Being at home on stay at home orders has been trying.
It has also brought up a truth this Easter Sunday; I haven't been to a church that engages in "prosperity gospel" because "prosperity gospel" hasn't fed my spirit and was never meant to nourish my soul.
This epiphany came to me yesterday after seeing a commercial for TBN featuring Joel Osteen. Yes, I am talking about that Pastor Joel Osteen whose church seats 16,000 people but wouldn't open his church to help Hurricane Harvey victims. Please understand that I am not judging him; I have no understanding of why he felt "the city needed to tell him" that he needed to help his fellow man in a crisis.
I also wrote about my experience with racism in the church in this diary.
Here are some videos of prosperity gospel preachers.
I needed to add these videos for context.
I bear no hatred towards them; I simply cannot honor the doctrine that confuses submission to God with subservience to extremely entitled and insecure human beings that want to be God. Nor can I honor the not so subtle white supremacy that's also in the prosperity gospel. I can't honor the dangerously eugenicist theories that's supposed to be the "Word of God".
Here's an example.
On the other hand I would rather feed my soul with this.
I also wouldn't mind feeding my soul with this.
I could also feed my soul with this.
This Easter and beyond, I will not feed my soul with a false doctrine that never had the intention of including me but continues to rob man of peace, money and wisdom.
Happy Easter, stay safe, sane and healthy. Feel free to tell your stories about your experience with "prosperity gospel" preachers or megachurches. Telling your stories will facilitate the healing process.
We are all in this together!