Smarmy TV and megachurch pastor Joel Osteen got a $4.4 million government Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan because of the coronavirus pandemic.
From NBC News:
Celebrity pastor Joel Osteen’s megachurch received a $4.4 million loan from the federal government’s Paycheck Protection Program, data released under FOIA shows.
The Lakewood Church, based in Houston, Texas, received the loan in July.
“Lakewood suspended its in-person services for more than seven months…impacting its ability to collect substantial donations during those services,†church spokesperson Andrea Davis told NBC News in an email.
The way PPP loans work is if you don’t fire any of your employees for a certain amount of time, you don’t have to pay the government back. It’s free money.
Osteen’s megachurch pays zero in taxes. It can still take advantage of a government program intended to help small businesses affected by the pandemic. Isn’t this a great country?
Here’s a photo of Joel Osteen’s primary mansion in case you were worried about him riding out any stay-at-home orders.
Just kidding! Osteen didn’t have to worry about a stay-at-home order. He lives in Texas. They don’t believe in coronavirus lockdowns in Texas.
Joel Osteen is a very rich man
If you’re like me and don’t like Joel Osteen, I’ve got some good news. When he dies, he’ll be spending all of eternity in the only place worse than Texas, the pits of Hell. It says so right in the Bible. In Matthew 19:24, Jesus Christ said:
And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
If you’re not going to the kingdom of God, you’re going to Hell. There is no third option. Take another look at that mansion and tell me Jesus Christ wasn’t specifically talking about Joel Osteen when he said that.
Sorry Rick, but Texas is the greatest state in the Union! I was born in TX and hopefully I will die in TX. Most Americans see us as gun-toting, Bible-beating, cowboys but I’m here to say it’s not like that at all. I live in the desert part of West TX and I love it. If you don’t understand it, you’ll never understand it. With that being said, I completely agree with you regarding Joel Olsteen. He preaches “prosperity gospel†or most commonly referred to as “name it and claim it.†I’d have to say as a born again Christian that ministries like his have done horrible misfeasance to new followers of Christ. The patriarchs of the New Testament lived out horrible lives to spread the gospel. The apostle Paul didn’t live in a 100 room mansion or fly around in his personal jet. It is obscene how those people justify their riches when the biblical example is to give their riches away. As for the “eye of the needle†remark, that is completely out of context. The only one who knows Joel’s heart and forgiveness is Christ. There will be some people in heaven who have done wonderful things for humanity and likewise some who have committed monstrous, heinous crimes. Works don’t get you in or keep you out of heaven, only acceptance of Christ’s free gift of forgiveness.
I’m biased. The first time I visited your fine state, people were very rude to me. They shaved my head and made me wear drab-looking green clothing. I was forced to march with a bunch of other men everywhere I went. I was also yelled at—a lot.
I think it was the first time I was yelled at by people not related to me.
All in all, not a very good way to treat visitors.
A disgusting hypocrite. I hope this comes back to bite him in the rear end hard!!! This is worse than prima donna Brady taking ppp loans for his nutrition company and to buy a yacht.