Late Friday night, I was called to the scene of a suicide. A woman killed herself in her home. Her husband found her body. As sad and tragic as this situation was (and please pray for the woman's family), I saw something else that night that troubled me greatly.
When I entered the home, I saw a book on a counter, not far from where the woman took her life. It was a copy of Joel Osteen's book, "Your Best Life Now."
In no way whatsoever am I suggesting that Osteen's book contributed to the woman's suicide. I can no more make that assertion than I can attest to knowing what was in the woman's heart and mind, before she died. Only God knows. But considering that Osteen preaches a false gospel of prosperity and self-esteem, it troubled me to think that the book had any influence in the woman's life, before she died.
Here's Osteen in his own words:
Is there any wonder there are so many false converts in the Church, today?
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4 comments:
I think I wrote to you about a cult I was in. I haven't told you the name of the cult, or where it is, but I will tell you this much about the "pastor" who runs the place. He answers to Osteens and a couple of others, which I don't if I should name them, but all of them, including the one that controlled me, are TV people. The so-called pastor of the so-called church I attended didn't start out as a TV person, but he's there now.
I attempted to speak out against the place, and I was told God would kill anyone who spoke out. I tried to get my brother out of the church but they screened my calls and my visits and wouldn't let me see him.
My brother now confesses he is Christ. He is on drugs really bad and I don't know where he is.
The deacons carry guns, and if you try to approach the "leader" they step in front like they're their secret service agents.
I have feared God so much because of what I learned from these people, and I still don't know the real God.
I quit studying to be a pilot because I was afraid that was how God was going to kill me.
The church only accepts you as long as you have money, but when you give everything, they ditch you.
I moved to Tennessee and found out he was going to preach at a friend's church, so I warned her about who he was, and that he was covering up for a rape in the church. When the church found out I was in TN, they told me if I attend any of the meetings, they would have me arrested.
They also mocked me and said they will never apologize for what happened to me and the other woman in that church.
I understand the suicide feelings that woman went through, because shortly after I left that church, I tried to drive my car over the Macinaw bridge, but what stopped me was a police officer, who didn't know what I was about to do, but because I ran a light, he pulled me over. I didn't even know the light was there. I was looking at the bridge.
He sensed something was wrong and wanted to get coffee. By the time I was done drinking coffee, I didn't want to die any more, but I struggle really bad with loving people and trusting God.
I know about those churches and they have a sort of rank going on. I guess you can say it's like working your way up the ladder.
You should see the books they write! I wonder if the book in that woman's home is like any of the books I've read from them.
I wish I could forget those people, but I was recently on their Web sites tracking what they're doing. I really shouldn't be doing that, but I guess I don't have closure.
When I tried to get help from the minister staff about what was going on, I was told I wasn't to speak about any of it.
Unlearning the things they teach you is very difficult and learning to love is even more difficult. They don't have love in their churches unless your one of their "elite"
Thank you, Tony! I have never really heard of this Osteen person before. I think I recognize his face, but I didn't know much about him. Thanks, again!
You know Tony, I think about this a lot. The church my wife and I left while not as far gone as Osteen's, is definately a seeker friendly, market driven, demographic studying, felt needs catering machine. The hardest thing is telling our friends why we left. I just refer them to John MacArthurs "Truth about seeker friendly" teaching. The sheep are definately being decieved. I thank the Lord he saw fit to see us out of that cituation and into a systematic bible teaching church.
Rob
This is scary. I must admit that flipping through the channels on my chatter box one day I ran across this guy and sat down to listen for a minute. I quickly put him in the same category as Benny Hinn (another "preacher" that makes my skin crawl) and changed the channel, but he made me stop and listen. Praise God that I am not easily deceived and try to measure everything against Biblical Truth, but there are so many people who fall into this line of preaching. It's unnerving. Thanks for posting this.
~Angel
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