Joel Osteen target of elaborate Internet hoax

Houston Chronicle ^ | 04/09/2013 | Robert Stanton

[SeekAndFind]

It's a news flash with an asterisk: Lakewood Church Pastor Joel Osteen has resigned from the mega church that he has led since 1999, a move prompted by his decision to leave the Christian faith due to his "lack of faith."

The asterisk is needed, mind you, because the story is false, as in Internet hoax.

Whoever devised the elaborate hoax didn't just stop at a fake church website - http://www.joelostenministries.com/ - which is almost identical to the genuine Joel Osteen Ministries website - http://www.joelosteen.com/.

The hoaxer also has put up bogus news sites trumpeting the fictitious news, replicating news outlets that include CNN, Yahoo.com and the Christian News Network. They've also posted a fake YouTube video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxVo9wV5CtA& - and bogus Twitter page - https://twitter.com/PastorJoelOsten. Osteen's real Twitter account can be found at @JoelOsteen.

A fake CNN site trumpets the headline, "Pastor of mega church resigns, rejects Christ," with a subhead, "Cites lack of faith, pledges 'new church.' "

Likewise, the pseudo Lakewood Church website includes "A special message from Pastor Joel," where a would-be Osteen elaborates on his decision to leave the church:

In the message, the Osteen poser states that he has "been accused of altering the 'message' to fit my own doctrine and dogma. Others have accused me of preaching 'feel good Christianity'. I have also been accused of profiting greatly from my ministry, with my books and television deals.

"Many of their criticisms are legitimate," the bogus message states. "What they don't know is that deep down in my heart, for a number of years now, I have been questioning the faith, Christianity and whether Jesus Christ is really my, or anyone's, 'savior.'

[Truth2012]

Olstein IS a hoax. So that makes two.

[fwdude]

Not really a hoax. Osteen really HAS abandoned Christianity.

[mothball]

I’m not a fan of his at all. That “feel good” preaching isn’t what sinners need in this day and age. Between those and the prosperity preachers, there are a lot of people being misguided.

[richmwill]

It’s not hard to fool people these days. There were idiots on Facebook believing a couple of weeks ago that Justice Scalia had thrown his robe on the ground and yelled out that he was leaving the Supreme Court and leaving the United States.

[SeekAndFind]

RE: ustice Scalia had thrown his robe on the ground and yelled out that he was leaving the Supreme Court and leaving the United States.

I kinda wish the “leaving the United States” part were true for Obama.

[hosepipe]

Good Free Advertising... the only ones that will believe this are ones that could care less anyway..
Would have been a good publicity stunt had Joel planned it..

[exPBRrat]

No fan of his prosperity gospel but he was good natured about the hoax.

[AEMILIUS PAULUS]

That is funny.

[DManA]

It’s not a hoax, it’s “satire” by today’s standards.

[FoxPro]

This was not “elaborate”...

[Gamecock]

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