As a missionary to India who lived in the slums with Christian brethren for half of last year - the Health/Wealth Gospel that Osteen preaches has absolutely no worth in a land and area where a majority of Hindus have never even heard the name of Christ to begin with.
For Christians who face a lifetime of caste and religious persecution, poverty, misery and even death for their faith - such doctrines as Osteen preaches are American-crafted concepts and entirely foreign to their biblical understanding, some say no better than fairy tales for a people who under severe persecution are more faithful to God than anything I’ve ever experienced stateside.
Having struggled with my own faith after watching brethren I love suffer repeatedly without relief - sometimes compounded by beatings and even killing - I fear Osteen’s brand of Christianity will cost many Christians here in the West their faith once they experience what most of our Christian brethren face in the third world.
America has created a God and Jesus in it’s own likeness, and when that image fails - I worry about how many are going to hold onto their faith. I’m not an adherent to Osteen’s gospel, and even I got angry at God because my American-centric view on my faith was tainted because of the blessings of wealth and prosperity we have known our whole lives.
For Christians who face a lifetime of caste and religious persecution, poverty, misery and even death for their faith - such doctrines as Osteen preaches are American-crafted concepts and entirely foreign to their biblical understanding, some say no better than fairy tales for a people who under severe persecution are more faithful to God than anything I’ve ever experienced stateside.
True again. Hindus have some 330 million deities in their pantheon, human, animal, objects and mixtures thereof. THEIR faith is equally foreign and incomprehensible to US.
Having struggled with my own faith after watching brethren I love suffer repeatedly without relief - sometimes compounded by beatings and even killing - I fear Osteen’s brand of Christianity will cost many Christians here in the West their faith once they experience what most of our Christian brethren face in the third world.
I don't believe that our brethern in the third world will lose their Christianity. I started going to DAILY Mass (I was normally a Sunday Mass goer) in Saudi Arabia. It was quite an interesting experience for me, but that's another story.
America has created a God and Jesus in it’s own likeness, and when that image fails - I worry about how many are going to hold onto their faith. I’m not an adherent to Osteen’s gospel, and even I got angry at God because my American-centric view on my faith was tainted because of the blessings of wealth and prosperity we have known our whole lives.
I must say that the America I know and love has NOT created a God and Jesus in its own likeness. The wealth and prosperity we have WORKED for wasn't come by easily. Maybe it was in YOUR family but not in mine. We all worked like dogs for what we had. I DIDN'T know those "blessings" but am ETERNALLY grateful to my parents for inculcating a strong work ethic in me.
I count my blessings ALL THE TIME and thank our good Lord EVERY day of my life. I go to daily Mass and am ADAMANT about my gratitude.