For $40, You Can Buy Osteen’s “Inspiration Cube” & Be Pelted By Empty Platitudes
Joel Osteen, the senior pastor of the 40,000-member Lakewood Church in Houston, has begun selling the “Joel Osteen Inspiration Cube,” an electronic gadget that plays daily affirmations and sermon clips, according to Christian Post.
- The website for the device states that it retails for $39.99 and includes hundreds of daily inspirations, sermons, and affirmations.
- A spokesperson for Lakewood Church stated that proceeds will go to supporting the missions ministry at the church:
"Lakewood Church has licensed Pastor Osteen's messages to Idea Village of New Jersey for the creation of the Inspiration Cube. The cube is a library of Joel's inspirational messages in a portable rechargeable audio device."
- Osteen will reportedly not receive any compensation from sales of the device, which is set to be sold in stores all over the country.
- Osteen has been accused of promoting prosperity theology in the past, a doctrine that holds that believers are entitled to the blessings of health and wealth. He has been criticized for neglecting to place much focus on the reality of sin.
- In response to his critics, Osteen said:
“I believe God wants us to excel and be blessed so we can be a bigger blessing to others. I feel very rewarded. I wrote a book and sold millions of copies; and Victoria and I were able to help more people than we ever dreamed of. But when I hear the term prosperity gospel, I think people are sometimes saying, ‘Well, he's just asking for money.’”
