Mat Walsh defending his outrageous act of calling of a spade a spade: Joel Osteen is a heretic. Thats what I said yesterday, and thats what Ill say again today. I was going to write a follow-up post to answer some of the objections to my anti-Joel Osteen arguments, but instead Ill just do it here on Facebook: 1) Objection: His wife was misunderstood! She really meant to say that serving God makes us happy, so when were serving God were doing it for ourselves AND God. Answer: I dont think she was misunderstood. I think she said exactly what she meant, and when they inevitably issue a clarification, it will be an attempt to pretend that she didnt say what she said. In any case, even if she meant that serving God and doing good makes us happy, it still would be a problematic message. In fact, it DOESNT always make humans happy to do the right thing and remain obedient to the Lord. Yes, ULTIMATELY, there is no happiness outside of the light of Christ, but on this Earth, for the fallen race of sentient beings known as mankind, often what is good and right might bring us discomfort, pain, and even sorrow. To paint a fantasy world where the right thing is always the happy thing, and God always rewards his followers with immediate pleasure and prosperity, is to give false hope, and potentially drive people away from the Truth when they discover that walking with Christ sometimes feels like a joyous celebration, but often feels like a great and heavy burden. Besides, whatever Victoria Osteen meant, this post is mostly about the Osteens long and well documented history of bad theology. She doesnt get the benefit of the doubt, because these two have gone around spreading a false Gospel for years. Take this one incident out of it, and Id still have written this post. These people have been VERY wrong many times, with or without this most recent situation. 2) Objection: You should be more loving. You shouldnt judge. You shouldnt attack Christians. etc. Answer: Stop. Just stop it already. There is nothing hateful in these words at all. Just because I confront their false teachings doesnt mean Im being hateful. Can we all grow a spine and stop whimpering and whining because someone shared a forceful opinion? Enough of this. Seriously. Its embarrassing. Go back and read the words of the apostles, of Jesus, of any great Christian apologist throughout the last 2,000 years and you will find that they are FAR more direct and uncompromising when confronting heresy. Now, I am not Jesus, or an apostle, or a great Christian, or a great man, or anyone significant at all, but I can learn from their example, just as we all can. Jesus, especially, saved his most passionate attacks for false teachers. To those who say I shouldnt call Osteen a heretic: why? THATS WHAT HE IS. Should I refrain from calling heresy heresy because it might offend the one spreading the heresy? Is that really the primary concern here? Its fascinating that people would, in some cases, agree that Osteen is a heretic, but then disagree with me calling him a heretic. Thats the kind of mentality that I cant understand. I cant wrap my head around it. Call a thing what it is. If you dont, then youll end up calling it what it isnt -- youll end up a liar. Its always better to be blunt and truthful than sweet and deceitful. 3) Objection: Osteen is still bringing people to Jesus. Answer: No he isnt. Osteen is bringing people to Osteens Jesus. Osteen might now reject the prosperity preacher label, but thats because the label has taken on such a negative connotation, and for good reason. Whatever label he uses, he is a proponent of prosperity theology, and there is just no denying that fact. The prosperity gospel is a lie. It attracts many people because it promises immediate, temporal rewards to all true believers. Its like the diet pill version of Christianity. And the diet pill version isnt just close enough or better than nothing, its a false teaching. It destroys people because it takes their eyes from the eternal and makes them focus on the temporary. It puts all of their hope in houses, cars, and salaries, and when those things dont magically materialize (surprise!), they turn their back from God in anger. Osteen promotes this nonsense and rakes in the millions because of it. I have no problem with a man being financially successful, but I do have a problem with a vocal heretic getting rich by perverting Christian doctrine for his own purposes. I also, as a side note, dont think its prudent or proper for a pastor to spend more money on a house than his flock will ever earn in their lifetimes. Simplicity and humility are important for everyone, but even more so for anyone who wishes to be called a pastor.
Posted on: Fri, 05 Sep 2014 15:54:50 +0000
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