Old school Catholics, am I a bad person for watching/liking Christian motivation speaker/ pastor Joel Osteen?

Question

My grandparents are old school Catholics.

Tonight, my mom turned on Joel Osteen for the family to watch while they were over too.

As you can guess, my grandparents were very skeptical.

I think it's SO CLOSED MINDED of some Catholics to look down upon people like myself who like Joel, Billy G., or Charles Stanely.

I love listening to Joel the most.

I have his daily inspirations sent to my email everyday.

I've read his book "Your Best Life now" and am reading his new book.

Bottom Line: there's NOTHING WRONG WITH JOEL or being theology light and giving hope to people like myself.

After all, Jesus' message was pretty basic and full of hope.

May God Bless you all.

And Remember, YOU ARE A VICTOR AND NOT A VICTIM!

Btw, I'm a Catholic too.

I view Joel as a supplement to my faith.

Answer 1

I offer a word of caution when listening to Joel. He is very energetic and positive; a true "motivation speaker." But, he seems to forget that Christianity has its price.

While Joel's happy-happy-joy-joy messages are uplifting, they are also quite lacking. Have you ever heard him mention anything along the lines of 1 Peter 5:8-11? "Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen" (NASB).

While Christ's message is certainly full of hope, He also clearly states that true Christians will be challenged by Satan (and those who work for him) and that we need to prepare ourselves for the challenges.

Answer 2

Sorry, but I'm not an old school catholic, but, just gotta add to Bobby...Joel says ALL THE TIME that he's NOT saying that we will be WITHOUT trials...he completely understands that God has given us promises and God will make good on those promises when we are obedient to Him.

I go to Lakewood and have for 7 years and have been a Christian for 35+ years..those who bash Joel and his happy,happy sermons have NEVER been to the church personally (or if they have they haven't paid attention) His messages are meant for EVERYONE and then those who are new Christians, he encourages them to come to church (any Bible based church) for a year because he knows that when they get plugged in to ALL the church has to offer is when they will get fed the meat of the scriptures and grow in that knowledge. He gives all the credit to God which is more than I can say for most of the 'religions' out there. Jesus Himself said that we have to have the faith of a CHILD!!

Answer 3

Nothing wrong at all. Joel is teaching the word of God from the Bible, not from some book of sociology. The plan of eternal salvation and temporal happiness is the same for all followers of Christ. Some believe any believer may teach, others believe the teacher must wear special vestments and sling incense. No Catholic priest would find fault with Brother Olsteen or his teaching. So tune in and carry on.

Answer 4

There is much to be learned from many of our fellow Christians, including those you mentioned.

It's also very easy for people to be led astray by those who fail to preach the whole truth.

If you're firmly grounded in your Catholic beliefs and practices, you'l be able to instantly notice when these fellows have gone off the reservation.

Since your grandparents seem to be able to recognize when this happens much more easily than you have, you may have a problem.

I suggest that you spend some time studying the Catholic Catechism, before you end up blindly following the false gospel of prosperity that some of those guys love to preach.

http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm

Or send for my free Catholic Resource CD, which has over 700 MB of the best Catholic stuff ever produced over the 2000 year history of the church, including videos, and a whole series of talks by the late Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, the original television evangelist, who on his worst day, could preach circles around the best of all the guys you mentioned.

Answer 5

Catholics can be Christian. I know catholics that are born-again serving God with a kind and loving spirit. You know that I enjoy Joel and am very happy that you are excitied about listening to Him. He does minister to alot of people with God's loves and forgiveness. I know that I am always smiling at the end of his service.

Answer 6

I listen to them too and take what seems compatible with Catholic Christian fullness and that is most of what they say.

Why not try watching and/or listening to Catholic EWTN too?

Many Catholics have been burned by AntiCatholic and bigoted televangelists like Jimmy Swaggart and can't tell the difference between the hostile and hateful like Swaggart and the uplifting and friendly like Billy Graham

Answer 7

Joel is a positive speaker. He doesn't put down Catholics, so they should not put him down.

I don't see how you can disagree on theology. He avoids that subject (unlike Billy Graham)!!!

Nice guy though.

Positive message, and good jokes. I watch too sometimes.

Answer 8

I see nothing wrong with listening to non-Catholics and their beliefs and concepts, as long as they're uplifting and non-discriminatory.

Btw, I think CJ is going to have a rude awakening when he gets to the "pearly gates" one day, and sees all us heathen Catholics are there too-- not to mention all the other denominations of which he doesn't approve. There goes the neighborhood, eh, CJ? LOL!

Answer 9

here's my non-Catholic favorite.... www.shilohbaptist.com

ralize older people have a harder time accepting modern ways. my folks wouldn't like to hear pastor gilyard's giggle and "hoorah" type sermons - but they work for me. the last few weeks his srmons were on similar passsages as Mass -- that was wild and so good.

some of the non-Catholic "preachers" do preach things very differently then the Rcc understands them so yes - some things would be challenging and not CLOSED MINDED at all. They do not understand or bekieve in the sacrament of the Mass -- it is a root of our worship. when they take you away frm the tennants of the church -- that is when the problems occur.

i have daily inspirations sent - scriptures witih a Catholic representative/saint also elaborating, ready the daily bread and other things. you need to stop and realize what helps you may not help your parents/grandparents in their walk.

Answer 10

Nothing wrong with listening to them as long as you are sufficiently well founded in the true faith to recognize their fallacious statements and misconceptions, and they do make some, though much of what they say is solidly founded on Catholic teaching, including the Catholic book they use as their source. Just remember that nothing they say has any real authority behind it. It's just what they happen to think a particular Bible passage means. Often they are correct. Often they are way off the mark.