It’s a far cry from how Joel Osteen handled the 2017 Houston hurricane
As millions of Texans are currently without electricity and are freezing in their homes after an unprecedented winter storm and sub-zero temperatures, Joel Osteen announced that his church is opening its doors as a warming center to anyone in need of shelter and food. Compared to how he handled the last crisis in Texas, where he refused to let displaced members of his own community seek shelter in his church during the devastating 2017 hurricane in Houston, well — it’s proof that bullying him worked.
In a post to his social media accounts, Osteen claims once he was aware that the winter storm hitting Texas was going to be “huge,” he knew Lakewood could help. Uh-huh, sure buddy. Methinks the real storm he wanted to avoid was the PR shitstorm that would surely repeat itself if he didn’t open the doors to his church this time.
“We care about the city, we care about our neighbors and so we feel blessed to be able to open the building, provide warmth and shelter,” he said.
If you need a warm place to stay, Lakewood is open. Hundreds arrived last night & more today due to power outages. Staff & volunteers are on site ready to help. We have beds, blankets, a hot meal and supplies for those in need. Stay safe, continue to pray for Texas. pic.twitter.com/hM9rk6CULQ
— Joel Osteen (@JoelOsteen) February 16, 2021
“Staff & volunteers are on site ready to help,” Osteen wrote on Twitter. “We have beds, blankets, a hot meal and supplies for those in need. Stay safe, continue to pray for Texas.”
When Hurricane Harvey hit Houston back in 2017, devastating the city and surrounding areas with flash floods and irreparable damage to many homes, it took several days for Lakewood Church to open its doors to hurricane victims.
Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church finally opens to Hurricane Harvey victims.. https://t.co/QgbZFkC1pF pic.twitter.com/SBqfw9B58O
— Adeola Fayehun (@AdeolaFayehun) August 29, 2017
Other temporary shelters were popping up all over the city, but Lakewood, which can hold up to 50,000 people for church services, remained closed until photos of the locked church popped up all over social media — and irate Houstonians shared their anger and hurt over such a large, wealthy church not helping its own community, that was very much in need.
Joel Osteen is one of the wealthiest pastors in the U.S. According to 2012 records, he and his wife and co-pastor, Victoria Osteen, have a calculated net worth of $55 million. The church itself draws in a revenue of over $70 million annually. If a massive corporation like that (and when a megachurch makes tens of millions of dollars and doesn’t pay its fair share in taxes, it’s a corporation) can’t help feed and house people to keep them from starving or freezing to death, then what’s the point of its existence outside of making the Osteens obscenely wealthy?
Many people were quick to highlight the fact that Osteen was helping out his fellow neighbors with a little more pep in his step this time.
I’m glad this asshole learned from last time. Either way: I hope folks can get to Lakewood. My heart is with you, Texas. And for everybody doing the whole “withholding empathy because it’s a red state,” please fuck off. This is an Earth problem now. We all live here. https://t.co/q9InnA4kgW
— Olivia A. Cole is on hiatus (@RantingOwl) February 17, 2021
Y’all got him together after he closed the doors during the hurricane. look at God https://t.co/RmEasBdtNF
— P Harrell (@officialPdotH) February 17, 2021
bullying works https://t.co/OSvgbttUPs
— jasmine rice (@jasminericegirl) February 17, 2021
remember when yall had to be publicly shamed into letting people shelter at the megachurch during hurricane harvey
— a twenty something (@millennialtr4sh) February 16, 2021
So how much you charging at the door?
— MadmanSpeaks (@AMadmanGames) February 17, 2021
I mean, 10% is the usual extortion but I figure you probably think you can get 30-40% cash up front from the truly desperate.
Translation: I don't want the bad publicity again.
— 𝕯𝖗𝖚𝖓𝖐𝖊𝖓 𝕳𝖎𝖌𝖍 𝕮𝖎𝖙𝖎𝖟𝖊𝖓 (@JohnnyCTM69) February 17, 2021
Joel said y’all not catching me slipping this time https://t.co/6AmOGipqqs
— No Quarter Will Be Given (@chaedria) February 17, 2021
Cyberbullying in some cases (with #SkinInTheGame) seems to work exactly as it should. Ol Joel had his megachurch, and former sports arena, closed during Hurricane Harvey to enormous community backlash. (#Localism)
Well will you look at that, his doors are magically open now. https://t.co/I6Q61yuDEY
— Eclectic Spacewalk E-Book: https://gum.co/XdCwe (@ESpacewalk) February 17, 2021
No matter the motive or how we all collectively feel about Joel Osteen and the massive amount of money he accumulates while preaching the word of the biggest socialist in recorded history, here’s hoping plenty of Texans will get the warmth, shelter, and hot meals they desperately need during this time of crisis.
The post Joel Osteen Opens His Church To Suffering Texans So Hell Must’ve Frozen Over appeared first on Scary Mommy.