Saturday, November 04, 2006

Separated at birth: Joel Osteen & Rick Santorum.












Joel Osteen (left): Pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, TX.

Senator Rick Santorum (right) of Pennsylvania.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

I KNEW there was a reason that Santorum creeped me out!

I've watched Osteen numerous times just to see what the draw is and every time, the hair on my neck stands up.

I think it's the beady eyes and the fake smile.

Anonymous said...

Doug,
I think if you read one of Olsteen's books you may change your mind. Seriously. I promise I am not being sarcastic ( not a rude gal here). You seem like a sharp guy with an open mind. I get a kick out of your comments on my husband's blog ( Yes, I am married to Brad) May I suggest "Your Best Life Now" ?

Anonymous said...

Jennifer, please feel free to be sarcastic.

Brad and I have exchanged jabs over what I believe is Christian hypocricy many times usually over at SITD.

Like I said, I've watched Osteen numerous times and the BS detector goes off each time I see him. I believe that people like Osteen are salesmen first, actors second and men of God last. They profit off of people who are looking for something - anything to understand their purpose in life.

I think Brad finds comfort in believing that I am anti-Christian. I'm not. Although I'm not Christian in the "Jesus died for my sins" sense, I do find a particular warmth with the Christianity practiced by Albert Schweitzer and Mother Teresa.

Since you offer a book to refer to to understand one of your leaders, I'll offer a link to mine you you can see where I'm coming from.

It's a video featuring my friend and mentor.

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/week1009/profile.html

Brad Carlson said...

Doogie!!

I figured that was you which is why I did that particular "separated at birth".

You may remove the hook from your mouth now.

Anonymous said...

You removed my post!

Too bad. it was pretty funny.

Anonymous said...

Not that you'll actually post this but Mr. Haggard was fired today for sexually immoral conduct.

...and yes I take great pleasure in it.

Remember Brad, It was Haggard that was leading the effort to ban gay marraige in Colorado. Remember also that it is my sister-in-law that has been with her partner for 30 some years but can't get married because they are both women.

BTW, it was 2 women in their 80's and had been together 50 years that were the first to get married in Massachusetts.

Maybe we need to start banning straight marriage.

Brad Carlson said...

Doogie,

You are welcome to comment here any time as long as you don't use vile and disgusting words.

By the way, you must be suffering some terrible anxiety with Mitch's comment section being down.

Brad Carlson said...

Not that you'll actually post this but Mr. Haggard was fired today for sexually immoral conduct.

...and yes I take great pleasure in it.



I always had you pegged as the vindictive type.


Remember Brad, It was Haggard that was leading the effort to ban gay marriage in Colorado.


Actually, I don't remember that. I do recall, however, in 2004 that 11 of 11 states (including "blue" states Oregon and Michigan) voted on a state amendment to define marriage as one woman and one man. I guess Mr. Haggard wasn't the only advocate for such an amendment.


Remember also that it is my sister-in-law that has been with her partner for 30 some years but can't get married because they are both women.


I take it they don't want to move to Massachusetts.


BTW, it was 2 women in their 80's and had been together 50 years that were the first to get married in Massachusetts.


Aren't they divorced now?


Maybe we need to start banning straight marriage.


Is that you or your wife who's for that?

Anonymous said...

"I always had you pegged as the vindictive type."

I wasn't the victim here so vindictive isn't an accurate assessment. I would suggest epicaricacy or maybe Schadenfreude.

"Aren't they divorced now?"

No. That was a couple in California.

"Is that you or your wife who's for that?"

Neither. We're already married so we would be grandfathered in anyway. Maybe I should clarify... I think it may be necessary to ban straight marriage between women and preachers. They're threatening to destroy our 5 million dollar Churches. We can't have that can we?

Brad Carlson said...

I think it may be necessary to ban straight marriage between women and preachers. They're threatening to destroy our 5 million dollar Churches. We can't have that can we?

No, we can't. Who else would you blame for your problems?

Anonymous said...

"Who else would you blame for your problems?"

I could try gays, lesbians democrats and liberals but you seem to have cornered the blame market with them already.

Oh, and speaking of blaming, check this out...

Pastor Mark Driscoll of Seattle's Mars Hills mega-church-wannabe.
Writing in his personal blog, Driscoll offers his fellow pastors "some practical suggestions" on how to avoid the type of temptation that consumed Pastor Haggard.

"Most pastors I know do not have satisfying, free, sexual conversations and liberties with their wives. It is not uncommon to meet pastors' wives who really let themselves go; they sometimes feel that because their husband is a pastor, he is therefore trapped into fidelity, which gives them cause for laziness. A wife who lets herself go and is not sexually available to her husband in the ways that the Song of Songs is so frank about is not responsible for her husband's sin, but she may not be helping him either."

Maybe I'm wrong here Brad but I don't recall Jesus saying it was OK to blame your fat, lazy wife for your temptation to smoke meth and su...

Oh, sorry. Don't want to be vile...

...receive and perform fellatio on another person.

Brad Carlson said...

“I could try gays, lesbians, democrats and liberals but you seem to have cornered the blame market with them already.”

Sorry, Doog. My success and happiness is not tied to who wins elections or which party is in power. I don’t look at democrats/liberals as evil or as enemies. They’re just wrong. Now it’s true, I support candidates who most closely represent my values. But if my candidate loses his/her race I don’t become like you Kerry people and obtain some bogus ailment like “Post Election Selection Trauma”.

Also, I love how you like to take a broad brush to preachers and other people of faith. The fact of the matter is we all sin and fall short of the glory of God. But instead of showing sympathy towards someone’s plight, you choose to ridicule. That’s your right since you seem to believe people like Haggard look to keep your gay sister-in law from marrying her partner. I just think your anger is misguided.

“Maybe I'm wrong here Brad but I don't recall Jesus saying it was OK to blame your fat, lazy wife for your temptation..”

For once, you are right. Marriage is a covenant made before God. As such, my wife & I pray daily for the Lord’s guidance in maintaining a strong union. The onus is on both husband and wife to work at strengthening the marriage each and every day.

Doogie, I decided to publish this last comment of yours to show people what a condescending, angry and miserable jerk you are. That's probably a little harsh given the fact you seem to have legitimate anger issues. I would laugh at what you write if I thought you didn’t have some serious mental problems. Therefore, you are no longer welcome to leave comments on my blog.

Anonymous said...

Way to duck the issue, Doug. Brad made a legitimate point by saying that a majority of Americans (even democratic states like Michigan and Oregon) are against gay marriage, yet you continue with your “mega-churches and their leaders are evil” rhetoric.

Contrary to your assertions, it’s not just preachers who are advocates for marriage being strictly a union of one woman and one man. Some regular folks actually come to that conclusion themselves without any influence from the ministry.

Anonymous said...

Since you offer a book to refer to to understand one of your leaders, I'll offer a link to mine you you can see where I'm coming from.

It's a video featuring my friend and mentor.


Wow, Mr. Brave Heart seems like a wonderful man. Surely HE didn't teach you to become an insufferable prick. So where did you pick that up, Doug?