Religious Scholar Reza Aslan Destroys ‘Charlatans’ Joel Osteen & TD Jakes: Jesus Hated Wealth

[big_dog]

“The fastest growing Protestant movement in North America is this movement that is referred to as the prosperity gospel,” he said. “This is the gospel preached by people like Joel Osteen and T.D. Jakes — and when I say people, I mean charlatans. The argument of the prosperity gospel, if I can put it flippantly, is that Jesus wants you to drive a Bentley. That is basically what the argument is. That what Jesus wants for you is material prosperity, and that if you literally give, you will literally be given tenfold. That’s not a metaphor, as it is in most churches. It is literal. You give me $10 and Jesus will give you $100.”

“This is as profoundly an unscriptural interpretation of Jesus that exists,” Aslan remarked. “I mean, if there is one thing that is just so clear cut and just not open to interpretation at all of any kind when it comes to Jesus’s message, it is his condemnation of wealth.”

“And yet, not only does this version of Christianity exist, as I say, it is honestly the fastest growing version of Protestant evangelical Christianity in North America. That’s because Jesus can be whatever you want him to be, and the Christian message can be whatever you want it to be.”

Earlier in his speech, Aslan said that Jesus advocated an “absolute reversal of the social order, in which those on the top and those on the bottom will switch places,” citing Luke 6:20-26.

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/08/05/religious-scholar-reza-aslan-destroys-charlatan-joel-osteen-jesus-hated-wealth/

[msongs]

1. lol the teachings of jesus are totally irrelevant to most Americans. show us the $$ nt

[stopbush]

2. The money line:

"That’s because Jesus can be whatever you want him to be, and the Christian message can be whatever you want it to be.”

That's the beauty of MAKE BELIEVE.

[big_dog]

3. the 'Jesus is my boyfriend' school of religion

keeps the upper middle class kids under control till they get to college, then 85% never go back

[Arugula Latte]

20. Religion -- what a global scam.

You can use it to justify whatever you want. Most frequently, that includes the oppression of women.

[bullwinkle428]

4. This mentality is clearly what has driven the sharp rise in mega-churches

opening up all over across middle-class and upper-middle-class areas.

[Popsiq]

5. Like Sin?

If Jesus actually "hated" anything it was the effect that things like wealth, power and sin had (have?) on people. We live in an imperfect world, but Jesus didn't 'hate' that. It's our job to make the world, and ourselves, better. Some of us use our wealth to do that.

"Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required,"

it sounds almost like Marx, but Jesus recognized, from looking around Him, that wealth and power corrupt the beauty of creation like other diseases or death. The message about the rich (wealthy?) and the eye of a needle shouldn't be lost on those who find themselves 'gifted' in any way. But the message for all of us is that this existence isn't the ultimate.

"Love God with your whole heart and your whole strength and (the hard part) love your neighbour as yourself."

[big_dog]

7. 'hate' is a strong word

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more Christ like Kinda Less Than Christ like (Joel Osteens home & new Ferrari in River Oaks, TX)

[Viva_Daddy]

6. It's ironic, isn't it?

Christianity started out as a religion of poor brown people and has become the religion of rich white people.

[cpwm17]

11. Yes, and one popular strain of American Christianity cheers on the obliteration of

many of the descendants of the very same brown people that still live in the "Holy Land." Is that in the New Testament?

[eShirl]

8. It's an unprosecutable pyramid scheme.

That’s not a metaphor, as it is in most churches. It is literal. You give me $10 and Jesus will give you $100.”

Well done, charlatans. Well done.

[big_dog]

10. what exactly does Joel need a new red ferrari for?

I guess the Houston traffic must be tough on him

[whatchamacallit]

9. Time for

[daleo]

16. That was wicked good.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

12. Obviously that "Muslim Egghead Professor", pffft, isn't

familiar with Worthington's Law:

[big_dog]

14. except Dr Phil doesnt have a new lecture series or book to buy every week

although it seems like it sometimes

[Blue Idaho]

15. Why not just worship money and skip the middle man?

Seriously...

[TygrBright]

17. Because the only force equal to greed in power is hypocrisy. n/t

[big_dog]

19. because you cant use OTHER PEOPLES MONEY to buy the new Ferrari

while claiming to be the #1 man of god

[BobbyBoring]

27. far too many people do

N/T

[Fred Sanders]

18. I saw one of Osteen's "give a 20, Jesus will give you $100" spots - thought it was comedy.....

Far too many very stupid people, the sheep to be fleeced in America, pumped out by the millions from Baptist churches into the world for the fleecing and to vote against their own interests.

[big_dog]

21. a better use of money

would be to buy 'Whats the Matter with Kansas' by Thomas Frank

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

22. Not if it was autographed by the giver. And, authenticated by his daddy.

[Fred Sanders]

24. Honest, even then I thought it was comedy until they put up a Visa logo and a phone number.

Then I hurled and laughed at the same time.

[woodsprite]

23. The reason it's growing is the idiots think they can have their version of "Jesus" and dollars too!

What's the Bible say in Matthew -- …23And Jesus said to His disciples, "Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24"Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

[Duppers]

32. ++

The cherry pickers always ignore these verses.

And we do need to throw this back at them.

Thanks for posting these.

[Enthusiast]

25. Kicked and recommended a whole bunch!

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[procon]

26. It's easily explained.

Like George Orwell's novel, "Nineteen Eighty-Four", this is the Christian version Newspeak, the new religious language used in the sanctified worship of greed and deified Capitalism.

[Initech]

28. Osteen preaches in a stadium and has a TV network.

And preaches about how god wants you to be rich. A true snake oil salesman if there ever was one.

[Xolodno]

29. Christianity died when it became a state religion under the Roman Empire.

The council of Nicea attracted everyone that was corrupt....and those who weren't...stayed away.

[H2O Man]

30. Valid point.

It went west.

[freshwest]

31. In The Beatitudes, Jesus pronounced both Blessings and Woes:

Last edited Wed Aug 6, 2014, 11:49 AM - Edit history (1)

Luke 6:20-26 King James Version (KJV)

Blessings:

20 And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.

21 Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.

22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake.

23 Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.

Woes:

24 But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.

25 Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.

26 Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.

King James Version (KJV) is Public Domain

This made sense to me and everyone I knew growing up, a definition of total human equality. Many don't want to hear it as they are in love with themselves and their possessions.