Damned Christians

[Fake Messiah]

Joel Osteen's megachurch received a $4.4. million Paycheck Protection Plan loan during the coronavirus pandemic, according to Federal data. The loan was disbursed in July of this year. And he doesn't even pay taxes.

Meanwhile, his house:


https://www.sfchronicle.com/business/art...800195.php

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I wonder if he has two types of parties there. One for the people who buy into his bullshit and one for the people who profit from the first type.

[Angrboda]

You're assuming that those are separate groups.

[Fake Messiah]

I really wonder why he needs that much space. It's like 15 houses! Maybe most of them are empty and he just uses them to spite homeless people.

---

Meanwhile watch out for Christians damaging your mental health

Christmas music can be damaging to mental health and make you stressed, claim scientists

Scientists explained that there is an effect between how often we hear a song and how much we like it, and it's called the mere exposure effect.

This means that whilst at first, listening to The Fairytale Of New York fills you with happiness and good memories of the holiday season, after a while it can lead to boredom, annoyance and even distress.

This is down to the brain becoming oversaturated, which then triggers a negative response.

For some, many things about Christmas could cause stress, such as financial problems, work issues or seeing family they don't get on with, so for them, the constant inundation of cheerful tunes may reinforce that stress, not relieve it.

Speaking to Business Insider, clinical psychologist Linda Blair revealed that Christmas music can be mentally draining.

"People working in the shops [have to tune out] Christmas music, because if they don't, it really does stop you from being able to focus on anything else," she said.

"You're simply spending all of your energy trying not to hear what you're hearing."

https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-...161019.amp

[Fake Messiah]

Let me guess, he won't suddenly look down on sex workers as sinners, people who need to change, doomed people, etc.



https://thoughtnova.com/103-year-old-pri...0a4i?119=9

[The Grand Nudger]

Joel Osteen's megachurch received a $4.4. million Paycheck Protection Plan loan during the coronavirus pandemic, according to Federal data. The loan was disbursed in July of this year.

Drop in the bucket.  Churches managed to grab about 6b in stimmy funds..and they already hoover up a few b every year that there's not a pandemic. Talk about welfare queens.

I guess it's just good that Uncle Sam and John Q Taxpayer are there to keep their grift running when god abandons them. The takeaway from that story isn't that joel runs a business and doesn't pay taxes, everyone already knew that. It's that his pay structure is shit. The average disbursement as per their claims would be less than 12k. They're a jesus themed sweatshop that preys on their own friends and family.

[HappySkeptic]

Joel Osteen's megachurch received a $4.4. million Paycheck Protection Plan loan during the coronavirus pandemic, according to Federal data. The loan was disbursed in July of this year. And he doesn't even pay taxes.

Joel Osteen and Kanye (and a bunch of others) walk on water this year.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXVr-K95quk

I've seen this trick done by at least two magicians before, and it was a terrible trick those times too.  Why can't people realize they are being scammed?

[Fake Messiah]

Again, just like Scientology

Former members accuse Kingston, Ont., church of ‘brainwashing’ through threats of ‘curses’

Third Day is a well-known denominational church in Kingston. The city’s current mayor, Bryan Paterson, was a member for almost two decades.

Former members claim the organization encouraged submission to the church’s ideology and to founding pastor Francis Armstrong, who they say preached ultra-conservative views, including demonizing the LGBTQ2 community and taking over Canada in God’s name.

The former members say they were manipulated into being afraid of the outside world, and became dependent on the church.

These people say their experience with the church was traumatic, causing mental health issues, broken marriages, loss of time and money, and most of all loss of agency over their own lives. They have come forward, hoping for change at the church, and to prevent others from falling prey to the traps of what experts call a “high-demand group.”

https://globalnews.ca/news/7499084/kings...ip-centre/

[HappySkeptic]

Again, just like Scientology

Former members accuse Kingston, Ont., church of ‘brainwashing’ through threats of ‘curses’

Third Day is a well-known denominational church in Kingston. The city’s current mayor, Bryan Paterson, was a member for almost two decades.

Former members claim the organization encouraged submission to the church’s ideology and to founding pastor Francis Armstrong, who they say preached ultra-conservative views, including demonizing the LGBTQ2 community and taking over Canada in God’s name.

The former members say they were manipulated into being afraid of the outside world, and became dependent on the church.

These people say their experience with the church was traumatic, causing mental health issues, broken marriages, loss of time and money, and most of all loss of agency over their own lives. They have come forward, hoping for change at the church, and to prevent others from falling prey to the traps of what experts call a “high-demand group.”

https://globalnews.ca/news/7499084/kings...ip-centre/

Churches rarely get changed from the inside.  People usually just vote with their feet, and leave.  If the "founding pastor" still has followers willing to give money, he will always have a church.  The "former members" would have to convince 50% of current members to kick the pastor out.  That would never happen.

Now, I have seen a "founding pastor" of an Evangelical Pentecolstal-like church kicked out of his position, but it was his own fault.  He allowed crazies to operate in his church (ones who had God directly giving them messages), and the crazies convinced 50% that God wanted a new pastor.  I think the church failed shortly after.

[Fake Messiah]