Joel Osteen's "I Am" Teaching
Jan 11, 2012 22:21:23 GMT -5
Post by PrisonerOfHope on Jan 11, 2012 22:21:23 GMT -5
Prophecy Proof Insights
Joel Osteen’s “I AM…” Teaching Seems to Parallel a New Age Spiritual Practice
Posted: 11 Jan 2012 01:00 PM PST
This past weekend the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) had a one hour special interview with Joel Osteen, the leader of the largest mega-church in the United States, Lakewood Church. I thought about sharing my thoughts and impressions about the Osteen interview this week, but I thought it would be useful to first watch a recent Lakewood Church service.
Last night I watched one of Osteen’s recent services on one of the religious television channels. I found out while watching that Osteen is promoting a new audio devotional called “I AM…” The broadcast showed Osteen and his wife provide a brief explanation of what the audio devotional was about. The brief explanation of “I AM…” provided by the Osteens set off alarm bells with me because it seemed reminiscent of a spiritual practice connected with the New Age Movement called “I AM Presence” or “I AM Activity”.
I assume that most people have not heard of the I AM Presence Movement. For those unaware, David Barrett, author of Sects, 'Cults', and Alternative Religions: A World Survey and Sourcebook, describes the movement’s teachings in the following passage:
The movement teaches that the omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent creator God ('I AM' – Exodus 3:14) is in all of us as a spark from the Divine Flame, and that we can experience this presence, love, power and light – the power of the Violet Consuming Flame of Divine Love – through quiet contemplation and by repeating 'affirmations' and 'decrees'. By 'affirming' something one desires, one can cause it to happen.[1]
Ron Rhodes, the author of Find it Quick Handbook on Cults and New Religions, also describes one of the main tenets of the I AM Presence Movement in the following passage:
The "I AM Presence" is said to be in each person and represents a point of contact with divine reality. The I AM Presence is “the Christ”. One can attune to the I AM Presence (or “the Christ”) by chanting I AM decrees. Such chanting reportedly brings about dramatic results in the life of the one chanting.[2]
As Barrett mentioned, the words that followers chant are known as “decrees”. The following video features a I AM Presence teacher explaining the role of decrees:
Note, the speaker mentions a “Saint Germain”. “Saint Germain” is the name of an Ascended Master, a spiritual being referred to as the “spiritual wickedness in high places” in Ephesians 6:12, who purportedly was connected to the founders of the movement (Guy and Edna Ballard).
This video contains a lot of unbiblical content, so feel free to skip the video if you want to spare your eyes and ears from seeing/listening to it.
I found a list of decrees for followers of the I AM Presence Movement to chant. The main theme of the list concerns opulence and supply. Before the list of decrees begins there is a message from Guy and Edna Ballard and their son (Donald). In one part of the message, the Ballards urged followers to call “for an ocean of supply of all good things-including money, to flood you and your world and all who are constructive forever!”[3] Here are a couple of the decrees listed that followers can chant (note, these are some of the least blasphemous ones that I could find):
“I AM” the visible opulence I desire”.
“I AM” the Active Presence, bringing this money into my hand and use instantly”.
I searched for more information concerning Osteen’s new audio devotional after hearing about it. I found that Osteen recently gave a talk about his “I AM…” teaching in a video called “The Power of I AM” (yes the "AM" portion is capitalized in the official title of the talk). The video of Osteen’s talk is shown below (if you cannot see the video below, it can be accessed at the following link).
Note: Out of fairness to Osteen, I will not capitalize “am” when quoting him because I’m unsure whether he intended the “am” portion to be capitalized or not. The title of Osteen’s audio devotional and the title of his video suggests that “AM” was intended to be capitalized, but I do not know for sure whether that was a decision by him or his staff to capitalize it.
