The flooding in Houston has been catastrophic, with scores of people losing every possession they once had.
The damage has left many wandering, not knowing where to turn next. One possible place to seek refuge would be the larger venues in the city, but one such place is receiving criticism because they’ve had to close their doors due to severe flood damage.
Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church has thus far kept it’s doors closed, and some are taking to social media to criticize the pastor, who is often a target of the left and he is receiving harsh criticism.
But is it fair? This is the tweet that some are attacking:
Victoria & I are praying for everyone affected by Hurricane Harvey. Please join us as we pray for the safety of our Texas friends & family.
— Joel Osteen (@JoelOsteen) August 26, 2017
Church services were cancelled on Sunday, and they say flooding (like everywhere else) has made the church unusable.
Some critics have posted pictures, but one was by a leftist activist and there is no way to know the exact time these photos posted by twitter users were taken.
Front of @JoelOsteen's huge Lakewood Church in Houston at 11 am. Closed due to "flooding". Person who took it asked to be anonymous. pic.twitter.com/gOndOncFuC
— Charlotte Clymer 🇺🇦 (@cmclymer) August 28, 2017
No matter how one feels about Osteen, it’s hard to assume malicious intent and before attacking someone, criticisms should be thoroughly vetted. That said, Christians under a such a constant judgmental eye it’s important for people like Osteen to be ready with a defense, so there can be no room for misunderstanding.
Faithwire will update this story when more information from Osteen’s camp becomes available.