Thursday, March 30, 2006
A Preacher's Credo?
This morning's New York Times featured an interesting article in their on-line "Critic's Notebook" section on Houston preacher Joel Osteen.
Without so much as saying it outright, Pastor Osteen seems to be promoting the "gospel of success." I have issues with this. I have a girlfriend who lives in Armenia, and during a conversation we were having last night, she mentioned that she's put her engagement ring in a safety deposit box - a 3 carat emerald cut diamond. She and her husband did that when the first went to Armenia three years ago because no one in that country wears solitaire stones. They purchased a simple plantinum band in LA before they left for Europe on a short term visit to the country of their grandparents.
Three years later, with her husband ordained as an Orthodox Armenian Priest, and she working for the His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, they have left the ring where it is - in safe keeping. They decided that it would seem strange, after fitting in so well for 3 years, to pull it out now and say 'oh yeah - and I have this huge diamond.'
We talked about the pressure to have bigger, more, better that fuels our economy in North America. It's so unrealistic. I've made a decision that when I get married (if?) that I don't want a big expensive ring. I'm not sure I want a diamond at all. I saw all of my colleagues from all over the world in Brazil - and the vast vast majority wore a simple gold band.
How can we live more simply so that others may simply live?
In that times article on Joel Osteen, he's quoted as saying: "I don't believe I ever preached a message on money... But I do believe, you know what, God can want you to have a better house. God wants you to be able to send your kids to college."
I must admit I cringed when I read that. God can want me to have a better house? How about God wanting me to see how my behaviour sends ripples through this delicately balance (sometimes vastly imbalanced) life on earth. When I buy my discount bargain items at Walmart - that has a direct and indirect impact on the lives of the BILLIONS of poor peasants in China who are forced to work in manufacturing because there are no other jobs.
Where do these mega-churches call us to be accountable as a generally affluent society for the fact that there are systemic injustices built into our economic system. This may, then, very well be a system which Jesus would ask us to condemn. Just because the market is efficient doesn't make it right.
God can want the poor to have a better house. God can want the children of the poor to send THEIR kids to college - but I'm not sure about the rest of us.
Not that I have any answers - but sometimes I feel like not enough people are asking questions - any questions.
Happy thoughts today. NOT.
Without so much as saying it outright, Pastor Osteen seems to be promoting the "gospel of success." I have issues with this. I have a girlfriend who lives in Armenia, and during a conversation we were having last night, she mentioned that she's put her engagement ring in a safety deposit box - a 3 carat emerald cut diamond. She and her husband did that when the first went to Armenia three years ago because no one in that country wears solitaire stones. They purchased a simple plantinum band in LA before they left for Europe on a short term visit to the country of their grandparents.
Three years later, with her husband ordained as an Orthodox Armenian Priest, and she working for the His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, they have left the ring where it is - in safe keeping. They decided that it would seem strange, after fitting in so well for 3 years, to pull it out now and say 'oh yeah - and I have this huge diamond.'
We talked about the pressure to have bigger, more, better that fuels our economy in North America. It's so unrealistic. I've made a decision that when I get married (if?) that I don't want a big expensive ring. I'm not sure I want a diamond at all. I saw all of my colleagues from all over the world in Brazil - and the vast vast majority wore a simple gold band.
How can we live more simply so that others may simply live?
In that times article on Joel Osteen, he's quoted as saying: "I don't believe I ever preached a message on money... But I do believe, you know what, God can want you to have a better house. God wants you to be able to send your kids to college."
I must admit I cringed when I read that. God can want me to have a better house? How about God wanting me to see how my behaviour sends ripples through this delicately balance (sometimes vastly imbalanced) life on earth. When I buy my discount bargain items at Walmart - that has a direct and indirect impact on the lives of the BILLIONS of poor peasants in China who are forced to work in manufacturing because there are no other jobs.
Where do these mega-churches call us to be accountable as a generally affluent society for the fact that there are systemic injustices built into our economic system. This may, then, very well be a system which Jesus would ask us to condemn. Just because the market is efficient doesn't make it right.
God can want the poor to have a better house. God can want the children of the poor to send THEIR kids to college - but I'm not sure about the rest of us.
Not that I have any answers - but sometimes I feel like not enough people are asking questions - any questions.
Happy thoughts today. NOT.
Comments:
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He’s certainly selling a unique brand of motivational Christianity. It takes an impressive amount of scriptural twisting to get the message he wants to spread. He must cringe a bit whenever the story of the rich young man in Mark appears on the lectionary.
“Where do these mega-churches call us to be accountable as a generally affluent society for the fact that there are systemic injustices built into our economic system.”
I’d be interested to see a demographic breakdown of this guy’s audience. While Osteen’s message is friendly to the wealthy, I would think his adherents are people that need a miracle because they have trouble affording healthcare, or need to here an upwardly mobile message because they’re trying to pull themselves up past their lower-middle class background. The extra Spanish services give a hint about what his social-economic target group is. I acknowledge your point about using the Gospel to legitimate what may be considered a sub-par economic regime. Yet the message may be less overtly sinister than it is practically motivating (or opiating).
Nate
“Where do these mega-churches call us to be accountable as a generally affluent society for the fact that there are systemic injustices built into our economic system.”
I’d be interested to see a demographic breakdown of this guy’s audience. While Osteen’s message is friendly to the wealthy, I would think his adherents are people that need a miracle because they have trouble affording healthcare, or need to here an upwardly mobile message because they’re trying to pull themselves up past their lower-middle class background. The extra Spanish services give a hint about what his social-economic target group is. I acknowledge your point about using the Gospel to legitimate what may be considered a sub-par economic regime. Yet the message may be less overtly sinister than it is practically motivating (or opiating).
Nate
# posted by 
: 6:27 PM
: 6:27 PM
GetReligion has picked up on this story too:
http://www.getreligion.org/?p=1499
The website critiques media coverage of religion, so the author focuses on Blumenthal's approach more than the theological questions Osteen raises.
The comments sections describe his broadcasts as addictive and "oddly mesmerizing."
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http://www.getreligion.org/?p=1499
The website critiques media coverage of religion, so the author focuses on Blumenthal's approach more than the theological questions Osteen raises.
The comments sections describe his broadcasts as addictive and "oddly mesmerizing."
# posted by : 9:42 PM
: 9:42 PM << Home
