I just saw a teaser on TV for Oprah Winfrey’s “Next Chapter” show on Sunday. It was evangelist Joel Osteen saying something like (paraphrasing): “I can’t be helpful to people if I’m all poor and depressed myself.”
Finally. The rationale for one getting rich off religion. I’ve always wondered how people like that justify getting stinking rich off those they are supposedly so concerned about helping. In my mind the most obvious offender has always been the Catholic Church. Such conspicuous wealth! And with millions of congregants around the world living in abject poverty. Does it never occur to Rome to share the wealth, to divest itself, to adhere to its own vows of humility and poverty? Ditto all the wealthy televangelists and megachurch pastors in this country.
Ah, but Osteen said it. You’re no good to anyone if you’re feeling all poor and depressed yourself. Of course. Why didn’t I think of that? So actually, he and those like him can better serve their congregations, tend their flocks, by enriching themselves.
Yeah. Right.
This guy is quite a piece of work, right?
Yep, guys like this make my skin crawl and my stomach turn. But I guess that was pretty obvious.
at the risk of being too blunt – these creeps are all self-righteous pieces of shit. sorry – but this sort of troglodyte brings out the worst in me. like the post tho’ – people have to know. continue…
Amen. Er, yeah.
I concur, Lynley. Some people – and organisations -have rhino hide. They choose to be impervious to the needs of their fellow man.
If there were really gates of heaven, I would like to stand there for a while and watch this sort try to get in. If there really were, I would hope they had big bad bouncer-angels to tell them how it is.
Something about camels and eyes of needles comes to mind …
Forgot to include … what was OW’s take on this pseudo saint?
Didn’t see the show. Just saw the teaser once and caught his comment in passing. Been trying ever since to find a video of the conversation to confirm I heard him correctly.