According to Osteen in the video, “The I ams that are coming out of your month will bring either success or failure” and “what follows the ‘I am’ will always come looking for you”. Here are six of the examples (three negative and three positive) that Osteen gave to explain what he means:
“I am so clumsy, clumsiness comes looking for you”
“I am so old, wrinkles come looking for you”
“I am so overweight, calories come looking for you”
“I am blessed, blessings come looking for you”
“I am talented, talent comes looking for you”.
“I am healthy, health starts heading your way”
Osteen promises that “when you have the right ‘I ams’ you are inviting the goodness of God. Some of you, if you would just change the ‘I am’-you would go to a new level. Words have creative power. With your words you can bless your future or you can curse your future” Osteen provided several other examples of things people can say including:
“I am anointed”
“I am wise”
“I am a masterpiece”
Osteen gave his followers a suggestion of how to put his I AM… teaching into daily practice:
“It would do us all good to make a list-a dozen or two-of these ‘I ams’. Read over them all through the day. Get them down in your spirit. Meditate on them. They may not all be true right now, but you have to call the things that are not as if they already were. ‘I am blessed’. ‘I am prosperous’. ‘I am free’. ‘I am talented’. ‘I am young’. ‘I am beautiful’. ‘I am attractive’. Remember, what follows the ‘I am’ is going to come looking for you. If you’ll invite the right things into your life, the Creator of the Universe will breathe in your direction”.
Osteen attempts to frame his I AM… teaching around God and tries to cite a few biblical accounts to give his audience the impression that the teaching possesses some degree of scriptural backing.[4] I’ll let you decide whether you buy into Osteen’s teaching or not…
I just can’t help but notice how Osteen urges people to say “I am…(insert whatever word(s) a person chooses)” to get what they want and how the Ballards urged people to say certain I AM decrees to bring about a flood of supply and money. There seems to be parallel between the two ideas to me…
As an aside, Osteen mentions at 8:16 in the video: “When you say. ‘I am beautiful’ not only does beauty, youth, freshness, starts coming your way, but on the inside, your spirit-person comes alive”. I’m not sure what Osteen means by “spirit-person”, but I thought it was worth mentioning...
I anticipate that some loyal followers of Osteen will read this article and will become enraged to the point where they may attack me in defense of Osteen. Let me say before anyone attacks me that I do not have an ax to grind with Osteen. In addition,
I’m not jealous of Osteen’s popularity or his success.
I’m not accusing Osteen or his wife of being followers of the I AM Presence Movement or insinuating that they are (only God knows what the Osteens truly believe).
I understand that the Osteens have helped a lot of people who had tough times in their life, but that should not exonerate them or anyone from being critiqued.
I cannot stop anyone from following or not following anyone, including Osteen, so people are free to continue following Osteen if they desire to.
The intent of this article was to voice an observation about Osteen’s I AM… teaching. Perhaps I’m overreacting to the new audio devotional that the Osteens are promoting. I just think I need to say something because it seems to be some degree of parallel between Osteen’s I AM… teaching and one of the main tenets of the I AM Presence Movement, that is, saying “I AM” followed by some word or phrase will bring you what you say.
Note & References
[1] Barrett, David. Sects, 'Cults', and Alternative Religions: A World Survey and Sourcebook. London: Blandford, 1996.
[2] Rhodes, Ron. Find it Quick Handbook on Cults and New Religions. Eugene: Harvest House Publishers, 2005. Pg. 95
[3] “I AM Decrees” For Ascended Master Supply of All Good Things-Including Money”. 24 Apr. 2010. Last Accessed 11 Jan. 2012. www.docstoc.com/docs/35704129/%E2%80%9CI-AM%E2%80%9D-DECREES
[4] Osteen mentions at one point that scripture says “Let the weak say 'I am strong'”. Osteen appears to be referencing the Joel 3:10, which is part of a passage that says
Joe 3:9 Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up:
Joe 3:10 Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong.
Joe 3:11 Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O LORD.
I think this is a case of Osteen completely misquoting scripture. The “let the weak say they are strong” in Joel 3:10 is a reference to the arrogance of the Gentiles who gather for battle instead of a call for everyone who is feeling down to say that they are strong.
