Do you know this guy Joel Osteen? He's this CREEPY Senior Pastor for the fastest growing church in America the Lakewood Church. I know of him because he's on USA right now doing an infomercial. He has this shit face smile on. It's one of those plastic smiles that phony bologna Human Resource people have when they're interviewing you. You know when they act like they are interested in what you're saying but they don't give more than 2 or 3 shits about it.People like Joel that scare people through religion are seriously fucked & greedy! The scare tactics they use with "you can't get to heaven without doing this, this & this" makes people think that this is true. The televangelists of the world pray on weak people who feel like they need someone to lead them to the "promise land". This in turn allows televangelists like Joel Osteen to make these weak people feel like they need to give away their hard earned cash to these cult like religions in order to spread the word of God.
I really wish they'd put warning signs on these televangelist infomericals like they do on cigarette cartons stating "By giving away your money and following this con artist it doesn't mean you will get into, close or near heaven once you are deceased." It really bugs me that people fall for this shit. People like this dude almost seem to always contradict their own words. They seem to always be getting arrested for sleeping with hookers, doing drugs or sucking some dudes cock in a parking lot in their truck.
Are you with me my brothers and sisters? Trust my words and I'll lead you to the promise land. PRAY WITH ME!!! "Gregg is our shepherd as he types through the valley of the shadow of death. He leads us into the divine land of life, love and the pursuit of happiness...Amen"
gso
25 comments:
I'm with you Gregg!
If I give you money will it buy my way into heaven?
yes send me $25 paypal and I'll do my best to get you into heaven my dear
You are a God.
Oh sign me up too, but can ya wait until I finish this impure thought!
I came here via dirty's interview. Very well done, although I had to re-read one part, my mistaken impression was that you were going to shave your belly hair in the shape of a diamond, not have one installed. Kind of a male stomach version of a "brazilian" :)
Looking forward to reading more.
g-man: I do have some photos of when I shaved my stomach and chest...:)
you're lucky day!!!
Personally, I'm not a HUGE fan of Joel because he seems to preach the same things over and over again, and it doesn't ever seem to go into any real depth. But there was a time in my life that it was a blessing to hear God wanted to bless me and to stay "favor minded." It strengthened my faith in a time that I needed it.
Anyways, I don't think he's creepy. I think he must be saying things a lot of people want and need to hear for the church to be growing like it is.
Obviously this isn't going to make me friends or influence people, but it's my two cents. :D
girl in her underwear: that's a funny name for a religious girl but nonetheless these televangelists are just money hungry dirtbags. If people really want to hear that everything will be ok than go to a shrink or talk your issues out with a professional. Believing in someonething that no one in the world has ever felt or even seen is crazzzzzzzzzzzzy and creepy. Please don't say you felt it or he has helped you. You helped my dear helped yourself get through the tough time you went thru not God..YOU DID!
He is totally creepy, and his teeth are as bad as that "motivational speaker" Tony Robbins who might as well be a televangelist. And I work at a church, so I know these things! Good call, Gregg!
xtina: what do you do at the church, besides saving people?
Religious girls can't wear underwear?
You can't feel or see love, but once you experience it, you know it exists. It's the same with God. Joel Osteen didn't tell me anything I didn't already know, but he reinforced it.
His dad started that church. As is the case with many churches, they start out being televised for homebound members of their congregation...or just to reach those who don't want to go to church. That was the case with the church where I grew up. It just never got so popular that it outgrew its building and started attracting attention from people all over the U.S. and around the world. The way I remember Joel--though it's been years since I've watched him--he encouraged people to get involved in a local church, not his...and he never told people their money would get them into heaven. I never would have tolerated that. That's totally insane.
Like I said before, I'm not a big Joel fan because his "positive thinking" approach seems a little too shrink-ish to me, but it speaks to some people.
As for me healing myself...I definitely don't think Joel had anything to do with my healing...he just reminded me my faith would heal me and referred me to scripture. We were told by two Dallas specialists that we would never be able to conceive, and now we have three children. I have no doubt that God blessed us with those children.
Recently I was told I probably had leukemia...in the very least that I had a blood disease. The blood disease turned out to be the case...until I returned a couple of weeks later and all my blood test results were normal for the first time in 6 months. My hematologist was stunned and said somehow my body "healed itself." Sure it did. My body is just cool like that. Always telling the best of the best doctors that they're wrong.
I have a lifetime of stories that prove to me I can't deny God's existence or presence in my life. It's there because I invite it in, and He's there even when I turn away and try to be self-sufficient.
It's just a personal thing. If you want it, you can have it. If you don't want it, you'll never see it.
Thanks for letting me know you had responded.
girl in her underwear: you can feel love but you don't feel God. When you get through something
difficult in life you get passed it with your own will and determination, your own strength.
THere is no supernatural hokey pokey force that's allowing you to get over your demons.
Joel Osteen is a snake oil salesman of the 21st century. He may be telling people
to go to their own local churches but in the big scheme of things he's selling his
books, advertisements, etc...
Of course he isn't going to literally say that giving him money will get you into heaven.
He is just a sly guy with alternate ways of telling you that by buying his book or
doing this or that will allow you to get into heaven and blah blah.
God didn't heal you. Either the doctors misdiagonosed you or your body healed itself.
God had nothing to do with you getting better.
lovegregg
I'm the Business Administrator for a very normal, non-evangelistic Presbyterian church in downtown Buffalo. We allow people to have sex, eat meat, and don't ask for all their money.
xtina: sounds like a great time. sex & meat are my favorite!
