Mega pastor Joel Osteen resigns, rejects Christ, cites 'lack of faith'

This site is the property of Pastor Joel Osten and Joel Osten Ministries. It bears no relation to "Joel Osteen" or "Lakewood Church". Any implication or relation to "Joel Osteen" and the "Lakewood Church" is purely coincidental.

Hahahha, this says it all off of their own website under fair use at the bottom.

ETA - Blarneystoner and I are great minds apparently.

reply to post by Signals


Not my forum - and placing anything in the hoax forum is done by those with shinier titles than mine.

I've found literally zero evidence to suggest Joel Osteen has actually left Christianity or said any of those things. The website that was linked isn't Joel's official website, and there's no link to an actual CNN article.

Whoa! Did NOT see that one coming.I don't think its awesome/amusing/entertaining though.I've had experiences with Jesus,you certainly don't need to be a Christian,religious,to be acquainted with Jesus. Thats something i found out for myself-im not a Christian,but i know him for sure.He's my friend,my helper,he has my back,always.Not everyone can make that leap though,to step away from religion,to investigate what is real,and what not.I did,cause i really had nothing to lose anyway.Hope Joel can too,i really do.He has a chance now,without the pressure of religion,to find a true connection to Jesus-who's there for everyone-its a myth that he is only there for Christians.You want to know him,let him know that-he's for everyone.Heck,if he dont mind Me-he ain't gonna reject anyone else either.

Originally posted by randyvs
reply to post by CUBD1

 

As if any T.V. evangelist has any faith. Nothing but swindlers and con men. Swaggert, Popov, Hagee, Baker, more car salesmen then anything else. Glad my faith goes far beyond the doors of any religion. Follow Christ, not Joel Osteen. Quack !

edit on 4-4-2013 by randyvs because: (no reason given)

Agree 100%. i don't know why people apologize for these dirtbags.

ed young ran one of the biggest churches in texas and then gave a sermon saying if you don't tithe 10% you're going to be 'cursed'. it was later revealed he's got a private jet no one knows about and the church was funnelling money to private business interests (tax free of course).

it's alllllllllllllllll about $$$. osteen is just the next in line. the next swaggert, baker. there will always be one waiting in the wings. but he's just got his crap together more than those guys, he's very popular and there isn't much dirt on him yet.

Originally posted by FollowTheWhiteRabbit
I've found literally zero evidence to suggest Joel Osteen has actually left Christianity or said any of those things. The website that was linked isn't Joel's official website, and there's no link to an actual CNN article.

ya it's looking suspicious... oh well whoever did this did a pretty good job, had me fooled at first when i found the link.

Originally posted by Signals
reply to post by Hefficide

 

?? Why not move it to HOAX bin, then?

Here is another thing I thought of other than my judgmental attitudes towards ministries that are for profit, unlike the Mormons and Catholics.

Maybe God simply wants Joel Olsteen to be Joel Olsteen and not mega ministry Joel Olsteen, propping up other peoples faith.

Maybe God wants Joel Olsteen to have a beer at a bar, take his kids to baseball games and be Joel. Family man, beer drinker who tells dirty jokes, etc.

Not mega ministry TV evangelist.

Maybe his abandonment of his post was an act of divine will to let him simply be himself. An act of inspiration.

It seems somebody is really going out of their way to smeer Joel. Careful attention to detail has been paid in making a fake CNN article, a website, even a Twitter account. It's one of the most fantastically put together internet hoaxes I've seen in a while.

Not to say I'm a fan of Joel. Any minister making multimillions (and buying a football stadium) to me is no better than the money changers in the temple that Jesus drove out by the whip.

As other posters have pointed out, it's a total fake. There is nothing on the real CNN about this whatsoever.

I took my mother-in-law to see him when he was in Dallas a few years ago because she is a big fan. The services are insanely large. He absolutely believes what he is saying, and he breaks down in tears each time he preaches. Call him a charleton, call him a snake oil salesman, whatever....but he touches a lot of people's hearts, encourages them to be their best at all times, to give life their all, and to be kind to others.

