MondayMorningInsight - Leadership & Encouragement for Church Leaders

Joel Osteen Comes Out Against Bacon

Posted by: Todd
Posted on: Mon, October 12, 2009
Viewed 261
(53) comments so far

Say it ain't so. What would life be without Bacon? Joel says that turkey bacon tastes the same. I say not.

As someone who recently grilled "The Bacon Explosion", this teaching makes me nearly cry.

So... what say you? Should Christians abstain from pork?

Watch the video below...

Comments

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Dane Gressett on Mon, October 12, 2009

The pig’s stomach is almost identical to the human stomach. The issue with eating pork in the OT times related no doubt to the fact that they were not grain-fed animals (like today) but scavengers. Also, the parasitic disease known as trychinosis was no doubt a big issue. In the US, trychinosis has basically been totally eliminated. It’s actually against the law to feed raw garbage to hogs in all 50 states.

Joel needs to not only reread the New Covenant, but to get his science straight (instead of listening to or reading all the undocumented claims of self-professing experts on the internet.)
Pastor Matt on Mon, October 12, 2009

I think this vid is fairly old, but yes, quite laughable. Osteen’s teaching is, I have observed, more about morals & teaching people to live a good life (“your best life now” infact) than it is about the cross & Him crucified - their perspective on Faith appears to be a bit skewed.
Tim McCurdy on Mon, October 12, 2009

Read: Colossians 2:16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. or Hebrews 13:9 Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by ceremonial foods, which are of no value to those who eat them. or Romans 14:20
Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. or I Corinthians 8:8
But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.
Carlos on Mon, October 12, 2009

Everyone has an opinion about this issue but the truth is that the recomendations Joel O. is giving in this video are Biblical. So they are not a matter of meat preferences or opinions. We must ask ourselves this question: Why did God give His people the food and sanitation laws? When I read the account in Leviticus it appears to me that God gave these laws for the benefit of his people so that they could live long lives and survive the dessert. So, Joel Osteen or any other christian that recommends following God’s laws for their own benefit is doing good. Talking about the sanitary laws, do you think we should follow those rules in the present? should we wash our hands often? should we establish quarantines if necessary? Off sourse, and not because it is a sin not to wash our hands often but for our own benefit.
Tommy Lyles on Mon, October 12, 2009

So is Joel getting any “kickbacks” from the Beef Producers Association? Dangerous sermon in the South where we like our pork chops, ribs, bacon, shrimp, oysters…heck, if it swims, crawls or flies we eat it!
lisa Honsberger on Mon, October 12, 2009

I’d like to know how many people that have made negative comments about this have weight or health problems…
Jeff R on Mon, October 12, 2009

This man seems to know a lot about food (I’ve also heard him preach sermons on eating fresh vegetables) but he honestly doesn’t seem to have a clue about how to interpret Scripture. No foundational understanding of hermeneutics. His immense popularity is disheartening.
David on Mon, October 12, 2009

Lisa, c’mon. You want to do a survey on people’s health & eating problems?

Jeff R, tell us all about hermeneutics. Tell us how the new testament specifically says, “oh, about what I said about food, now that it’s circa 77AD, never mind. You’re doing better with science and keeping your animals clean….I know I SAID my instructions were to be for all time, but I’ve changed my mind.”

Right on Tim McCurdy!
Pastor Stan on Mon, October 12, 2009

Something God created vs. a man created processed food. I’ll take the bacon anyday. We get bacon here in Indonesia but if it is served in a hotel outside of Bali, it is turkey or beef bacon because it’s halal for Muslims.
Maybe Joel forgot about Col 2:13-15? Or maybe he’s hanging out with Seventh Day Adventists now?
Fred on Mon, October 12, 2009

It’s one thing to say you’re doing it (Not eating certain meats) for your health and another thing to say you’re doing it to “honor God. Maybe you honor God more by believing what the new testament scripture says about meat.
Javi on Mon, October 12, 2009

Pastor Stan,
Hanging around Seventh-day Adventist? would that be a bad thing?
Oliver on Mon, October 12, 2009

Lisa, I made a very negative comment and I am very fit, I work out daily run marathons and have a six pack, almost. One of the biggest problems though with what Osteen is saying, is that my grandfather ate horribly and lived to be 107 years old. he smoked like a chimney. I don’t smoke, except an occasional pipe when reading CS Lewis, but I drink a lot, vodka is my fav. I eat lots of meat because I lift weights. This guy is wrong about everything he says. Life is about living not denying every little pleasure in life.
Jeff Stewart on Tue, October 13, 2009

Well then - let’s go back and kick uncircumcised Cornelius right out of the Kingdom! Sheesh Joel - where are you headed???
paul on Tue, October 13, 2009

is this in reaction to the swine flu?
Scott Gamel on Tue, October 13, 2009

I believe Paul, by influence of the Holy Spirit, was speaking directly of Osteen and his ilk, when he wrote:

Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons. These people are hypocrites and liars, and their consciences are dead. They will say it is wrong to be married and wrong to eat certain foods. But God created those foods to be eaten with thanks by faithful people who know the truth. Since everything God created is good, we should not reject any of it but receive it with thanks. For we know it is made acceptable by the word of God and prayer. 1 Timothy 4:1-5