone”.
Hope your mom is okay!
I don’t mind the “prayers” comments as long as it is accompanied by action, whether a monetary contribution or volunteer work.
What I have a huge issue with is people saying “sending hope and prayers your way!” in lieu of meaningful, impactful action that could directly assist Houstonians and other TX residents who are in dire need of help.
God doesn’t like ugly and karma is a true act. And though I don’t wish harm on anyone or anyone’s property I believe when u do not do right by people you’ve already set the motion for karma to do its deed
Well I find this weird and disappointing. I was raised and still am an atheist, but I always counted Joel as a genuine good guy who really believed all his Jesus-wants-you-to-be-affluent-and-happy stuff. I’ll be waiting to see what their reasoning is. This sounds more like his wife’s behavior and mentality than his- hahahaha!
It is the wolf of Rand’s “Virtue of Selfishness” wrapped in a sheep’s “Jesus wants you wealthy and happy” clothing. Despicable.
Idk about the specifics of this situation, but in general he seems like a slimy-ass human. Anyone who preaches the “gospel of wealth” is full of shit to me, and part of the reason that I don’t take many sects of modern Christianity very seriously.
Cult leader.
It’s “church” rather than “stadium” that belongs in quotes.
Especially when the Bible specifically calls out rich people multiple times
“And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.” Matthew 19:24
YES< STRIPE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Joel Osteen, and his type of “Christians” are exactly the opposite of what Jesus taught. I’m not a Christian myself but I’ve read the New Testament. What a bunch of hypocrites.
The love of money being the root of all evil also comes to mind.
Jesus taught living a simple life, not collecting wealth on earth.
I’m not Christian and I have heard that. Also, didn’t he say to give up all of your wealth to the poor?
AMEN!
I side-eye all the prosperity pimps. Texas has several. What are any of them doing?
You’re obviously not worthy to preach the gospel if an event like this doesn’t spur you into some kind of action. Do something besides tweet excuses literally for God’s sake. End of.
+1,000,000
Take your Capitalism-Obsessed, Supply Side Jesus shit elsewhere.
I must have missed that Sunday school class when they taught us to give to the church so the pastor can live in a $10 million mansion.
I know, me too. I would laugh but I’m feeling like it would quickly turn to tears.
You missed the “Jim & Tammy Faye Baker ‘Jesus needs your love and all your money, too'” classes?
Same here! Megachurches with tax exemptions make me ragey.
Plain ole churches with tax exemptions make me ragey. That rule should be adjusted so that small churches who don’t pull in a lot of money (like in rural areas where congregations might only be a few dozen people) should be exempt, because taxes might literally force those small churches to close. But larger churches should pay taxes, period.
I take it you missed the Oral Roberts “I gotta raise $8 million in 3 months or god takes me home,” scam? Suckers sent him $9 million. In 1987.
http://content.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1677098,00.html
Wow. They shoulda let God take his ass home.
They were once robbed, yo. And would you know that they made off with $600,000 dollars…. just from the breadbaskets that get passed around the football stadium? In ONE normal weekend? Yes, that’s right, not the money canisters by the entrance, nor the TV donations, nor the ones given on the internet. Just the breadbaskets. With congregants who have pockets that deep, it literally took those two four regular months to buy that McMansion.
Guess Joel didn’t want any flood victim accidently opening a closet and some of Joel’s “skeletons” come tumbling out…
Tell us more. Please.
(Making tea) spill it!
I honestly kind of like Joel Osteen as much as a sarcastic analytical don’t-BS-me kind of a person could, but count me unsurprised if it turns out that both he and his wife are gay.
How a pastor get rich? Where did he get the money? Isn’t it religious person main purpose is to help people so why people pay them?
According to the gospel of wealth, you must give your “first fruits” to the church. Meaning before you buy food, pay your rent, etc., you pay the church. Then the pastor helps himself to a nice piece of your money. Then he tells you buying his books and other crap will help you get into heaven, so you fork over more of your money. It’s a vicious circle in which people give more than they can afford to support the outrageous lifestyle of the pastor. How people are convinced to do this is beyond me, but his church seats 50,000 for a reason.
It’s true. I grew up with this crazy. Let me tell you , the pastor always had the nicest car in the parking lot . My grandmother was on a very fixed income , but she gave her last dollar to the crook Pat Robinson every month . If your going to give, give to something real not pay for someone’s house .
