Joel Osteen/Lakewood: Good for Christianity or Not?

What's Joel Osteen's take on iraq? Is it a happy place?

 

Good for them, and God bless. However, they are still the minority among all church goers, aren't they? Unless the polls (this one and all the other) are skewed ...

 

i have no idea how this poll was done...what the questions were...who was polled, etc.

 

most pastors never address issues like that. we don't have sermons on world affairs at my church. i've been to many different churches in my life, from all different backgrounds. i don't think i've ever attended a service where that was the primary backdrop of the sermon or the message.

 

That Vatican group are a pretty cultish lot...but they do show up in pretty big numbers...

 

What is the worse that can happen? People that are in search of spiritual well-being might find comfort (and salvation) in Bible based dialogue?

My Dad is a preacher, the fire and brimstone kind. His churches never had 200 people in attendance at any point while he was a Pastor. People are attracted to what's real in their lives right now. I think we'll all agree that you can't casually read the Bible and get a true understanding of it, therefore when someone can hear the Bible interpreted in a way that pertains to what's going in their lives they will gravitate to that.

Nothing wrong with that, not my cup of tea but more power to him.

My .02

 

I am fine with small religious gatherings, like those community-based church congregations, where people genuinely search for meanings of life. However, when the crowd get bigger and bigger, problems ensue.

In the late '80s and early '90s, you have such money and sex hungry scumbags as Jim Bakker, Jimmy Swaggart, and Robert Tilton who ran large scaled televangelism and acquired immense personal fortunes through their followers' pious donations. Now there are a bunch of televangelists who have deftly meshed politics with religion, on top of money, despite dwindled libido-related scandals (could be a tribute to internet p*rn, but you never know when the next big one will emerge). IMO, oraginized religions on large scales can easily, if not inevitably, lead to financial corruptions, thirst for powers, and cultish distortions of the true religions themselves.

 

mix man with ANYTHING and that's the result.

 

Wow. I'm really disappointed in the Christians that have a problem with Osteen. He delivers a powerful message to those who are in need of it.

He is certainly not taking people out of their denominations and other churches. Rather, he is embracing those who would not go to church at all, otherwise.

I recall in high school and in college trying my damndest to make agnostics and atheists believe in something. Try as I may have, I converted nobody that I know of.

If he can get anyone into Christianity, or even faith, bravo. Once someone decides to have faith, they certainly make their own judgements.

And wnes: just stop. You have no idea what you are talking about.

For those that don't know, Joel Osteen never talks about sending in money. He doesn't even have the typical "collection plate" event. If people want to donate, then that's up to them.

 

What are you disputing specifically?

 

You're kidding, right? You brought politics and evangelism into a thread that had nothing to do with either.

Go play with your toys. You've brought nothing of substance to this.

 

Well I did derail the thread a little bit, and sorry about that. But on the other hand, if you are telling me evangelism and politics are not mingled together in this country, I don't know who is more delusional.

 

http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=100844

Then put that in your thread about that crap in the first place. I even gave you a link.

 

I like him a lot, and I played basketball with him for years at the Post Oak YMCA, he still plays there some evenings, just a real good guy.

I see nothing wrong with positive reinforcement, more religions should accentuate the positive.

DD

 

Heheh, didn't you jump into my thread by putting someone you admire right behind the likes of Jimmy Swaggart, Jim Bakker, and Robert Tilton?

Here's your choice, wise guy, to my question "who's next in line?"

 

You asked "who's next?" I replied honestly. I answered your question. How did I not give a rational thought to your otherwise idiotic question?

You know what? You make no sense at all.

 

I'm with AB and FFB on this one...

anything (or anyone) that can introduce folks to Christ and the Bible is a good thing.
If they hunger for more in-depth knowledge after reading the Bible and Osteen isnt covering it for them...then they will look elsewhere for enlightenment...more than likely a more evangelical church will fit the bill.....but the point is that they will have been introduced (or re-acquainted with) a religious part of them that may have been ignored.

That cant possibly be a bad thing....can it?

 

Chance-

I am sorry if I skipped over you explaining things in detail, but have you actually attended a Lakewood service from beginning to end?

You may be surprised (if you have not attended yet) the content that you see in the 30 minute TV segment vs. the actual hour long "real deal Holyfield" church service .

 

A little? There was some nice discussion going on here and you blew the thread up with your nonsense.

What's the point in starting arguments so often?

Please don't answer let's get back on topic...

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> Joel Osteen/Lakewood: Good for Christianity or Not?

 

No. you wouldn't think so, R2K. I guess I was thrown by the "Joel actually preaches on the favor of God and how it helps him get bumped from coach to first class on an airplane. He teaches that God’s favor will magically make people let you in front of them in line. That if you verbally speak God’s favor over it, you will not face as much traffic." ...posted by Chance.

Chance, whatever motivates you to do good stuff, and think good thoughts, and all of your own choice is fine by me. I'm still with the Marx Brothers on religion, however... I wouldn't belong to a "club" (read- church) that would have me as a member.



Keep D&D Civil!!