I personally like his message. He gives hope in an increasingly hopeless world. I am as cynical as the next disillusioned soul, but I think people like Mr. Osteen should be left alone. Hope and faith are so rare these days, why tear down those who try to spread it? As far as the money issue goes, nobody is twisting anybody's arm to donate. People give freely to whom they think is God's messenger, and it is their business.

Whoever is behind this slanderous campaign should be ashamed of themselves.

Originally posted by FissionSurplus
As other posters have pointed out, it's a total fake. There is nothing on the real CNN about this whatsoever.

I took my mother-in-law to see him when he was in Dallas a few years ago because she is a big fan. The services are insanely large. He absolutely believes what he is saying, and he breaks down in tears each time he preaches. Call him a charleton, call him a snake oil salesman, whatever....but he touches a lot of people's hearts, encourages them to be their best at all times, to give life their all, and to be kind to others.

I personally like his message. He gives hope in an increasingly hopeless world. I am as cynical as the next disillusioned soul, but I think people like Mr. Osteen should be left alone. Hope and faith are so rare these days, why tear down those who try to spread it? As far as the money issue goes, nobody is twisting anybody's arm to donate. People give freely to whom they think is God's messenger, and it is their business.

Whoever is behind this slanderous campaign should be ashamed of themselves.

I'd definitely say he's not a Benny Hinn. He's not tacky.

He's definitely more genuine minus the money making aspect, but he's not knocking people down with invisible "Chi Whammies" like Benny Hinn. If I were into TV evangelism he would be one that I watch.

Originally posted by FissionSurplus
As other posters have pointed out, it's a total fake. There is nothing on the real CNN about this whatsoever.

I took my mother-in-law to see him when he was in Dallas a few years ago because she is a big fan. The services are insanely large. He absolutely believes what he is saying, and he breaks down in tears each time he preaches. Call him a charleton, call him a snake oil salesman, whatever....but he touches a lot of people's hearts, encourages them to be their best at all times, to give life their all, and to be kind to others.

I personally like his message. He gives hope in an increasingly hopeless world. I am as cynical as the next disillusioned soul, but I think people like Mr. Osteen should be left alone. Hope and faith are so rare these days, why tear down those who try to spread it? As far as the money issue goes, nobody is twisting anybody's arm to donate. People give freely to whom they think is God's messenger, and it is their business.

Whoever is behind this slanderous campaign should be ashamed of themselves.

Maybe it's hope... but it's dumbed down, single-serving, McHope. The guy's making millions. I agree with MIRACULA who spoke of the Mormons whose bishops and church leaders don't take a salary.

Go to Osteen and get 'yer' fill of 'hope', fill up on it, feel good for a while, go back to your life for a week, then go back to Joel.

I think you're just off on this. It all sounds wonderful on the surface -- I'm sure his services are quite a spectacle -- and I've seen them on TV -- but at the end of the day, it's really watered down motivational junk.

It's a shame people don't put their resources into something more worthwhile than Joel's shtick, that's all.

reply to post by Miracula


LOL. Chi Whammies. I love it.

reply to post by CUBD1


You just can't stand that his message is powerful, he sells millions of books, has tens of thousands of church members and hundreds of thousands more who follow his email messages. I'm not one of his followers but I sure don't fault him or his followers. I'm not so hateful to spew the crap you're spewing about him. If you don't like his message, you don't have to listen. It's too bad for you this is simply a hoax.

reply to post by CUBD1


Joel Osteen is what I call "fast food faith." He makes you feel real good, like you're on the right track, he's insanely charismatic and good looking (or so I've been told), he hits you with those sermons that make you feel empowered and larger than life in machine gun rapidity...

But in the end, just like McDonalds, there are no nutrients to speak of and it really isn't good for your health.

Originally posted by CUBD1

Originally posted by SELAboy
Nothing reflecting as such on his own site:
www.joelosteen.com...