2 or 3 shits? Really? I would think the human resource people give less than 1 shit for each person they interview.
My favorite part about these guys is how they seem to truly believe what they preach. Which makes them so appealing I suppose. I don't really believe in God myself, being raised Catholic and all, but just in case, I'll be sending you $25 promptly. Remember me at the pearly gates please :)
yvonne: please send the $25 promptly b/c you never know when you're time is up.
Hi again,
My side of the coin:
I was raised in a part of the world where you grow up in church and businesses have Christian symbols displayed, etc. (brainwashed from the beginning as you're probably thinking)
I never had to be in a community void of belief, so I think my journey has been an easier one than that of a person who became a Christian despite his/her surroundings. I think it would be much harder to believe in God if I hadn't been immersed in His existence from the beginning.
Despite my upbringing, I've still questioned God's existence. I've distanced myself from my beliefs. It can be a difficult thing to have faith...especially when you feel like you've got nothing to gain from it. So in that aspect, I get why you are a non-Christian, atheist, whatever term you are comfortable with. In my case I just happened to come back around because of God proving me wrong.
This is the part I don't get:
Gregg said: you can feel love but you don't feel God.
Where does that come from? How do you know what a person can feel if you don't believe God exists? Why can't a person feel God as well as His love?
I do.
I've had many undeniable experiences that God is alive and well.
I don't know if you're in a relationship that is truly unconditional love--where you're accepted, loved, and understood no matter how you screw up, but that's the closest thing I've got to explaining God.
I don't have to have scientific evidence to prove that I really do love my husband. I just know in my heart that it's real. In the same respect, I know God is real. I definitely have a heart connection to Him.
If you'd ever allow it to happen, you'd understand that it's real. You wouldn't need proof. You have every right not to allow it to happen--free will and all--but how noble is it to tell other people they're crazy or creepy because they've experienced something you haven't?
It's like telling them they've never been in love or that love isn't real just because you've never been in love. Love is abstract. God is abstract. Faith is abstract.
Just because you can't see it, prove it, touch it...or in your case "feel" it, doesn't mean it doesn't exist period.
It just doesn't exist for you, and that's only because you choose for it not to exist.
I wish I knew the exact quote, but here's the basic idea...and I'm thinking Twain said it...
I'd rather live my whole life believing in a God who doesn't exist
than live my whole life as if He doesn't and find out He really does exist after it's too late.
I can't think of a clearer way to state that because I'm surrounded by toddlers, but I've got nothing to lose living a life full of hope and faith.
I've got everything to lose if I see only the negative in everything and have nothing worth believing in. I could be cynical and believe everyone is corrupt. I could have nowhere to turn when I'm told I have a fatal disease, but I don't see how I'd gain from that.
I know there are a lot of Christians in the world who are not true Chritians and are a horrible example for non-believers. Unfortunately they're the ones who get all the press.
I don't know how well I've made my case for the "crazy and creepy Christians" because I've been making mac-n-cheese and filling bottles throughout this whole disconnected comment, but I tried.
Bottom line, I don't care how it works, I just know it works. Once you've experienced it, you can't deny it.
Thanks for letting me have this debate with you. ;-)
Girl: I think you can be positive in life and live a rich full happy existence without faith in your life.
I honestly think that religion hinders a persons existence. It blocks them from experiencing what earth has to offer. From having sex before you're married to meat on fridays to overdosing on drugs
Ha ha! Okay, good enough. Christians can have meat on Fridays, BTW...we're not Catholics.
As far as overdosing on drugs, I can see why you wouldn't want to be denied that priviledge.
And pre-marital sex, it is a lot of fun. I've not experienced sexually transmitted diseases personally, but I hear they're all the rage.
You have fun. That's all that matters.
I didn't know this was a forum on religion. How about everyone take care of themselves and their family and just be good people?
Gregg:
You might as well be religios. You don't drink, smoke, or do drugs. Whatya say? I vote for Mormon. 2nd choice would be Hindu.
Which one ya gonna chose?
captain: mormon bro! The girls are fuckin hot!
Mormon is a good choice. Also, they are well known for not following their rules of the religion very well.
So you can hook with the ladies!
captain: that chick julie from real world new orleans was mormon
It is interesting when ignorant people like you judge people and when doing so don't know how to spell or to make a legitimate argument. Attacking his smile and making generalizations about him are not effective arguments. And your comments about him telling you all the things you have to do to go to heaven and then asking for your money are assumptions. If you actually watched him you'd know he's one of the last people to do these types of things. You may not believe it but you will be receiving judgment for comments like this.
1-PS. Don't judge people.
2-PS. Luke 6:45-
A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good:(Joel Osteen) and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil:(Gregg O Connell) for the abundance of his heart his mouth speaketh.
-San Diego, California.
Email me if you want a bible...
Gregg it is quite obvious you have never attended a service with Joel Osteen, or any other church. Or maybe you have and you were 8 years old and have only heard that Moses turned a stick into a snake and can't believe it. The sad thing is that you use your arguments which are unfounded in the Lord but founded on your experiences in life, which have let you down most of the time. This is why you attack faith. The problem is your life, while satisfying in the flesh, is full of voids in the spirit in which you are constantly looking to fill. Only through Jesus will you find a true fufillment in your life. You use analytical arguments that try and prove YOU are the one who makes things happen in the world and need to gain some approval from anybody you can. If you, however, had ever attended a service with Joel and had a heart or an open mind to learn in the same fashion as the nonsense you write, you would get something out of it. Don't try and make everybody as miserable as you.
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