'Its the gospel of Ayn Rand': Son of evangelist eviscerates Joel Osteens prosperity gospel greed

[workinclasszero]

‘It’s the gospel of Ayn Rand’: Son of evangelist eviscerates Joel Osteen’s ‘prosperity gospel’ greed
Tom Boggioni 03 SEP 2017 AT 14:03 ET

The son of a famous theologian and evangelist ripped into “prosperity gospel” pastor Joel Osteen, saying his disastrous decision to deny help to the flood-ravaged citizens of Houston exposed him as a follower of Ayn Rand’s philosophy of selfishness instead of the Jesus he praises every Sunday in his megachurch.

“Joel Osteen lives in a 10 to $15 million house,” Schaeffer explained. “He is one of these con artists, like so many in the evangelical world, who are all about ‘send me money, God will bless you.’ When they talk about themselves, it’s ‘look God had blessed me.'”

“Osteen and these people, in terms of the old time evangelical gospel, are heretics,” he emphasized. “They preach of a Jesus that hasn’t come to minister to the poor, did not say blessed are the poor and the meek. Osteen and Trump come from the capitalist American idea of success. Their gospel is the gospel of Ayn Rand: ‘Blessed are those who triumph over others and get rich.'”



http://www.rawstory.com/2017/09/its-the-gospel-of-ayn-rand-son-of-evangelist-eviscerates-joel-osteens-prosperity-gospel-greed/

[dalton99a]

1. Joel Osteen's adherents and apologists are just as bad

Their belief system is the complete opposite of what Jesus preached

[workinclasszero]

2. The whole 'religious right' movement stands in direct opposition to everything

Jesus taught in the Bible as far as I can see. Their actions and their leader Trump show their true face.

They just use the name of Jesus as a cover while they destroy the poor, the sick , the working class and the sojourner/stranger.

[safeinOhio]

5. They found a loop-whole.

and they are sticking to it

[snort]

7. Drop the loop.

[Docreed2003]

3. Schaeffer is spot on...

There's nothing "Christ-like" in the "prosperity gospel". That entire belief system is a glorified self help, feel good message that, at it core, only brings prosperity to the preachers.

[DetlefK]

4. I once read a blog-post by an evangelical pastor about this:

She wrote a blog-post about this whole "prosperity-gospel". Summed up:

"The prosperity-gospel is un-christian and horrible. But we shouldn't do anything to fight the prosperity-gospel, because speaking out against the prosperity-gospel would mean casting doubt on the faith of fellow Christians."

[nycbos]

6. "He needs money! He always needs money!

He's all-powerful, all-perfect, all-knowing, and all-wise, somehow just can't handle money!”

-George Carlin.

[treestar]

8. What verses do they use to justify it?

Jesus said take care of the poor, so once you are rich, does this church urge its followers to take care of the poor?

[workinclasszero]

9. Seeing as how the leader of the church had to be shamed into opening the doors

of his money collecting megachurch to flood victims in Houston, I kinda doubt they give a crap about poor people.

Actually if you are poor its a sign that God has cursed you because God wants us all to be millionaires living in 10 million dollar pleasure palaces like Osteen.

See Book of Rand Chap 1 ver: $$$

[treestar]

13. That's the verse!

He fit the book of Rand in there.

[workinclasszero]

22. Every Sunday

no doubt.

Those 10 million dollar homes/palaces don't build themselves you know?

[ladym55]

11. Good question

I have actually heard the prosperity gospel preached, but can't remember what passage the clown used as the basis for his "sermon." And the sermon was all about how if you tithed specifically TO this church, God would bless you with prosperity. It was gross and disgusting, and I left that church very, very quickly. Unfortunately, this form of the gospel is very, very popular with many people.

[treestar]

12. sounds like the one who prospers

is the "minister" more than the people.

[Raster]

17. All of the ministers of mammon say the same things...

...The spin on their "message" may be slightly different to fit the audience, but basically boils down to: "Gawd has blessed them with abundance, and if you listen to them and do as they ask, Gawd will also bless you with abundance. Only they have the answers. Only they have the keys to heaven. And you can only reach Gawd through them. So open your hearts --and your wallets-- and give."

[OriginalGeek]

16. I don't remember

I was a young teen in the mid-70s and that's when I remember it started creeping into our little fundie baptist church. The first time I heard something like that was a guest preacher came in to tell us that god wanted us to be rich. He said "if you want a Corvette, ask god for a Corvette!" He qualified it with "sometimes god says no but it's ok to ask".

There were grumblings among the older crowd but the guy wasn't straight-up kicked out mid-service so someone was listening. It wasn't long after that we moved to a more conservative church so i don't know how well that prosperity stuff took hold in the old church.

I left the church and home not long after that so I can't really say who among them liked the idea but I'd wager it got more popular.

[treestar]

18. That sounds like have faith in yourself

the same things they say in books like "Think and Grow Rich." You have to believe in yourself, etc. Asking God for something and having faith. But to ask for material things - that is more consumer oriented than religious.

[mdbl]

10. can I blame the idiots that send him money

much in the same way i blame the idiots that voted for trump?

[smirkymonkey]

14. I am hoping that this is the beginning of the end of him and

all of his kind. They are shameless con-artists, nothing more.

[OriginalGeek]

19. I doubt it will be ending soon

Rich church-goers need validation and prosperity preachers need rich church-goers so they stroke each other real good.

[milestogo]

15. Its the gospel according to Paul (Ryan) - fuck the poor

[cilla4progress]

20. Religion provides ample opportunity for hucksters to

rip off vulnerable people.

[Hekate]

21. I heard part of that, and it was a brilliant takedown. Yes, those jerks are heretics, and yes...

...theirs is the gospel of Ayn Rand.