That sounds like $cientology or a cult.
exactly what megan said – plus he’s written books, sirius station, getting paid a salary for being the pastor at his megachurch that takes advantage of a bunch of rubes…he preaches all this BS about positivity and prosperity that is incongrous with the teachings of the bible b/c he has no religious education – so even non-religious people get wrapped up in his BS but just as self-help. he’s a huckster.
If they’re on TV, they’re scam artists. Take it as Gospel.
Lots of churches are on TV that aren’t scam artists. It’s if the pastor is rich and their members are still living in poverty/debt etc….that is the test. If they’re preaching wealth and nobody is wealthy but the pastor that’s a red flag.
I’m not talking about the ones who do local Sunday morning services. I’m talking about the 700 Clubbers, PTLs, Falwells, Bakkers, Swaggerts, Osteens, Roberts, etc. Everyone knows who they are. The ones always begging for money. Money to line their pockets.
True. The Osteens of the world have no problem taking money from people who shouldn’t be giving it to them. They just say ‘thanks & God bless you’ while they know that these people can’t meet their obligations and if they need help from the church they’re out of luck. So, as you can imagine when it was publicized that his church wasn’t open to help those who needed shelter I was thrilled that people called him out. It’s about time.
Many of our workers are evangelicals and they give their church 15% of their wages. That’s how these pastors get rich.
Surprise, surprise! Said no one.
What the f*ck is the gospel of wealth? I mean, I kinda get the idea but are they Christians? No, right? They’re just … praying to money? I’ve never heard of this guy but a “preacher” with a mansion is just an entrepreneur and one step down from a f*cking medium when it comes to defrauding people. In my opinion anway.
Meanwhile, over on Twitter, Orange Führer is re-tweeting from “Inspirational Quotes” and generally acting like he’s overseeing the rescue efforts via Twitter. By re-tweeting.
NPR interviewed the Houston police chief, Art Acevedo, yesterday and he was so diplomatic in trying to tell him to stay the heck away.
Prosperity gospel is basically believing that your belief in God entitles you to be wealthy. Got rich? Forget all that downer stuff Jesus said about the poor, God meant for you to be rich! Being rich is totally fine, it’s completely in line with Christian teachings (it’s not), and you don’t have to feel guilty or be beholden to your community in any way! The only thing you have to do is donate to this church and you’re A-OK in God’s book! There’s also a thing called “seed ministry” which is believing that if you send money to the church, wealth will find its way to you. It is never explained how wealth will come to you, but *a lot* of people send in money, even when they have very little and the church should be supporting *them,* not the other way around, and no one ever seems to get rich except the pastor.
Prosperity gospel is no different from Scientology. Same principle of “give us all your money and you’ll be a special chosen one who gets to go to the fun party at the end.” It’s total BS, and stuff like this is what killed my belief in religion. It’s just a huge scam. Also, 45 is a believer of prosperity gospel.
Yup. And this is why I will never again have anything to do with any religion. I’ll nurture my spirituality in my own way.
There was a great piece in WaPo about the connection between Trumpism and the gospel of wealth…it was from 2016 before Trump was elected and actually name-checks Osteen.
Found it! Here is excerpt if you just want the gist without reading the full piece:
“Trump’s bromance with evangelicals looks unexpected only because we’re approaching it backward. It’s not so much that Trump has somehow hoodwinked or bullied the true-believing American right into an awkward set of ill-fitting cultural and political postures. It’s that a large part of the Protestant world has for decades now been embracing the brash capitalist gospel of Trumpism.
The key bulwark of faith-based Trumpism is the prosperity gospel — a movement rooted in Pentecostal preaching that holds that God directly dispenses divine favor in the capitalist marketplace to his steadfast believers.
