Re: Osteen comments
When I read your post about Victoria Osteen, I was reminded of the apostle Paul languishing in prison/custody, where he proclaimed that he has learned to be content with little or much (Phil 4:10-12). It seems from reading the posts that some vigorously defend Victoria using the “judge not lest ye be judged” argument. As a matter of practicality in this life, we are called regularly to judge the “right or wrong” of things (ie: jury system, police, DA’s, judges, commissioners, administrative law judges, etc. etc.). I think if we never made any judgement decisions about what is right and what isn’t, we run a greater risk of allowing our society to collapse into hedonism coupled with a laissez faire approach. Some people use this same argument to ostensibly stifle disagreement.
Mr. Osteen by his own admission never attended seminary, nor finished at Oral Roberts University. While I admit that attending seminary is not mandatory, it certain helps to have a clear understanding of scripture. I also think that anyone who professes to be a preacher, which he claims he is, certainly doesn’t need a $10 million mansion. The bigger picture is that I believe there are many sincere God fearing people who follow him and Victoria and would understandably defend him. The problem with our society is we live in a “selfie”, full of people who are more interested in themselves, rather than those who “take up their cross daily” or “work out their salvation with fear and trembling”. Since we are warned that in this life we would have trouble, but Jesus said to take heart as he had overcome the world.