Who is Joel Osteen?

[JamaicanPineapple]

Full disclosure: I'm agnostic/ borderline athiest.  And a lurker who's trying to post more.

I have a "friend" ("K").
I've known him since high school and he was always the life of the party, so
much fun, and just a happy person. Until he met and married "J". Then he became
this whipped little puppy dog who didn't want to do anything to piss J off, so
he just wasn't himself anymore. It was sad to watch, really. Myself and the
majority of my friends have no respect for J and frankly, can't stand her, and
some of us have voiced our opinions to K about it before and after they got
married.

They moved to CO over the summer (from NY) and we haven't really kept in
touch, just to say Hi on FB, wish each other Happy Birthday/Merry Christmas/etc.
This is good enough contact for me. In the past few weeks they have both been
posting these positive thinking, religious posts, many quotes from Joel Osteen, seemingly out of character for
them, especially out of character for him. Ex.: "Declare today that God is
working in your favor, and he will open a door of opportunities for you." And
ending each post with "have a blessed day/night."

Maybe it's the athiest
in me, but it bothers me more that this is so out there for K. I know it
shouldn't even really matter b/c we hardly keep in touch as it is. Maybe he's
found God and is really happy. It's just this recent change in attitude in
addition to everything in the past that makes me a little ragey. I just want to
post on his wall, who the heck are you?? My BFFs husband posted "Since when did
you become so religious?" I can't wait to read the response.

I'm ready to ask him if he's joined a cult.

[fuckyourcouch]

he went to my high school. that's all i ever have to add to these things.

[hisno1girl]

He's a televangelist. He never ever ever stops smiling and I find that decidedly creepy.

[Deleted]

Creepy pastor of a Houston mega church

[eb777888]

Feb 5, 2013 12:55:28 GMT -5 Lucy Honeychurch said:

Joel Osteen is a televangelist. He's known as a proponent of prosperity theology, which basically says money is Godly and if you're a good, pious Christian, God will make you rich. Which essentially counters virtually every word in the New Testament, but whatever.

He is also deeply creepy.

lol

I've just known him as a televangelist, which I have my own personal opinion of.

[eb777888]

Prosperity theology. LOL. I have never heard of this but it makes me LOfuckingL.

[fuckyourcouch]

Feb 5, 2013 12:59:28 GMT -5 eb777888 said:

Prosperity theology. LOL. I have never heard of this but it makes me LOfuckingL.

totally sounds legit.

[JamaicanPineapple]

Feb 5, 2013 12:56:47 GMT -5 loonylunalovegood said:

He's a positive thinking, bring wealth to you, televangalist pastor at a megachurch in Texas.

It just sounds like your friend has grown apart from you and has changed since he got married. That happens to a lot of people. How long has he been married?

He's been married for 5 years.  His wife is a grade A bitch and I couldn't care less that she's gone.  I miss the old K, though.

Everything you guys have said about Joel confirms my suspicions. My friend has lost it.

[eb777888]

Feb 5, 2013 13:00:59 GMT -5 fuckyourcouch said:

Feb 5, 2013 12:59:28 GMT -5 eb777888 said:

Prosperity theology. LOL. I have never heard of this but it makes me LOfuckingL.

totally sounds legit.

Totally. It reminds me of my four year old "all of the monies are mines!"

[JamaicanPineapple]

Feb 5, 2013 13:09:57 GMT -5 loonylunalovegood said:

Feb 5, 2013 13:02:45 GMT -5 JamaicanPineapple said:

He's been married for 5 years.  His wife is a grade A bitch and I couldn't care less that she's gone.  I miss the old K, though.

Everything you guys have said about Joel confirms my suspicions. My friend has lost it.

First of all, I want to state that I do not agree with Joel Osteen at all, so don't think im his supporter or anything, but holy crap you sound bitter. You couldn't care less that she's gone? Did they get a divorce? I'm not suprised he's distanced himself from you if you hate his wife so much. It sounds like you have way more problems with his wife than you do with what he believes in now and its coloring your views of him.

 Well, yeah, I am bitter towards her.  If you read my OP you'll see that before he met her, he was a great guy, and since she came along, this new religious stuff aside, not so much.  It's just sad to me that he's changed so much.

[Deleted]

Feb 5, 2013 13:02:45 GMT -5 JamaicanPineapple said:

Feb 5, 2013 12:56:47 GMT -5 loonylunalovegood said:

He's a positive thinking, bring wealth to you, televangalist pastor at a megachurch in Texas.

It just sounds like your friend has grown apart from you and has changed since he got married. That happens to a lot of people. How long has he been married?

He's been married for 5 years.  His wife is a grade A bitch and I couldn't care less that she's gone.  I miss the old K, though.

Everything you guys have said about Joel confirms my suspicions. My friend has lost it.

O's teen aside, it sounds like you and your friends are arssrrr/43/444443::3::Dutch yxcyxfxffcyyyxcycyyy. Vh by. H h

[Deleted]

LMAO, would P or G like to add anything to the conversation???

[fuckyourcouch]

Feb 5, 2013 13:16:44 GMT -5 @stellasmom said:

Feb 5, 2013 13:02:45 GMT -5 JamaicanPineapple said:

He's been married for 5 years.  His wife is a grade A bitch and I couldn't care less that she's gone.  I miss the old K, though.

Everything you guys have said about Joel confirms my suspicions. My friend has lost it.

O's teen aside, it sounds like you and your friends are arssrrr/43/444443::3::Dutch yxcyxfxffcyyyxcycyyy. Vh by. H h

STELLAS IS A ROBOT!!!!!!!!

[fuckyourcouch]

Feb 5, 2013 13:42:04 GMT -5 frkls said:

Feb 5, 2013 13:39:37 GMT -5 cjoy said:

Man, the early Christians must feel so shafted by Joel Osteen's message. "Oh, no, that's nice you got a huge bonus you weren't expecting because you prayed for it. Thankfully, the lion tore through my jugular first, so death was quick. Praise the Lord!"

LOL! and all those scholars who have been misinterpreting, "sell all you have and give it to the poor" for all these years.  what losers.

[noradog]

Yes, he is deeply creepy! Most people who preach the prosperity doctrine are creepy. I think it's because they know they are a charlatan, but they need to keep convincing others. One of the major churches in my area operates like this and ALL of the pastor's are creepy to me, as are most of their wives -- I think people come across as creepy when there is no substance behind the facade. (I know the pastors and wives because I work at a school that many church members and pastors send their kids to)

[Deleted]

I am pretty certain he's the Anti-Christ. He is tall, dark and handsome and charismatic as hell. I have been caught watching him at 3 AM before and it's like WOAH!

[Deleted]

Ugh. The pentecostal church I grew up going to got deeeeep into him and the whole prosperity theology schtick. We stopped going there shortly after all that crap started.

[Deleted]

Lmao. I have no idea what the fuck happened there.

[Deleted]

Feb 5, 2013 16:19:50 GMT -5 @stellasmom said:

Lmao. I have no idea what the fuck happened there.

Obviously you were speaking in tongues!






Or demon possessed....



they're kinda similar.