Still, the most influential religious figure associated with Trump hasn’t officially aligned with him. Joel Osteen, head pastor of the Houston-based Lakewood congregation — the country’s largest megachurch — has a commercial brand that’s too valuable to be associated with partisan politics, so he’s tried to remain above the campaign fray (though this spring there were rumors that he had endorsed Trump). Nevertheless, the two men share an affinity of character and outlook that runs much deeper than the provisional, camera-ready alliances that make up a presidential campaign. Osteen said as much in that misconstrued would-be endorsement during a Fox News interview last fall: ‘Mr. Trump, he’s an incredible communicator and brander. He’s been a friend to our ministry. He’s a good man.’ When Osteen launched his Sirius XM radio show in 2014, Trump was his first guest. ‘You can’t find a more giving, gracious person than Mr. Trump. So we feel very blessed to have him as a friend,’ Osteen fawned in his trademark aw-shucks drawl.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2016/07/15/how-the-prosperity-gospel-explains-donald-trumps-popularity-with-christian-voters/?utm_term=.ca18969946d1
For more helpful information, Sheila Jackson Lee’s twitter has been a constant source of information for rescue and flood relief. Also, people who cannot get to their jobs can apply for unemployment benefits through the state website.
God has special plans for the likes of Osteen.
The government should make this a-hole open his TAX EXEMPT church. Or pay up.
He was also blocking people on Twitter for calling him out. Apparently they have changed course somewhat this morning, but what’s interesting is the church is directly collecting donations as opposed to listing agencies where to donate. Hmmmm……
I’m sure Osteen will find some way to monetize this disaster. He’s most likely looking to be reimbursed by the city for setting up a shelter before he opens the place up. He isn’t going to do anything that would cost him a dime. Hypocrite.
Not surprising. These fake Christians have no interest in helping anyone but themselves.
Exactly! Fake Christians. And I consider myself a Christian, but people like Joel and mega-churches, which I despise, embarrass me so much when they act the complete opposite of what they preach and pretend to believe in. This man (and his wife) are not good people.
This is one of my big complaints. These fake “Christian” grifters sully the true teachings of the Bible, and give all Christians a bad name. There are good Christians who try to follow the true teachings of Christ that get dragged down by these hucksters and frauds. It’s painful to see them take advantage of the poor and uneducated, all to line their own pockets.
“There are good Christians who try to follow the true teachings of Christ that get dragged down by these hucksters and frauds.”
Maybe because they place more value on being a “good person” than being a “good Christian”.
Maybe their natural proclivity to be good and caring has absolutely ZILCH to do with their religion–they’re just good people who happen to believe in God.
Kinda like how I’m a good person who just happens to NOT believe in God.
But seriously, the “good Christian” line has devolved into something that is used as an insult at this point, precisely because of the hypocritical nature of a faction of Christians. Also because of the incessant cherry-picking of the bible, the lose interpretations and the manipulation of text that is already very open to subjective analysis and elucidation.
I’m more of a believer in “good people” than I am in “good Christians” because I don’t think attaching a religion to your identity gives you higher moral ground. Just ask the victims of the pedophiles who were employed and subsequently protected by the Catholic Church or the KKK members who embrace and espouse Christianity or the f*cking Duggars.
This is why I don’t like magachurches of any kind. Seems counterintuitive to religion. And yea the church is inaccessible NOW they closed the place pretty much immediately. But mosques are open and there are smaller churches open and priests wading out to check for people in need. THOSE guys are living by the basics of any religion. Love thy neighbor and everything
To be fair though, the Vatican and the Catholic Church did blaze the trail here. Nobody even knows how massive their wealth is.
ETA: Not sure if you were really referencing their wealth or if that’s just how I read it.
But Catholic Relief funding is kept separate from church operations.
Maybe but their entire handling of assets is shady as hell. And it’s not like they don’t pick and choose where and especially how to help. Basically, if you’re not playing by their rules and as a result get pregnant or ill, you’re on your own. Just as an example. I just have huge issues with the Catholic Church. At the very least, this creeper is upfront about what he’s about.
uhh, what? The Catholic Church makes huge outreach efforts for pregnant women. There’s a huge billboard in my area in English and Spanish specifically telling women the Catholic Church can help them with the costs and support for single and poor pregnant women. They don’t care how you got pregnant, they just don’t want you to abort.
KB, exactly.
I have a friend who lives very near Lakewood. She reported that there was no flooding at the church or on the streets leading to it. The only “flooding” was in the underground parking garage which receded fairly quickly. Osteen and his followers are full of it.
Exactly. That church is elevated from the road; it is not flooded nor is the area around it.
Also, I live in River Oaks and never even lost power. The only houses really affected by Harvey were the ones backing up to the now-overflowing bayou. Otherwise this area is fine, thank heavens.
