Welcome to Political Fever - The Political Debate Forums.

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest with limited access. By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. You can also take part in our Private Debates where you can test your skills against an opponent. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join our community today!

If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact contact us. After you Register the advertisements will disappear on the site!

Go Back   Political Fever - The Political Debate Forums > Political Issues > Other Issues

Other Issues Discuss other areas of moral and worldly importance that other forum areas do not cover.

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1 (permalink)  
Old 08-13-2008, 02:48 PM
Lumara's Avatar
aka Stalin.com
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Userid: 26
Location: A holler in Tennessee
Posts: 5,366
Rep Power: 8
Lumara has a spectacular aura aboutLumara has a spectacular aura about
Default Religious Hypocrisy at its Finest

I thought about posting this in Angel's Republican Hypocrisy thread but I don't know the Osteens' political affiliation, or if they even have one. But after reading this article, I thought religious hypocrites deserved their own thread. We've seen this hypocrisy in Swaggart and in Jim Baker & Co. to mention just a couple.

I had heard about Victoria Osteen's recent assault on a flight attendant but until I read this article I didn't know that Bob Schuller of Crystal Cathedral/positive-thinking fame had also departed from his alleged Christian ways to commit assault, too.

Although incidents like this show the hypocrisy of some religious figures, I also think it stems from a sense of entitlement that some people develop when they are wealthy or famous, and this article mentions that, too. Apparently some people seem to think that being rich makes them better than others and causes them to expect to be treated as a spoiled celebrity rather than having to act like mature adults.

The following paragraphs are excerpts from the complete article which can be seen here: Flight Rage Incident Reveals the Dark Side of Osteen's 'Prosperity Gospel' | Rights and Liberties | AlterNet

Quote:
Flight Rage Incident Reveals the Dark Side of Osteen's 'Prosperity Gospel'

By Barbara Ehrenreich

The wife of get-rich-now pastor Joel Osteen faces a civil trial that embodies the sense of entitlement of those who preach the gospel of prosperity.

For heartsick former supporters of John Edwards, this week offers an edifying tabloid alternative: the civil trial of Victoria Osteen, wife of megachurch minister and televangelist Joel Osteen, for assaulting a flight attendant. The issue was what is sometimes described as a "spill" and sometimes as a "stain" on the armrest of Mrs. Osteen's first-class seat, which the flight attendant refused to clean up with sufficient alacrity because she was busy assisting others aboard. Although there is no evidence that the spill consisted of tuberculosis-ridden phlegm or avian flu-rich bird poop, Osteen was mightily pissed, allegedly pushing and punching the flight attendant and making such a ruckus that the Osteen family had to be removed from the flight.

In the theology of Christian positive thinking, "everything happens for a reason." The Osteens may conclude that the divine intention was to prod them into emulating Joyce Meyer and Creflo Dollar by investing in a private jet. But there's another possible message from on high: that this brand of Christianity fosters a distinctly un-Christian narcissism.

Consider the ways the Lord works in the life of the Osteens, as recounted in Joel Osteen's book Your Best Life Now, which has sold 4 million copies and is graced by a back cover photo of the smiling couple. Acting through Victoria, who kept "speaking words of faith and victory" on the subject, Joel was led to build the family "an elegant home." On other occasions, God intervened to save Joel from a speeding ticket and to get him not only a good parking spot but "the premier spot in that parking lot." Why God did not swoop down with a sponge and clean up the offending stain on the armrest remains a mystery, because Osteen's deity is less the Master of the Universe than an obliging factotum.
Hehe, I liked the last sentence above.
__________________


Walter Mondale: "George Bush doesn't have the manhood to apologize." George Bush: "Well, on the manhood thing, I'll put mine up against his any time."
Reply With Quote
  #2 (permalink)  
Old 08-13-2008, 02:51 PM
Chan's Avatar
Congressman
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Userid: 133
Location: Buffalo, New York, USA
Posts: 5,500
Rep Power: 7
Chan has a spectacular aura aboutChan has a spectacular aura about
Default

So, I guess you're saying religious people are supposed to be perfect but it's okay for non-religious people to be imperfect?
__________________
A panda walks into a cafe. He orders a sandwich, eats it, then draws a gun and fires two shots in the air.

"Why?" asks the confused waiter, as the panda makes toward the exit. The panda produces a badly punctuated wildlife manual and tosses it over his shoulder.

"I'm a panda," he says at the door. "Look it up."

The waiter turns to the relevant entry and, sure enough, finds an explanation.

"Panda. Large black-and-white bear-like mammal, native to China. Eats, shoots and leaves."

Reply With Quote
  #3 (permalink)  
Old 08-13-2008, 02:53 PM
Lumara's Avatar
aka Stalin.com
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Userid: 26
Location: A holler in Tennessee
Posts: 5,366
Rep Power: 8
Lumara has a spectacular aura aboutLumara has a spectacular aura about
Default

No.
__________________


Walter Mondale: "George Bush doesn't have the manhood to apologize." George Bush: "Well, on the manhood thing, I'll put mine up against his any time."
Reply With Quote
  #4 (permalink)  
Old 08-13-2008, 05:42 PM
Skerlnik's Avatar
Reason Czar
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Userid: 584
Location: Tucson
Age: 36
Posts: 1,957
Rep Power: 2
Skerlnik has a spectacular aura about
Default

Pretty much conforms to the reality that religion has negligible and inconsistent effect on morals and behavior, and that Dawkins may be correct in that religion does not deserve the automatic exalted deference society tends to give it.

Obviously Mrs. Osteen feels her religious and financial status gives her permission to behave unacceptably. It's unfortunate that viewpoint gets supported societally for more than it should.
__________________
Unfortunately, the Founders did not address the possibility of this nation becoming populated with obnoxious twits.
Reply With Quote
  #5 (permalink)  
Old 08-14-2008, 05:10 AM
Congressman
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Userid: 449
Location: Australia
Posts: 1,303
Rep Power: 2
diuretic will become famous soon enough
Default

They shoulda kicked the bitch off the plane in flight. She could have been been raptured and all would have been well.
Reply With Quote
Reply



Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On






     Top Political Sites  
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:00 AM.
Political Fever 2007/2008
   Word Search   |   Family Friendly   |   AdSense Forum   |   Game Cheats   |   Coupon Codes   |   Spore Game   |   Xcode Forum   |   Political Forums   |   Internet Marketing   |   Social Networking    |   Sudoku   |   Mobile Marketing   |   Web Forms   |   Articles & News   |   Loans & Credit Repair   |   Online Coupon Codes   |   Loans   |   Sudoku Puzzles   |   Map Games   |   Spore Screenshots