One has to be very careful what one accepts as true in these days of social media news. While the term “fake news” is often misapplied due to the tweets of one particular man, there is a lot of real “fake news” out there. Sometimes, a satirical piece can be confused with a real news story as is the case with this item: “Joel Osteen Sails Luxury Yacht Through Flooded Houston To Pass Out Copies Of ‘Your Best Life Now‘”. (Not to be confused with a different slogan: “The Best Life Ever”.)
This story is fake; a piece of satire from a web site that likes to lampoon the Houston pastor with the mega-watt smile. While the man has acquired great wealth in the name of Christ, he is not a stupid man, and only a stupid man would do something so insensitive as to deny people the physical help they need while handing out his own personal message of spiritual comfort. Imagine how people would feel were he to show up with them sitting on the roof of their flooded home, with all their belongings destroyed, wondering where they were going to sleep that night, and where their next meal would come from, while the only thing he had to offer was spiritual comfort in the form of his own literature. The absurdity of such a scenario is enough to tell any person chancing on this article that it had to be fake. Only someone with no ability to feel the suffering of others would act in such a self-serving and uncaring manner. But even then, who would be dumb enough to do it publicly?
Now on a completely unrelated matter, allow me to share a real news story from JW.org.
Jehovah’s Witnesses are assisting victims of a catastrophic fire that engulfed the Grenfell Tower, a 24-story apartment building in the North Kensington area of London, in the early morning hours of June 14, 2017. Authorities are reporting that at least 79 people were killed.
Four Witnesses were evacuated from the apartment building, two of whom were residents of Grenfell Tower. Fortunately, none of them were injured, although the Witnesses’ apartments were among those completely destroyed in the blaze. Witnesses that live near the now fire-gutted apartment building provided food, clothing, and monetary aid to their fellow members and their families that were affected. The Witnesses are also offering spiritual comfort to the grieving members of the North Kensington community.
Sorry for another post but something just occured to me. Christ said that if your son asked for bread, you wouldn’t give him a stone. You’d give him what he needs: bread! James said that if your brother was in need of clothing, you wouldn’t give him encouraging words. You’d give him what he needs: clothing! It would be demonstration of a total lack of love to have someone in front of you with a particular need, and then decide to give him something totally different, leaving him still in need. So why is it when the community as a… Read more »
Fantastic and spot-on observation Yehorakam.
That’s an excellent application of Scripture, Yehorakam.
If the shoe fits…..
Here in Beaumont, Texas, where we are digging ourselves out from under the devastation of Hurricane Harvey, I have seen the love and care and been on the receiving end of much needed help from members of the SDA, Baptists, Methodists and various other church denominations in the form of food, water, clothing, medical supplies, search and rescue, as well as comfort and prayers. What are the JW’s doing? So far, I haven’t heard a peep from them. Their KH’s are dark and silent. I guess they are ‘helping their own, provided they are in ‘good standing’. Such a bunch… Read more »
That’s so shameful… It makes me think of some very appropriate comments from Kim Mikey in their Youtube channel…at 11:00 in the video…
https://youtu.be/nftXrd28acI
Plus this another one…
https://youtu.be/B6jcv09yZ58
In my area of the United States, during the summer of 2016 we experienced a devastating flood and many people lost their homes. The community that I grew up in was virtually wiped out. Many churches, neighbors and secular organizations were so much more supportive of the community and I tried to ignore it; but could not help but to be secretly impressed with the love that was shown by them; supplying meals, clothing and taking care of the victims, regardless of their beliefs. There was a huge contrast; this situation was one of many that helped me to wake… Read more »
Mairi. Wonderful news. Do yourself the favor of reading the Bible from the beginning again, pray for Holy Spirit…and don’t look back!
Much love,
I now actually wonder how much of the “news” that’s been published in WT articles re disasters and disaster relief are even true? I attended the Don’t give up convention last weekend and came home wondering exactly what Ime not meant to give up. There was a short video I can’t remember which talk it was in about worldly influence,and it depicted an African husband and wife who had fled a civil war and were now living in a refugee camp,it seemed to be the real deal,if it was fake it was well done. So we have our African bro… Read more »
Hello Wild Olive,
I sent you a PM via the dtt forum, howeverit is stll showing in my out box.. if you don’t get it maybe Meleti can give you my email..
David
The funny thing is I’ve already caught one sister in my Kingdom Hall sharing the Osteen/Yacht story. My comment was: The only way fake news survives is if we pass it on. Nice connection with the Grnefell Tower story. Really, less flattering when you compare our reaction, to Olsteen’s reaction. Olsteen – and I do not support prosperity ministry, the guy’s a d-bag – at least opened his doors to flood victims. I’m wondering if we even opened the doors of our assembly halls to OUR victims. Forget about the world.
It was announced at our KH on Tuesday that 4200 Witness families in Houston had lost the homes or were out of their housing due to the flooding. It is hard to reconcile this number to news reports, but I have not heard a single mention of JW relief efforts. It took 6 months after Hurricane Mathew to hear a letter from the “Faithful Slave” on the matter of helping victims.
That opens the question of whether Kingdom Halls or Assembly Halls were opened for shelter and refuge.
Too funny that this article was posted with the resultant comments. I recently concluded a Facebook discussion with my still-in Witness brother-in-law. He had posted the meme about Osteen’s church not taking evacuees into their mega-church until he was shamed into it, etc. I noted to him that while I know very little about Osteen, he seemed to give a reasonable and sincere explanation as to why the church wasn’t open right away. For instance, you don’t just start letting in thousands of people without having some infrastructure and security to support and protect them. Not to mention, the church… Read more »
Well said Deoc. Sorry to hear about stress at home, which should be a haven of peace. I think the Witnesses do not offer their meeting places as a refuge because their first priority is to “help people spiritually.” They pride themselves on that. There are countless videos where victims recount thar the first thing that was cleaned up or repaired was the KH, so that no one would miss a meeting and get the encouragement they needed after a disaster. Heaven forbid you’ve got homeless disaster victims occupying the hall and can’t conduct a CLAM or WT study for… Read more »
Hello Deo, Same thing happened when my son was 18. I was an elder and things were rocky. (That was 20 yrs ago..end just round the corner…) I stood down for 3 years and it made my wife mad. Since mended my relationship with son and my wife is still in, but our relationship is rocky as the organization comes first. Please, just think before you speak and don’t try and change those things that are out of your control. I commended my son later as it turned out many of those other ones of his peers stayed in and… Read more »
Thank you Dajo and Yehorakam, very encouraging words that are truly appreciated. I’m very proud of my son for the conscious decision he made, and love him unconditionally regardless of said decision. His mom, on the other hand, after hearing him out, told him she could get “10 new sons like Job in the Paradise.” To say this made me hurt and angry is an obvious understatement. It’s hard to conduct a marriage when your still-in spouse literally feels you are spawn of the devil. Anyway, enough of this rant, it’s obviously off topic. The other posters have made good… Read more »