At first, I thought this guy was harmless but after paying attention to what he actually preaches he seems like a money hungry sleaze ball. I watched him preach on television about how he left his house in sweats to go to the supermarket, turned around when he got to the parking lot, went back home and changed into a good suit because it would be an embarrassment for God and Jesus to have anyone at the market see him looking anything less than his absolute best. Then another time about how important it is to give generously to his church because if the church is not flashy then it is not truly a shrine worthy of God or something like that.
Yeah because that is God’s main concern. How you dress to go to the store.
God is very concerned about your clothes. He has very strong opinions on socks with sandals, and rompers. That’s why bad things keep happening in the world, God is too distracted by all the slobs and badly dressed people around the world.
Yes, the same God who told David not to build a temple and just continue to carry the Ark of the Covenant in a tent now demands a shrine glittering with diamonds around the pastor wife’s neck. Even if the roads had been flooded, the people are being evacuated by boat. They could have gotten there.
Contrast his story with the Catholic priest in a kayak they interviewed on Sunday morning. He slept in his car on the overpass and was now kayaking around to minister to those in need. He had tried to buy wine in a gas station so that he could celebrate mass on the street with the newly displaced, but Texas doesn’t allow alcohol sales before noon. But you keep the Rockets old basketball court real pretty there, Joel.
Yes, the same God who told David not to build a temple and just continue to carry the Ark of the Covenant in a tent now demands a shrine glittering with diamonds around the pastor wife’s neck. Even if the roads had been flooded, the people are being evacuated by boat. They could have gotten there.
Contrast his story with the Catholic priest in a kayak they interviewed on Sunday morning. He slept in his car on the overpass and was now kayaking around to minister to those in need. He had tried to buy wine in a gas station so that he could celebrate mass on the street with the newly displaced, but Texas doesn’t allow alcohol sales before noon. But you keep the Rockets old basketball court real pretty there, Joel. Wouldn’t want to mess it up with people now, would you?
The this dude, the people that lie/work for him, & all of their defenders should be so ashamed of themselves.
He’s a poor excuse for a repressed a$$hole & an absolutely repulsive excuse for a human being.
On a side note- I’m so moved that the mosques in the area continue to do the opposite. The prejudice their community faces, & their response to the bigotry they contend with everyday, has been incredible.
I’ve seen tweets listing that house as his Pensacola house and others saying it’s his Houston one. Regardless, he has two mansions and a mega church and hasn’t open up his doors for victims. 🙄
Here are his two homes:
https://twitter.com/rschooley/status/902337945994051584
Megareverend John Oliver would never let something like that happen.
Praise be unto Our Lady of Perpetual Exemption!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7y1xJAVZxXg
Praise be!
Praise be! *hammond organ*
This made my day. Thank you. The Lady of perpetual exemption.
Is she as good as Our Lady of Perpetual Hold, patron saint of those who wait endlessly on the phone for service?
Can I get an amen? And a hallelujah?
He reminds me of that couple from True Blood.
His high maintenance hairstyle says everything anyone needs to know about him. He has a colorist, and he is no stranger to Botox. Did anyone really think this con artist was for real?
The only outreach he does is to reach out and grab more money.
Seriously. I admit I’ve never paid much attention to him until yesterday but what a piece of work he seems to be. And of course his supporters are just as quick to defend him as the deplorables keep backing Trump.
I guess maybe the silver lining is that Osteen has been exposed as the greedy, selfish jerk he is more than ever before.
I hope so. What bothers me is that he pushes vulnerable people to tithe 10 percent. Religious grifters are the worst in my opinion. They have an extra weapon in their arsenal to use against their victims. Faith requires no tangible evidence, so they can say whatever they want and fleece people.
Look, where churches like these are concerned they are basically country clubs for the “spiritual”. Things like helping out those in need (even those who are members) isn’t on the agenda. This is to be expected.
Joel Osteen is a pig and God is watching as he counts his money in his mansion
Part of the church was flooding and the city had no idea how much worse it was going to get, especially when they opened the dams north of town to relieve the levees. Opening the facility in those conditions could have been dangerous – think of what happened with the flooded Superdome during Katrina. It may have been the case that it would have been *more* dangerous for folks there (electrocution, being stranded longer, no access to emergency services). I’m no Joel Osteen apologist but I do believe there’s more to this story. Irresponsible media.
