Good day my lovely people of M2, Okay, let's try this one. My last forum got heated so I want to post another one of my " Hot Tea" topics. This time let's talk about this article I pulled up. America, when you hear about churches & pastors, what's on your mind? Good place, good heavenly word, & spiritual empowerment? What if I was to pull up an article on Past Joel Osteen & why his church was closed not for shelter during the recent storm last week. The article goes to say Houston's Lakewood church has issued a statement regarding to it's response to Hurricane Harvey after it was accused on social media of refusing to open its doors to the Harvey evacuees. Houstonians wasn't buying it. Posted photos of the neighborhood around the church showing wet & passible streets. Some say " Shame on Osteen", " Jesus would of feed & house the victims of Harvey". But Lakewood Church representatives stated that Osteen is innocent & genuine. " Lakewood is receiving who need shelter. We are also receiving supplies such as baby food, baby formula & other shelter needs". Lakewood is a nondenominational church that host about 52,000 attendees weekly & one of the largest churches in the U.S. So America, how do you feel about what you read here? Was it justified that the church was closed to evacuees? Was it all misunderstood? or maybe they just didn't have the room to convert to a makeshift shelter? Let's talk, I want to hear more about this. Houstonians, I want to tell us in the country what we didn't hear or read about Harvey?

All Replies Will Be Answered Back!
Thank you sincerely
EyeAmYourHost39

EyeAmYourHost39,

Well, my love & strength goes out to all the victims of this bad hurricane. secondly, if its anything I can do to make the healing process to be easier, you got it from me. I want to donate 10,000 of my own money with the consent of my girlfriend, to the people of the storm. Now, moving on, I don't know if the church had the room to house a mass number of people? I don't know if its a case of bad publicity? Houston, I don't know much about the severity of the damages other than the flooding, but EyeAm is real activist. I give you my word I'm contact your town's emergency contacts. I will promise to dedicate $ 10,000 of my own pocket money and see to it that that money goes to the victims & there children. If I'm post every week especially in the politic room, be about change then now its the time to show that. So when I do post its genuine coming from me. I will keep an eye on where the funding going. Okay, god blessed me so let me bless someone else!

I feel we live in an immediate gratification culture and people expect things in unrealistic fashion and timelines

I really don't have any doubt the church will do what it can , when and as it can, and will no doubt have plenty a part to play in looking after the folks after the storm,, there will be plenty of need both during and after,, I applaud any who give, however, and whenever

Ms. Harmony

Hey baby girl, do you think Joel's church rejected evacuees? Do you think his church done enough? When our country faces a hurricane disaster football arenas turn shelters. Sometimes shelters are made with a certain capacity. I dont know much about Hurricane Harvey but i can say many was effected. Should Lakewood should of opened there doors to the public? Hmmmm....maybe only if it can hold a.mass of.people.

No. I do not think there was rejection. I do think there is preperation and I think they will do everything possible once the preperations are made.

He's letting people in now...

Ms Harmony

Ahhhhhb......very good point. We can never be prepared for a disaster like Hurricane Harvey. I live in Philadelphia we are in the valley. We don't get too much hurricanes or tornadoes. Jersey is across the water from us that get all the hurricanes. When Hurricane Sandy hit us we all from New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland & Virgina pulled together and repair together. That what it was all about.

I read the story myself and even did a bit of research and low and behold found pictures where the basement of the church and lower parking garage was flooded...

Not only that the area of town does very well flood at times therefore makes roads impassable..The video of the Church being closed was like 2-3 days later.. Who did they think was going to open them doors up when most like they were at home dealing with problems as well..

They have in fact cleaned up the lower area that got flooded and decided the building was safe after all..

Come on why expect them to open the doors with standing water in the basement area...

Folks really do they not realize where most of the main electrical boxes are normally in the basements of buildings?

I also read where he did come back and say the doors would be opened in order to help house anyone they could.. But some have to remember the stadium holds 17,000 that is sitting down in chairs.. You can cut that in half when you come to having places to sleep that is after they move what they can out of the stadium..

To many pass judgement on another before they even know the whole story.. I will almost predict that in the end that particular Church will still be there helping those in the area.. When the rest of us goes along with our daily lives..

Everyone saw what the animals did to the super dome, and what they did inside it after Katrina. I wouldn't contain people in a place like that, or allow people to do that to my building. A few people have to ruin it for everyone else, they probably still don't have the smell out of there.

MightyMoe,

Very good.....you a native Texan right? How the people in your city making out in the aftermath of the hurricane?

Dust4Fun

Wow its good to hear from people like yourself that was affected with hurricanes? Like i mentioned Philadelphia in the Valley. We don't get much hurricanes. We do get alot of rain storms. I lived in California.I dealt with earthquakes. I. Then couldn't get used to them so i can only imagine.

EyeAmYourHost39


America, i believe its time to show brotherly love with sisterly affection when stuff like this happen. Lets not allow the poor response time like Katrina. I dont want to sound like a PSA but we can save lives and memories. I hope all my southern Avengers will be okay. I care about all the victims. The families, the babies, the working fathers. Lost of businesses homes and lives.

Txsgal333

You made me see this more. Im a little happy that at least the church still helping. I have alot money in investments and in my career to be about to play my part in the healing process. Thank you for the feed back. Pennsylvania got yall back okay.i think some people misunderstand me. Im not a guy who rant and rave about the world ills. Im again an activist and a low level philanthropist.

I will admit I'm not a big fan of these Mega Churches with all the money they make and have what they have... I would rather hear about these Mega Churches doing more for the community's then I might have a different outlook on them..

A lot has been said why the doors were not opened and them helping at the beginning to help out.. Due to we really don't know the whole story and makes me wonder why only target one Church for not having their doors open I have yet to see any stories of the Church's that have opened their doors.

What I have seen pictures of is mattress places, furniture stores, ect that opened their ware houses for others.. Heck there are lots of places in the Houston area that was shut down it was almost midnight when the storm hit people were at home... in bed...

just another day in Texas... (paradise)... but still not very much open yet, no gas at the gas stations, no busses are running, and most fast food places are closed or drive through only.
.

MightyMoe,

Well I know it won't be easy trying to maneuver through watery streets, businesses being closed & hurtful memories. But southerners & south westerners are strong people. You guys will survive. don't most of the southern & swamp communities have levies to protect cities from flooding?

yep,really smart expecting people to be put up in an Area that might still get totally flooded,in a Locale of which the Groundfloor is already under water!

http://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2017/august/here-is-the-complete-story-behind-the-attacks-on-joel-osteen-rsquo-s-lakewood-church
quite a few Images of the flooding of Osteen's Church at the link!
No,I am no Fan of Joel!

I have heard mosques amd church have helped Harvey. I have also read contradictions with Osteen. He even said the main reason (before the flooding) was they didn't ask for the church to be a shelter. Thwy way I was raised, the church shouldn't have to be asked. This was a mega church that could help those in need. The basement and parking garage doesn't matter. If it could help, it should help, even if it is short term. The church isn't owned by him and gets tax benefits

It's usually those who have never sat through a Major Hurricane who are crowing the loudest!
Until those Transformers and Fuses blow,they are a deadly Hazard!

they only hold so much water... remember the Superdome in new orleans? The dams breaking caused those animals to almost destroy it...