Why My Parents Love Joel Osteen
That award-winning smile
It’s been great to have the folks in town for a visit, esp for the kids to get some grandparent time, to re-connect w/ my NY-ness, and to re-connect with my Korean family heritage. Which leads to something funny. OK, they know I’m in seminary, pastoring, with the intention of ordination et al… and in the attempt to grab at some ideal of the pastoral vocation, they (along with all of my relatives) will talk about Joel Osteen. In fact, I even have an aunt who thought we named our son (Austin) after Joel OSTEEN (Korean accent inflected) – a charge I would have vehemently denied but, nah. I just let it go. But are you feelin me out there? Does anyone’s folks love this dude? And why?
In response to the most recent reference to J.O., I chose to indulge the conversation w/o launching into any critical diatribe – it’s just not necessary. If this preacher is reaching 1st-gen Korean Americans then why should I waste a breath breaking it down. And I don’t think it’s because they are theologically shallow or spiritual novices either. How presumptuous of me to think that just because I am more Americanized, that I have a better theology, or more discriminating preacher preferences. I refuse to be a religious snob.
Something, deep inside the Korean psyche, worldview, theology – something about Osteen resonates with the soul of the immigrant. I’m not sure what it is but it’s there, it’s real and it’s legitimate. What is it? I feel like sometimes we 2nd gen can name the theologies – resulting in a more critical spirit towards the 1st gen – when in fact they live(d) the theologies. Big difference there. But anyway. Maybe it’s not nothign profound at all. They all seem to like his smile: “In-sang jo-ah” (bright persona / appearance)
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Wayne, I appreciate your willingness to look into this issue without being critical of JO. I personally find it way to easy to be critical of the “big time TV” preacher dudes, hard for me to see the legitimacy from a strictly community standpoint. However, I do find it interesting and even a little refreshing that Koreans are really into JO, God uses different people FOR different people I guess.
I listened to some of Joel Osteen messages years back and liked them, but later read his book and couldn’t finish. I try to remind myself of that Philippians passage where Paul encourages his followers to let those who preach the gospel preach it even if for false motives.
In any event, there are worse examples out there than Joel Osteen. At least, he doesn’t necessarily seem arrogant. Maybe that’s part of his appeal?
I would think so…
He def doesn’t come across as arrogant, or polemical, or critical, or anti-anything… he just seems really really nice, and bright, and positive.
And that attitude (and also that smile) is what seems to win over most Koreans…