Man, do I love this quote!

[A HERETIC I AM]

Of course, in the big scheme of things, prayer is futile – spiritual masturbation, a conversation with one’s self, a monologue as opposed to a dialogue.

There is no god listening to Victoria Osteen pray for a parking spot. There is no god that punishes sinners and rewards saints. There is no god.

There is, however, an intellectual fragility and moral perversity in human nature that allows con artists like Joel and Victoria Osteen to take advantage of the ignorant, the gullible, and the desperate, in Jesus’ name.

From; http://www.patheos.com/blogs/progressivesecularhumanist/2014/06/victoria-osteen-tries-to-justify-praying-for-a-parking-spot/

[DesertDiamond]

1. As a Buddhist, I realized a while ago that, although none of my prayers were answered when I was

praying to an outside being, some may feel that theirs are -- but they refuse to grasp that whatever happens, it's the power of their own minds, and not some outside power, that made it happen. Meanwhile, my prayers to bring out the power in my own life work consistently, while if their don't work "it's God's will." Okay. Whatever.

[AtheistCrusader]

9. "The power of their own minds"

To a considerable degree, I fully agree with this.

Since this thread started with an interesting quote, I've got one in that vein of being the change you want to see:

Let us have Men, Men who will say a word to their souls and keep it — keep it not when it is easy, but keep it when it is hard — keep it when the storm roars and there is a white-streaked sky and blue thunder before, and one's eyes are blinded and one's ears deafened with the war of opposing things; and keep it under the long leaden sky and the gray dreariness that never lifts. Hold unto the last: that is what it means to have a Dominant Idea, which Circumstance cannot break. And such men make and unmake Circumstance.

-Voltairine de Cleyre

[AlbertCat]

12. but they refuse to grasp that whatever happens, it's the power of their own minds,

... and not some outside power, that made it happen."


Unless some unforeseen random event happens like...oh....reality.

[onager]

2. Mrs. Osteen needs the "FGT" treatment...

From the movie "Fried Green Tomatoes," that is.

Kathy Bates is waiting for a parking spot, which is stolen by two obnoxious girls.

Girls: "Face it, lady. We're younger and faster!"

Bates backs up, hits the gas, and slams into their car. Six times.

Bates: "Face it, girls. I'm older and have more insurance."

And long as I'm here - the Osteens are one very creepy-looking couple. Jebus, between the two of them, they must have 487 teeth.

Smiling faces sometimes pretend to be your friend,
Smiling faces, show no traces of the evil that lurks within.
Smiling faces, smiling faces sometimes, they don't tell the truth,
Smiling faces, smiling faces tell lies and I got proof.
The truth is in the eyes 'cause the eyes don't lie...

[Lordquinton]

5. sometimes a flashy smile

Is to show teeth.

[GeorgeGist]

6. Zombies ...

they feed on greed.

[EvolveOrConvolve]

15. Jesus, they're virtually indistinguishable from mannequins

A certain doll bares a striking resemblance to Mr. Osteen:

[khankiso]

3. amazed

I'm always amazed at the people that live there life by deceiving the gullible they are always dressed and preened to the hilt like a million bucks living off the poor and they have no shame in that even when in that book they live there life by that is a sin. cherry pickers unite just the verses that promote us.

[mr blur]

4. Indeed, it's amazing, for example, that god wants Pat Robertson and Benny Hinn

to have their own private jets and he thinks it's right that you should pay for them. And the poorer you are, the deeper you should dig into your pockets.

[uriel1972]

7. But of course

They're probably not True ChristiansTM and don't represent the majority etc. /sarcasm

[trotsky]

13. Absolutely not.

And besides, the real enemies are atheists who don't respect religion enough on Internet message boards!

[AtheistCrusader]

8. Theives and charlatans.

If there was a god, they'd be fucking scorch marks.

[onager]

10. Ancient Biblical scroll proves Osteen is the real deal...

Ancient scroll fragments, recently found in a cave somewhere in the Holy Land, near El Paso. Archeologists are pretty sure the named Prophet was Osteen himself:

13 When Josteen heard of it, he departed thence by ship or yacht or small sailboat, into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities.

14 And Josteen went forth, and saw a great multitude, and they said "Lord, please heal our sick."

14.a.1.IV Josteen was moved with compassion for the wealthy among the multitudes and said: "Lo, healing thy sick would be blasphemous and a stench in the nostrils of God, the mighty AMA and the Great Republic Party. If thou art sick God meant for thee to be sick. And if thou art poor and canst not afford a comprehensive medical plan, it is thy own fault."

...

30 And Josteen, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.

35 And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came unto him, and said, "This is a desert place, the time grows late and the multitudes have naught to eat."

39 And Josteen saith unto them, "How many loaves have ye? go and see." And when they knew, they say, "Five, and two fishes."

42 And when Josteen had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and brake the loaves, and divided the fishes.

43 And lo, the loaves and fishes did multiply until the baskets of Josteen and his disciples held enough bread and fishes to feed the multitude of five thousand. And one of the disciples asked: "Lord, shall we go among the multitudes with the loaves and fishes, for they hunger?"

47.a.2.III And Josteen replied: "Art thou insane or possessed of a pig-demon, Head Of Knuckle? These baskets full of food art ALL MINE. Gather up the food and take it away to mine house. But leave any crumbs of bread or fish falling from the baskets for the multitudes."

49 And turning to the multitudes Josteen blessed them and said: "Thou have just seen the Gospel of Prosperity in action. Thank thee, suckers. Now fucketh off."

52 And the multitudes did marvel and said: "Next time we must give Josteen even more, so that he may truly bless us unworthy ones with the Gospel of Prosperity."

[A HERETIC I AM]

11. .....

[trotsky]

14. Well done, onager.