Have you seen the pictures and people posting from that neighborhood? It is accessible, only the basement of the church was flooded. Pastor Joel just didn’t want the poor huddled masses in his beautiful church. He’s changed his tune this morning though. Thank Twitter! They are letting people go there now. The convention center is over capacity, holding double what they can, so Joel can help out!
he’s a multi- millionaire off the backs of his congregation and he certainly could have done more than tweet about thoughts and prayers – which is the most empty insulting thing a faith leader of his stature and reach and wealth can do. he didn’t have to offer his church as a shelter (although – he should). he could have done ANYTHING charitable instead of tweeting totally nonsensical platitudes. He could have retweeted coast guard and sherrif updates and safety warnings while make a statement about what he PLANNED to do for cleanup or something. i’m not a PR rep and i just thought of that in 2 mins. the truth is that he is just an opportunist – so if he’s not going to make a buck – he’s not going to do it. He’s opening his church now b/c he got dragged on social media and its bad for business.
If that were true, the place wouldn’t be offering to shelter people once the other shelters reach capacity. He’s a grifter who didn’t want his carpet messed up. While Osteen was tweeting his thoughts and prayers, Mattress Mac was opening up his furniture stores full of millions of dollars worth of merchandise to Houstonians in need. He’s even letting people bring their pets. He’s the real philanthropist.
And this is the second time Mac did this. And he’s taking in pets.
Jim “Mattress Mac” McIngvale is an angel and always reaches out to help others. His star shines brightly in Houston, and he embodies the best sense of the golden rule.
Just so people know, when the Rockets owned the facility it was called “The Summit.” It is built up high. Of course the underground parking garage flooded, but the building was fine. If every place took the “what if we flooded, too” approach to do-nothingness, then there would be no shelters at all.
Very True Carol. There’s a shelter at a church by my house and there’s flooding very close by. They still opened their doors and people and their pets had a dry place to sleep for the night. We took over a bunch of dog food and clothes and blankets. A dog peed on the floor just in the short time I was there, and volunteers happily cleaned it up. Restaurants nearby are catering to feed the people. That’s the kind of thing you expect from a church and community. Joel Osteen is shameful.
Mac is a hero
Mattress Mac sounds awesome.
Funny how Trump supporters always blame the media for their icons’ shortcomings. This preacher’s selfishness is now the media’s fault.
Even if they couldn’t open the building, there is plenty more he could have done, and he did nothing. He could have donated money from his vast fortune. He could have sent food to shelters, or volunteers, or police/fire departments. He could have volunteered at a shelter or rented a boat to rescue people. Bought clothes, diapers and supplies for shelters. Instead he was completely MIA and silent. Except for blocking people who called him out on Twitter.
They agreed to open the church this afternoon. Glad they got called out on this!
Do you have a link to that? I haven’t been able to find any confirmation on this. Thanks!
nm! I was able to find the confirmation. I’m glad the media picked up on this. The people of Houston are in trouble, and his a$$hat church could help thousands that still need help.
Awful, awful man.
Ugh my mother loves him and listens to him everyday. And we’re not even Christian! She really believes he’s this great humble pious man. Sigh.
Can’t help but think of GOT chant, ‘Shame, Shame, Shame’
No one, no one, needs to imagine Joel wading naked through Houston. That city’s suffered enough.
😂
HAHAHA! I scared my cat with my bark of laughter.
I just spit out my coffee laughing! Thank you!
LOL!!!
He makes my skin crawl…a silver tongued greedy snake spouting verses from the bible. He is no Christian and sure as hell doesn’t reflect my faith. He and his followers go to church every Sunday so they can rest easy when they are complete garbage ppl Mon thru Sat.
Yes…except a lot of those verses he quotes aren’t even from the Bible! I’ve heard him say stuff that sounds like it would be biblical, but isn’t. He makes up crap to suit his own purposes.
But the church and surrounding areas were already flooded so I don’t know how that would have benefitted anyone?
The pictures provided by the church of its flooding were of the underground parking garage. Pictures provided by people in the area show a dry building with accessible roads.
Photo evidence says they had some water in the basement and parking garages but the church was accessible, high and dry.
