Joel osteen faces criticism social media closing houston megachurchs doors amid harvey

Joel Osteen, the pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, faced criticism on social media after his megachurch remained closed for several days following Hurricane Harvey, which caused widespread flooding in the city.

On August 27, 2017, Hurricane Harvey made landfall in Texas, bringing heavy rainfall and catastrophic flooding to the Houston area. Many churches in the city, including Lakewood Church, were forced to close due to the flooding.

However, some critics took to social media to express their disappointment and frustration that Lakewood Church, which has a seating capacity of over 16,000, remained closed for several days. Some accused Osteen of being out of touch with the needs of his community and of prioritizing his own interests over the needs of those affected by the storm.

Osteen responded to the criticism on August 30, 2017, stating that the church had been working to help those affected by the storm, but that the facility was not safe for worship or other activities due to the flooding. He also announced that the church would be opening its doors to provide food, shelter, and other assistance to those in need.

Despite Osteen's response, the criticism continued on social media, with some calling for him to be more proactive in helping those affected by the storm. Others defended Osteen, pointing out that the church had been working behind the scenes to help those in need and that the facility was not safe for worship or other activities due to the flooding.

In the end, Lakewood Church did open its doors to provide assistance to those affected by the storm, and Osteen continued to face criticism and praise on social media for his response to the crisis.

Here are some examples of the criticism and praise that Osteen faced on social media:

Criticism:

• "Joel Osteen's church is closed due to flooding, but he's still got his private jet and his $10 million mansion. #Priorities" (Twitter user @SarahKSilverman)
• "Joel Osteen's church is closed, but he's still got his $100,000 salary. #OutofTouch" (Twitter user @JohnCusack)
• "Joel Osteen's church is closed, but he's still got his private security detail. #Hypocrisy" (Twitter user @MichaelMoore)

Praise:

• "Joel Osteen's church is opening its doors to provide food, shelter, and other assistance to those affected by Harvey. #GoodNews" (Twitter user @LakewoodChurch)
• "Joel Osteen is working behind the scenes to help those affected by Harvey. #ThankYou" (Twitter user @JoelOsteen)
• "Joel Osteen's church is a beacon of hope and support for those affected by Harvey. #HoustonStrong" (Twitter user @HoustonChron)

Overall, the criticism and praise that Osteen faced on social media highlighted the complex and often divisive nature of social media, where opinions and emotions can run high and quickly spread.