Joel Osteen, pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, is in the news again and this time people are criticizing him for purchasing a Ferrari. After photos surfaced of the megachurch pastor with a $325,000 luxury car over the weekend, the Twitter quips abounded.
“I wonder if Joel Osteen thinks he can drive that Ferrari through the eye of a needle,” said one user, alluding to Jesus’ statement in Matthew 19:24 that “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
“Ferrari is trending,” said Mrs. Betty Bowers, a satirical character portrayed by comedian Deven Green. “That means either someone won a race or Joel Osteen took some of the money Jesus told him to give to the poor and went on another shopping spree.”
Film producer Franklin Leonard said, “In Joel Osteen’s defense, Jesus also drove a $325,000 car and lived in a eight figure 17,000 square foot home. You want him to park a Prius here? God don’t like ugly.”
“Joel Osteen has made religion a lucrative career and the fact that he drives a $325,000 Ferrari as he asks people to send him money only shows how morally bankrupt he is,” said a user named Josh Jordan. Several people responded to Jordan, pointing out that Osteen does not take a salary from Lakewood, but makes his living from his book sales.
Christian news satire site The Babylon Bee took a shot as well, on Sunday tweeting a May post with the headline, “Joel Osteen Unveils New Ultra-Thin Yacht That Can Fit Through The Eye Of A Needle.”
The only problem with all of the furor over Osteen’s Ferrari is…the Ferrari in the photos is not his. In fact, the two photos do not even picture the same car. Of course, Osteen is wealthy and might actually own a luxury vehicle. But there is no evidence he owns either of the cars depicted in the meme.
