I have read some disturbing stories in the news the last few weeks about so-called leaders of "churches" and their actions. It has been disturbing to see how far individuals will take their selfishness and belief that they are better and "deserve" better.
Victoria Osteen is in the midst of a civil trial where a flight attendant is accusing Osteen of pushing and shoving her because of the way a mess on her seat was handled. Granted the woman suing Osteen wants ten percent of her net income, which is an insane amount. After all the Osteens are God's favorites and therefore have oodles and oodles of money. Ten percent of my income would not even buy a new television, but Osteen's is a different story. Back to the point.
A second flight attendant testified that Victoria Osteen demanded special attention to clean up a half-dollar-sized spill on her armrest. Apparently at this point, the flight attendant handed her some napkins to clean up the small mess.
When Victoria Osteen didn't get her way, Johnson testified, the passenger became verbally and physically abusive to both flight attendants. She said Osteen eventually grabbed Brown by the shoulders, elbowed her in the chest and pushed her out of the way in an attempt to get into the cockpit.
But both Joel and Victoria Osteen, who were called to the witness stand by Brown's attorney, disputed Johnson's testimony.
Victoria Osteen said when she first told a flight attendant about the spill, she was handed some napkins. She said she responded, "'It's not my job.' I didn't say it in an ugly tone of voice."
Seriously, as a pastor of a church or any Christian for that matter, saying that in a nice voice would be acceptable? When did Jesus refuse to do something in the Bible? He cleaned up messes a lot worse than a half dollar spill on an armrest. Lets go farther? Where were they going? Vacationing in Vail, Colorado. Her chair being messy on the armrest gave them the right to hold up a plane of other individuals for two hours? Great witnessing, Joel and Victoria! I am sure you failed to realize other passengers or those attendants are children of God, too and deserved much better then the temper tantrums you displayed.
Yes, the Osteens are bizarre people who have gone astray from what the Bible teaches or at least they don't model that lifestyle. Read a great view on this by Jared Wilson at the
Gospeldrivenchurch.
But how does that compare to the scientologists who do not even believe in Christ? How can anyone compare Osteen to a scientologist?
Here is the kicker-the groups are no different. They both think they are favored by God and therefore deserve better. They think they are entitled to money, health, good jobs, special treatment.
Unfortunately, the truth says something different. It is by grace and grace alone that we receive any of those things. But lets look at the Scientology news this week.
As many of you know, Isaac Hayes died this past week at the age of 65. Hayes was a well-known scientologist. What is disturbing about this or what it has to do with Scientology is the manner of his life before his death.
FoxNews brought up some disturbing questions surrounding his death.
"Isaac was found dead by his treadmill, but conveniently missing from the wire stories was a significant fact: in January 2006, Isaac had a significant stroke. At the time, the word went out only that he had been hospitalized for exhaustion."
Seriously, this refusal to get medical help or admit that you have problems, which need medical attention, is ridiculous. When is America going to wake up and realize Scientology is an occult? The article goes on in more detail about how Hayes had no income stream because of having to quit South Park because they made fun of Scientology. Add to that the expense of being in the crazy religion and Hayes is in trouble.
Hayes can't get the necessary treatment that his body needs to recover from the stroke because it goes against Scientology beliefs. So here we are again-an expectation of being better.
I think both groups and their beliefs are rooted in selfishness. The belief that they deserve more, deserve good health, deserve more money, deserve a "best life now", is all rooted in selfishness. Maybe now it will start to fall apart.
With this lawsuit, maybe others will see the Osteens for who they really are in life. I pray that the wool has not permanently covered the eyes of their 42,000 followers. The flight attendant is one who was offended and I am offended as well. Don't profess to be Christian and then represent Jesus Christ in the manner that you did on the plane.
As for scientologist, if you are to be better than everyone else, why are your followers suffering? Why does it cost so much money to be better? I hope light continues to shine on the corrupt selfishness of this occult.