AND the building itself has FLOOD GATES to keep any water in the underground garage to drain. The streets around it are not flooded. He was even touting it as a dropoff point for donations of supplies yesterday! He just did not want “the poors” messing up his shrine to the almighty dollar.
Meanwhile, Jim “Mattress Mac” McIngvale opened up his two ginormous furniture stores as shelters without a second thought. He has been there working and helping throughout too instead of hiding out in his home. He offered people tangible help instead of meaningless thoughts and prayers. The cynics might argue that he is just doing this so people will buy furniture from him in the future, but even if that were the case, at least he DID SOMETHING.
Yes. Real help right away. I saw a massive convoy of HEB 18 wheelers rolling in stocked with supplies on the second morning. HEB is a Texas based grocery store chain.
Every time I see him I am possessed by an overwhelming feeling of wanting to kick in his perfectly white teeth. Is this wrong??!! 😉
Perfectly normal, sane behaviour.
No. I have always been seriously irked at the way he grins (grimaces) with every pause of speech oh and why the fuck does he blink so often. *kicks chair*
I’m gonna start calling him Father Gabriel.
+ 100
Jesus.
I am deeply saddened by this refusal to help their community. Heartless mofos.
this particular brand of religion is more dangerous than anything we are taught to fear
This isnt religion. He’s basically a snake oil salesman. He’s just another version of Donald Trump that for some reason people want to believe he’s going to be their salvation.
Just to give y’all some perspective, Lakewood use to be the Compact Center where the HOUSTON ROCKETS use to play. That is how big that place is. Think about how many people they could shelter.
Absolutely shameful.
Wow. It makes this much much worse.
I go even farther back, Marty, to when it was called “The Summit” because, you know, it is one on the highest ground in the area. SMH
If the world is going to worry about any man’s hair & makeup budget this week, how about we just start with Joel Osteen? The Lord really seems to want to keep him frozen at age 30, when he’s really 54. How many godbucks go into keeping him looking like this??
He looks like Tim Allen on a serious coke bender. Which is quite the accomplishment, because Tim Allen was already on a coke bender.
OMG, he does! You are so right… I can’t unsee it now.
He has always reminded me of someone, and Tim is it. Great description!
Dear Lord how much Botox does this guy have??? He’s a horrible person and I just assume these megachurch people all are covering up horrible scandals. Glad people are calling out on his hypocrisy.
Dick
This phony baloney moron also started blocking people on Twitter when they called him on his baloney. Sorry let’s just say he is out for #1 (not Jesus) and doesn’t care about the rest of the people.
All I have to say about that guy is this: He is NO Christian.
2 Timothy 3:1-4
3 But know this, that in the last days+ critical times hard to deal with will be here. 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, disloyal, 3 having no natural affection, not open to any agreement, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, without love of goodness, 4 betrayers, headstrong, puffed up with pride, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God,
Again, at some point you have to accept that there are shitty people who believe in God and all religions are flawed because all PEOPLE are flawed.
This idea that because someone is a shitty person, they cannot possibly believe in God or be “true” Christians is tantamount to putting self-preservation and protection of the Church ahead of the serious examination, self-awareness and reflection that so many Christians claim to espouse.
“Othering” Joel Osteen because he has a different interpretation of the bible than you do doesn’t magically revoke his Christian status–maybe so in some Christian circles–but not in society’s eyes.
Because I can tell you that from an atheist standpoint, it doesn’t get more Christian than a Christian minister who thinks God told him to put on a suit before he goes to the grocery store.
Joel Osteen IS a Christian. He is also, by all accounts, a terrible human being–the two are not mutually exclusive.
Once more Kitten! I couldn’t agree with you more. Goodness has nothing to do with belief and everything to do with character.
He’s not just a shitty person. He’s a shitty Christian. Period. I think that’s self-explanatory. He doesn’t get excused for a ‘personal’ interpretation. That’s total BS and posits a moral equivalency. NO.
He’s disgusting. His “wife” is disgusting. His church is a sham. I miss the days driving by seeing the marquis flash concert and sports schedules instead of his greasy shit. I think his “sermons” (pep talks) still air on Sundays but I have no idea as I’m always steaming. I have friends and acquaintances that literally buy into his toxic crap and I simply can’t understand it. Shysters and unscrupulous pigs have been denigrating the masses in the name of religion since the very beginning of time. How many millenia does it take to wake the frak up?
