TIFF wasn't the only big show in town over the weekend. Joel Osteen was here! What's a Joel Osteen you may be asking. He's the handsome guy with great hair and gleaming teeth who has a massive congregation in -you guessed it - Texas.There are about 43,000 attending the congregation each week and another twelve million watch Osteen on television.
What is the message? God wants you to be happy and God wants you to prosper. Of course when you get lots of money through your positive attitude you will share it with others -maybe. Osteen takes no salary from his congregation but he is a very wealthy guy thanks to multi-million dollar book deals and his speaking tours. Thousands attended the event in Toronto and some pay up to $500 to hear the message.
Osteen has no formal theological training and he seems to have missed the teaching of Jesus about simplicity and the dangers of wealth. Jesus speaks of this more than anything else, but no matter, the other J -Joel- teaches differently. It sure plugs into the American Dream and the disturbing Health and Wealth Gospel so prevalent with televangelists. It may not surprise you that Oprah is a fan.
What disturbs me is that this is a sort of pyramid scheme with someone doing extremely well promoting the false dreams of folk who will never be wealthy. One elderly member of my former congregation loved Osteen even though she didn't have two cents to rub together.
It's interesting to see today that the Global Happiness Index ranks Canada at sixth and the United States at seventeenth. Maybe Americans are less happy because their society focusses on individual wealth rather than social responsibility.
What do you think of Joel Osteen? That Health and Wealth Gospel?
I think it is the hope for a better life here and now, before we get to the "pie in the sky", that fuels the prosperity gospel - we forget the part about being clothed as the lilies of the field, and having our needs (not our wants) met daily; we long for the best and the most we can get here - and wonder why, as children of God, we don't have what we see others enjoying...it is a huge leap of faith to accept this slant on the gospel- but maybe easier than "Can you drink this cup?"
ReplyDeleteOsteen is a walking, talking ball of charisma. He speaks a hope-filled message that clearly resonates with a lot of people despite it's basis in selfishness and greed. I suppose it is a natural offshoot of the individual salvation message that's so popular in the south, the message seems to be that not only is your afterlife secure (they like to talk about the mansion that's waiting for you in heaven), but you can also have that mansion now too!
ReplyDeleteI think many people are also brought in by that bright reflection off of his perfect teeth. Maybe they confuse it for the light at the end of the tunnel.
Nice --biblical allusions from both of you! I appreciate your thoughts and this is another example of a blog being greatly enhanced by the comments of readers.
ReplyDelete