Joel Osteen’s “I AM…” Teaching Seems to Parallel a New Age Spiritual Practice
Posted: 11 Jan 2012 01:00 PM PST
This past weekend the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) had a one hour special interview with Joel Osteen, the leader of the largest mega-church in the United States, Lakewood Church. I thought about sharing my thoughts and impressions about the Osteen interview this week, but I thought it would be useful to first watch a recent Lakewood Church service.
Last night I watched one of Osteen’s recent services on one of the religious television channels. I found out while watching that Osteen is promoting a new audio devotional called “I AM…” The broadcast showed Osteen and his wife provide a brief explanation of what the audio devotional was about. The brief explanation of “I AM…” provided by the Osteens set off alarm bells with me because it seemed reminiscent of a spiritual practice connected with the New Age Movement called “I AM Presence” or “I AM Activity”.
I assume that most people have not heard of the I AM Presence Movement. For those unaware, David Barrett, author of Sects, 'Cults', and Alternative Religions: A World Survey and Sourcebook, describes the movement’s teachings in the following passage:
The movement teaches that the omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent creator God ('I AM' – Exodus 3:14) is in all of us as a spark from the Divine Flame, and that we can experience this presence, love, power and light – the power of the Violet Consuming Flame of Divine Love – through quiet contemplation and by repeating 'affirmations' and 'decrees'. By 'affirming' something one desires, one can cause it to happen.[1]
Ron Rhodes, the author of Find it Quick Handbook on Cults and New Religions, also describes one of the main tenets of the I AM Presence Movement in the following passage:
The "I AM Presence" is said to be in each person and represents a point of contact with divine reality. The I AM Presence is “the Christ”. One can attune to the I AM Presence (or “the Christ”) by chanting I AM decrees. Such chanting reportedly brings about dramatic results in the life of the one chanting.[2]
As Barrett mentioned, the words that followers chant are known as “decrees”. The following video features a I AM Presence teacher explaining the role of decrees:
Note, the speaker mentions a “Saint Germain”. “Saint Germain” is the name of an Ascended Master, a spiritual being referred to as the “spiritual wickedness in high places” in Ephesians 6:12, who purportedly was connected to the founders of the movement (Guy and Edna Ballard).
This video contains a lot of unbiblical content, so feel free to skip the video if you want to spare your eyes and ears from seeing/listening to it.
I found a list of decrees for followers of the I AM Presence Movement to chant. The main theme of the list concerns opulence and supply. Before the list of decrees begins there is a message from Guy and Edna Ballard and their son (Donald). In one part of the message, the Ballards urged followers to call “for an ocean of supply of all good things-including money, to flood you and your world and all who are constructive forever!”[3] Here are a couple of the decrees listed that followers can chant (note, these are some of the least blasphemous ones that I could find):
“I AM” the visible opulence I desire”.
“I AM” the Active Presence, bringing this money into my hand and use instantly”.
I searched for more information concerning Osteen’s new audio devotional after hearing about it. I found that Osteen recently gave a talk about his “I AM…” teaching in a video called “The Power of I AM” (yes the "AM" portion is capitalized in the official title of the talk). The video of Osteen’s talk is shown below (if you cannot see the video below, it can be accessed at the following link).
Note: Out of fairness to Osteen, I will not capitalize “am” when quoting him because I’m unsure whether he intended the “am” portion to be capitalized or not. The title of Osteen’s audio devotional and the title of his video suggests that “AM” was intended to be capitalized, but I do not know for sure whether that was a decision by him or his staff to capitalize it.
According to Osteen in the video, “The I ams that are coming out of your month will bring either success or failure” and “what follows the ‘I am’ will always come looking for you”. Here are six of the examples (three negative and three positive) that Osteen gave to explain what he means:
“I am so clumsy, clumsiness comes looking for you”
“I am so old, wrinkles come looking for you”
“I am so overweight, calories come looking for you”
“I am blessed, blessings come looking for you”
“I am talented, talent comes looking for you”.