His church will open for shelter when all the other shelters are full? wtf ? just w.t.f.
I wouldn’t offer my home to a bunch of strangers either. My church though… the doors would be open and all would be welcome.
Separation of church and state, all churches should pay taxes IMO. As for Osteen, I guess I should be glad that crayon eyebrows are a thing that transcends gender.
#unpopularopinion
His church should be open. But I don’t think it’s fair to expect him to open his personal home, no matter how shitty a person he is, especially when he DOES have another way to welcome people aka the church.
P.s. Has Bey done anything other than insta about it yet? She doesn’t have a “public” place to open to people (I don’t think), but I expected we’d hear something about a gigantic donation by now.
Has Hilary Duff or Jennifer Garner? They are from Houston. Jim Parsons from Big Bang Theory makes a lot of money per episode.
But only Beyonce is responsible?
As compared to a man who claims to be a child of God and has an arena in Houston.
This tragedy isn’t over. More rain is expected. It is silly to expect anyone who isn’t living there to be able to do anything at the moment but offer support.
“Drop it, leave it, let it go.”
It’s only open for paying customers…….
You can’t have poor people dripping on your posh church floor.
Talk about the anti-Noah!!
This POS represents everything that has turned people away from Christianity: the shameless greed, the phoniness, the materialism, the preying on vulnerable people, the shutting of his church from people in a time of need (and only opening it after being publicly exposed) and that repulsive house built on the backs of desperate people. All of it. He’s disgusting.
I always watch Joel on tv on Sundays. I don’t contribute to his church but appreciate his sermons on tv which are obviously free to anyone. I am disappointed that at this time he missed the opportunity to quickly act on what he preaches. To walk the walk and not just talk. Very disappointed in Joel and his family.
He didn’t ‘miss the opportunity,’ he never wanted to help. He’s not a passive player in this. His values are now out there for the world to see and I hope people start paying attention to his actions rather than his words.
You know how Nietzsche said when you stare into the abyss, it stares back into you? I swear that’s the feeling I get when I look at that top photo of Joel Osteen and his gaping maw.
“When fascism comes to America it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross.”
And preaching the gospel of unbridled capitalism.
That’s pretty much the summary of Osteen. Vile.
The Osteen’s are disgusting piece of work, complete con artists. They are not flooded and they are not helping in anyway.
They are not helping in anyway:
Shelter people,
Shelter Animals
house first responders
equipment
transportation
essential goods
Or being a triage center where doctors/nurses can access the condition of humans and be a center to determining where to send people/children/elderly for shelter.
The Osteen’s are refusing to help in all ways.
How about food and basic daily supplies. How about children and babies. Surely even children and babies tug at the last glimmer of life his cold dead heart has.
Joel and Victoria are the new Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker….just with better clothes and eye makeup.
He’s repulsive!
And this, folks, is why our young people aren’t attending churches like they used to.
Thanks, Joel and your gem of a wife.
He’s not the only one. I saw only a message from Beyonce. Isn’t she from Houston? Time for her to put the money up, too.
She gave 7 millions. Oh and your racism is showing. A post about a religious degenerate and your only concern is a popstar? I can’t.
“We are prepared to house people once shelters reach capacity.”
Are you kidding me!?! How “over-capacity” do we have to be at before they make the space available?
There are people in my and my neighbor’s houses because the shelters are out of space! (Happy to do it, by the way). We set up an emergency shelter yesterday in a small church that has only two single stall restrooms, no showers! (I’m not sure this is technically “legal” but we have few options.)
I do, in some ways, get it. I will confess, our family had a very long talk before we opened up our home. Picture someone who lost everything except the wet clothes they are wearing. One desperate and very stressed individual can create a lot of havoc. I’m glad we choose to accept evacuees. I don’t fault those who don’t. So fine. Why not then open the church to emergency responders? Many of them can’t/won’t go home to rest. Or use your commercial kitchen to prepare meals. Collect donations and sort them for distribution. Tweeting a few links feels good (and apparently looks good to some), but does nothing for those in crisis.
I’m so angry. His tweet really struck a nerve.
What a schmuck. G-d help us all.
Truly disgusting.