And the reference in your link which claims to be his own site (notice the misspelling of his last name) is not.

I'd go ahead and say it is a hoax. Whether by harmless tricksters or hateful, intolerant "progressives" I couldn't say.

As for me, I'm a crappy, nonpracticing Catholic who has no skin in the game. That is my objective 2 cents on "Pastor Joel"'s alleged announcement.

edit on 4-4-2013 by SELAboy because: (no reason given)

Hmm wow ya i did not see that about the site.

I'm not sure I'd call them "hateful progressives".... I think Osteen is a shyster and full of crap. You ever listen to him? He's on the local TV here on Saturdays and Sundays. Total snake oil. His brand of preaching is called something like "prosperity gospel", he's all about having faith to make money, build a fortune, always talking about how if you just have enough faith your next big bonus/job/house/good fortune is right around the corner. I heard the guy has a private jet and a ton of money.

so anyway idk wtf is going on but damn it would be hilarious if any of this is actually true but i doubt it.

Got a problem with him?

Change the channel!

HOAX!

Originally posted by FollowTheWhiteRabbit
It seems somebody is really going out of their way to smeer Joel. Careful attention to detail has been paid in making a fake CNN article, a website, even a Twitter account. It's one of the most fantastically put together internet hoaxes I've seen in a while.

Not to say I'm a fan of Joel. Any minister making multimillions (and buying a football stadium) to me is no better than the money changers in the temple that Jesus drove out by the whip.

People have been trying to take out the Osteens for years. First it was his father when someone mailed them a pipe bomb that exploded in Lisa Osteen's face, Joel's sister. Luckily no one was killed and she recovered fully.

NY Times Article

Joel grew the ministry of 15,000 members that his father started to what it is today. Joel's ministry reaches millions of people. I've yet to hear him preach anything that I disagreed with as I sometimes watch him on Sunday mornings. Believe me, I'm very cynical and critical when it comes to televangelists but he's the real deal. God takes of his people.....

Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know....

Originally posted by Rezlooper
reply to post by CUBD1

 

You just can't stand that his message is powerful, he sells millions of books, has tens of thousands of church members and hundreds of thousands more who follow his email messages. I'm not one of his followers but I sure don't fault him or his followers. I'm not so hateful to spew the crap you're spewing about him. If you don't like his message, you don't have to listen. It's too bad for you this is simply a hoax.

Wow, what an ignorant load of jizz.

I outlined my issues with him clearly and succinctly. If you want to argue those points, please do.

You could apply your same idiotic logic to Hitler, Mao, any charismatic leader -- apparently, if their message is 'powerful', if they sell books and people follow them, then it's all good, right? I need to shut up, huh?

reply to post by Rezlooper


There's a reoccurring theme of religions throughout the world: The dangers of infiltrators masquerading as a person of that faith, when in reality, they're self serving and hurting the religion as a whole.

In the ONLY moment in the Bible where Jesus uses physical violence, it was against money changers in the temple. That's how mad it made him, that people were selling salvation and making money at the expense of faith in God.

There was even a story of the Buddha who was visited by a demon. The demon kept telling him ways he would damage the Buddha's teachings and corrupt them. The Buddha shrugged every one of them off until the demon told the Buddha that he would hide in the dharma as a follower of the Buddha, and corrupt the dharma from within. It was the only time written in classical Buddhist literature in which the Buddha broke down and cried.

The morale of the story is: Just because it makes you feel good, doesn't mean it's actually good for you. Ya know, heroin makes you feel good too, until you die from it.

Originally posted by FollowTheWhiteRabbit
reply to post by CUBD1

 

Joel Osteen is what I call "fast food faith." He makes you feel real good, like you're on the right track, he's insanely charismatic and good looking (or so I've been told), he hits you with those sermons that make you feel empowered and larger than life in machine gun rapidity...

But in the end, just like McDonalds, there are no nutrients to speak of and it really isn't good for your health.

edit on 4-4-2013 by FollowTheWhiteRabbit because: (no reason given)

I agree 100%.