“I am healthy, health starts heading your way”
Osteen promises that “when you have the right ‘I ams’ you are inviting the goodness of God. Some of you, if you would just change the ‘I am’-you would go to a new level. Words have creative power. With your words you can bless your future or you can curse your future” Osteen provided several other examples of things people can say including:
“I am anointed”
“I am wise”
“I am a masterpiece”
Osteen gave his followers a suggestion of how to put his I AM… teaching into daily practice:
“It would do us all good to make a list-a dozen or two-of these ‘I ams’. Read over them all through the day. Get them down in your spirit. Meditate on them. They may not all be true right now, but you have to call the things that are not as if they already were. ‘I am blessed’. ‘I am prosperous’. ‘I am free’. ‘I am talented’. ‘I am young’. ‘I am beautiful’. ‘I am attractive’. Remember, what follows the ‘I am’ is going to come looking for you. If you’ll invite the right things into your life, the Creator of the Universe will breathe in your direction”.
Osteen attempts to frame his I AM… teaching around God and tries to cite a few biblical accounts to give his audience the impression that the teaching possesses some degree of scriptural backing.[4] I’ll let you decide whether you buy into Osteen’s teaching or not…
I just can’t help but notice how Osteen urges people to say “I am…(insert whatever word(s) a person chooses)” to get what they want and how the Ballards urged people to say certain I AM decrees to bring about a flood of supply and money. There seems to be parallel between the two ideas to me…
As an aside, Osteen mentions at 8:16 in the video: “When you say. ‘I am beautiful’ not only does beauty, youth, freshness, starts coming your way, but on the inside, your spirit-person comes alive”. I’m not sure what Osteen means by “spirit-person”, but I thought it was worth mentioning...
I anticipate that some loyal followers of Osteen will read this article and will become enraged to the point where they may attack me in defense of Osteen. Let me say before anyone attacks me that I do not have an ax to grind with Osteen. In addition,
I’m not jealous of Osteen’s popularity or his success.
I’m not accusing Osteen or his wife of being followers of the I AM Presence Movement or insinuating that they are (only God knows what the Osteens truly believe).
I understand that the Osteens have helped a lot of people who had tough times in their life, but that should not exonerate them or anyone from being critiqued.
I cannot stop anyone from following or not following anyone, including Osteen, so people are free to continue following Osteen if they desire to.
The intent of this article was to voice an observation about Osteen’s I AM… teaching. Perhaps I’m overreacting to the new audio devotional that the Osteens are promoting. I just think I need to say something because it seems to be some degree of parallel between Osteen’s I AM… teaching and one of the main tenets of the I AM Presence Movement, that is, saying “I AM” followed by some word or phrase will bring you what you say.
Note & References
[1] Barrett, David. Sects, 'Cults', and Alternative Religions: A World Survey and Sourcebook. London: Blandford, 1996.
[2] Rhodes, Ron. Find it Quick Handbook on Cults and New Religions. Eugene: Harvest House Publishers, 2005. Pg. 95
[3] “I AM Decrees” For Ascended Master Supply of All Good Things-Including Money”. 24 Apr. 2010. Last Accessed 11 Jan. 2012. www.docstoc.com/docs/35704129/%E2%80%9CI-AM%E2%80%9D-DECREES
[4] Osteen mentions at one point that scripture says “Let the weak say 'I am strong'”. Osteen appears to be referencing the Joel 3:10, which is part of a passage that says
Joe 3:9 Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up:
Joe 3:10 Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong.
Joe 3:11 Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O LORD.
I think this is a case of Osteen completely misquoting scripture. The “let the weak say they are strong” in Joel 3:10 is a reference to the arrogance of the Gentiles who gather for battle instead of a call for everyone who is feeling down to say that they are strong.
