I remember the first time I saw Joel Osteen on television. I had already been exposed to many other televangelists, some of whom I have since done less than flattering articles about. I had seen too many pulpiteers advance their own agendas (not to mention their bank accounts) by invoking fear. I had watched too many self-important sermonizers impose their will on others. I have experienced the hypocrisy of too many double-talking pontiffs. I expected Osteen to be much of the same. I saw a guy with what I figured to be a phony smile perpetually plastered on his face, with a congregation in attendance that looked to number in the tens of thousands. His suit was smokin', and his wife is a hottie. I really wanted to hate this guy. But then something happened. I listened.

Now don't get me wrong, I am still a scathing atheist, and the premise by which Mr. Osteen operates from I completely disagree with, but other than that, much of what we talk about are the same. Granted, our language and our approach to these subjects are undoubtedly different (I doubt that Joel drops many F-bombs). But I have learned to respect Osteen because when it comes right down to it, I really like what this guy has to say. The majority of what he speaks about is for people to be accountable, and to self-motivate. He uses practical, real-life examples for people to use in their every day lives.  Where are you in your life? Where do you want to go? What's the best way to get there? Stop making excuses. Be responsible for your own future. Great stuff. Positive stuff. His stories actually have a point, and are never meant to intimidate, or take advantage of peoples fears. I can actually see how this guy motivates people and helps them feel empowered. I have yet to hear him try to intimidate people by taking a quote from the bible out of context (which most evangelists often do) and impose his own version of morality. He doesn't come across as judgmental; rather he's the kind of guy whose words can apply to everyone, whether they are Christian or not.

Last year I went to the Meadowlands Arena in NJ to hear a group of talking meat puppets who were billing themselves as motivational speakers. By the time I walked out of there I wanted to garrote most of them to death with piano wire.  I am not one to respond favorably to cliché' spouting dolts, who over simplify things when it fits their shtick. Yes yes yes, I get it, a penny saved is a penny earned, and I should never judge a book by its cover. Laughter is indeed the best medicine, and if I die from cancer, it's because I didn't laugh enough. I get it. God has a plan for me, and he works in mysterious ways. Ugh. The few who stood out from the crowd that day were those who didn't speak like they were addressing an arena full of five year olds with coal in their stockings.

Osteen will be the first to admit that he is not beyond reproach. He makes a healthy living (which I have no problem with) from his ministry and his books. I have read criticisms of him claiming that his background is in television and marketing, and that he does not have the proper biblical training to run a ministry. That may be true, in fact, it probably is. But then again, that is most likely the reason he is set apart from his over-zealous, fear mongering contemporaries. In an odd coincidence, the people who are taking shots at him seem to be the same people who I usually write awful things about. The fact of the matter is Osteen is probably not enough of an angry, hate filled nut job for his detractor's tastes.  His intention seems to be to be a positive influence in people's lives, not to make them afraid. I have never heard him raise his voice, or do cheap theatrics to get cheap applause. He is smart enough to stay the hell out of politics, even though he must have personal opinions, which he could no doubt influence others about. He allows people to make those types of decisions on their own. What a novel approach.

It would be easy for me to write derogatory things about Osteen because of his belief in an invisible omnipotent force of creation. But when to comes to other people's beliefs, what I believe isn't important... I have stated before that I have no problem with anyone else's ideology, provided it is not born from a self righteous indignation, and a self-important desire to tell other people how to lead their lives.  We atheists are often as judgmental as those we accuse of being bigoted about us.

I often quote John Lennon, "Imagine no religion", but perhaps a more realistic expectation might be "Imagine if more people approached theology like Joel Osteen". Apparently, not all of these religious types are as bad as I thought. I hope his congregation listens. I love to be wrong.