I am constantly flabbergasted at the way Christians slander each other on the interwebs with no basis.
A fake news post about a very high profile preacher (ooo, and rich too!) from 2015 popped up on my facebook page.
I was not kind in my beat-down of the posting bro. Having been the recipient of false witness and bullpucky in past
The next thing that blew me up were the comments! By very righteous brothers and sisters in Christ.
Wow.
Here are some of the more
"The number one characteristic given in scriptures for false teachers is a profit motive, in other words "just follow the money trail". Here is what a Google search of TD Jakes net worth finds: Net worth: $18 million. Average annual income in his community: $56,954. T.D. Jakes earned his wealth as chief pastor of The Potter's House, a non-denominational megachurch in Dallas with 30,000 members. The Trinity Broadcasting Network and Black Entertainment Television both air his services and evangelistic sermons.Mar 26, 2015"
And this...
"The fact is that this "man of God," T.D. Jakes, claims to be a Christian, which means believing in the Bible, God's Holy Word...but he doesn't: he puts his will above that of the God he claims to represent. He is a hypocrite & a liar...not because I say so, but because his own words so proclaim...& condemn."
Aaaaand this...
"Yup, God gave discernment about this guy years ago."
Again. Wow.
Now, in the middle of all these religious slaps came one person who posted the reply Pastor Jakes made about all of this.
"My comment on HuffPo TV drifted into issues of the Supreme Court ruling and changing the world through public policy verses personal witness. Further, I have come to respect that I can't force my beliefs on others by controlling public policy for taxpayers and other U.S. citizens.
Jesus never sought to change the world through public policy but rather through personal transformation. All people didn't embrace Him either. That's what I said and what I meant ... Nothing more and nothing less.
Just because a so-called Christian publication chooses to misconstrue my words using lazy journalistic tactics to further their own agenda and draw attention to their site does not make their statements an accurate depiction of what I said or meant."
But no one cared. The original poster-boy made NO COMMENT, the re-poster blew it off, and in fact NO ONE AT ALL replied to it.
What is wrong with us?
Why are we so angry about brothers and sisters who have money?
Or fame?
Or are unique?
I have no truck with super star preachers who actually avoid the Truth. I can rope them off with the culls as fast as possible. Joel Osteen is at the top of the list.
I don't care if he's as rich as a king, he doesn't believe in the KING.
How can I say that?
Well, I watched a couple of interviews with him and heard him say (with his own lips) that he wasn't sure if Jesus is the only way to salvation.
From the Larry King interview...
KING: What if you're Jewish or Muslim, you don't accept Christ at all?
OSTEEN: You know, I'm very careful about saying who would and wouldn't go to heaven. I don't know ...
KING: If you believe you have to believe in Christ? They're wrong, aren't they?
OSTEEN: Well, I don't know if I believe they're wrong. I believe here's what the Bible teaches and from the Christian faith this is what I believe. But I just think that only God with judge a person's heart. I spent a lot of time in India with my father. I don't know all about their religion. But I know they love God. And I don't know. I've seen their sincerity. So I don't know. I know for me, and what the Bible teaches, I want to have a relationship with Jesus.
KING: But don't you think if people don't believe as you believe, they're somehow condemned?
OSTEEN: You know, I think that happens in our society. But I try not to do that. I tell people all the time, preached a couple Sundays about it. I'm for everybody. You may not agree with me, but to me it's not my job to try to straighten everybody out. The Gospel called the good news. My message is a message of hope, that's God's for you. You can live a good life no matter what's happened to you. And so I don't know. I know there is condemnation but I don't feel that's my place.
KING: What is the prosperity gospel?
OSTEEN: I think the prosperity gospel in general is -- well I don't know. I hear it too. I don't know. I think what sometimes you see is it's just all about money. That's not what I believe. It's the attitude of your heart, and so you know, we believe -- but I do believe this, that God wants us to be blessed. He wants us to be able to send our kids to college, excel in our careers. But prosperity to me, Larry, is not just money, it's having health. What good is money if you don't have health?
If I may be so openly blunt...what do you know, Joel?
(It's so nice to know that we Christians with disabled children are basically just screwed.)
The point I'm trying to make here is if I were to post something about a not so straight-arrow preacher like Joel, I better have the fuel for the post.
Not just keep re-posting rumors, no matter how great a Christian your friend is.
I have actually deleted posts about Joel that were in fact just rumors and garbage. Fair play.
After doing the research, I have kicked a few shins of pastors I really love.
And, I've got some shin scars of my own!
The punchline is this: If you can't prove a bad thing about a brother or sister: shut the heck up!!
shalom
Thank you!.... wow and amen!
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