World News – Growing up in Houston, you can remember the days when going to The Summit was an activity that was reserved for attending and watching the Houston Rockets play. Times have changed since that same location has gone from a place to watching legends like Hakeem Olajuwon and Kenny Smith show their basketball skills to paying to listen to motivational speaker Joel Osteen preach to his flock.
I use the term motivational speaker to describe Osteen, because that is exactly what he is. He just happens to use the Bible and God as intricate parts of the topics he addresses. Through his books, his sermons, and most recently actually charging admission to his “church”, Joel and his wife have made millions of dollars. It seems that now both he and his wife have decided to enjoy these riches.
In recent months, Osteen had demonstrated a willingness to deviate from Christian doctrine, often peppering his sermons with “New Age” references and at one point calling himself “God”.
Joel stated that for a number of years now, he has been questioning the faith, Christianity and whether Jesus Christ is really his, or anyone’s, ‘savior’.
“I am now at the point that I am comfortable enough in what I believe that I am ready to announce to the world that I am no longer a Christian. I am no longer a believer in Christ. I no longer believe the Bible is the word of God.” stated Osteen.
He went on to state that “No God worth believing in is going to send you to Hell for not believing in him. Not even the worst sinner and scum of the Earth deserves eternal torment in Hell. In fact, God is more likely to congratulate you upon entering Heaven for doubting, questioning and not believing the religionists and their flimsy facts, demands of blind faith and lack of hard evidence.”
Having attended some of his services, motivational speeches, and read his book, I can honestly say that this was easy to see coming. Every time I sat in those seats at The Summit and thought that only 10 years ago I was watching NBA games here, made we think of the money this “church” (Lakewood) was generating.
The rent on the building alone must have been $50,000 a month or more. Add in the electricity, parking, and Joel and his wife’s weekly travel around the world and the numbers skyrocket. The same thing kept going through my mind, how is this right?
Then came the incident on the plane with his wife, Victoria Osteen, acting like a completely spoiled child.
The FAA report states that Osteen asked another flight attendant to clean a liquid on her first-class seat armrest. When that attendant said she would get another flight attendant, Osteen grabbed a second flight attendant and took her to the seat, the report said. The second attendant said she would call cleaning personnel and headed to the cockpit, the FAA said. Osteen followed her and came across Brown, whom she pushed and elbowed in the left breast in an attempt to get to the cockpit, according to the report.
The flight attendants asked to have Osteen removed from the plane; she and her family left voluntarily.
All of the signs were there that this was a money making venture for Joel and his family from the start. People are using the word scam in reference to Joel Osteen as many feel defrauded, it was not a scam. He did not say you were getting a tangible product in return for your tithing.
Joel is a good salesman and when you paid his “church” money you received exactly what you paid for, a motivational speech. Putting God in your heart is your job not his. Joel ran a very profitable business and like many CEOs has now decided to retire with a very large retirement fund.
I understand that his flock of sheep that would do whatever he said are angry and now they are now speaking out with statements like…. “We won’t put up with this,” a congregation leader said off the record. “This guy’s made millions off of us, we’re not going to let him just take our money. We know his net worth is in upwards of $50 million.”
Let it go! He made money by being a motivational speaker and now he wants to take a break from his speaking tour.
I guess his congregation wants a refund on the deposits they made for eternal salvation.
April Fool’s……….The Entire thing is a Hoax…..He is Still Making Millions from his flock…..The Joel Osteen cash cow is still in business. I still think it is ridiculous that an ex-NBA building is now a “church”.
