In the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, Pastor Joel Osteen of the Lakewood Church in Houston, TX became the subject of controversy for failing to respond quickly enough in assisting the many who were displaced by the storm. While several other churches, mosques, and temples mobilized quicker to provide shelter to many of the victims, the Lakewood Church facilities remained closed for days. Social media was inundated with memes that mocked the leader of one of the largest church facilities in America, including aerial photos of Osteen’s massive home. Osteen responded with differing explanations for their inaction, citing concerns about safety as well as stating the government never asked for their help. If you know anything about Joel Osteen, who also has a large Hispanic ministry, you probably know that his message has been characterized as part of the Prosperity Gospel movement – a label he prefers to avoid. Prosperity preachers promote the notion that material gain is a reward for pious Christians. Osteen’s books can be found in the self-help section of bookstores next to those of Tony Robbins and Robert Kiyosaki. I don’t know much about Osteen, and he seems like a pretty nice guy, but I believe that criticism from Harvey had more to do with the public disdain for prosperity theology than anything else. Personally, I think Osteen promotes a positive message that is devoutly followed by thousands, if not millions, of people. If Osteen wants to provide guidance on how to live a wealthier and more fulfilling life, that’s fine – but if he is going to do it under the auspice of Christianity, I think he needs to do more charity work – plain and simple. The Bible references very little about the importance of prosperity, but it speaks volumes about charity and giving. The Osteen memes during Hurricane Harvey may not have been fair, but the public’s expectation of our spiritual or Christian leaders to devote more time and resources to those who are in need, is reasonable.
I believe deeply in taking the high road; it is rarely good to lose your cool, especially in business. It’s part of what we call emotional intelligence…However, it’s not always best to walk away from a fight. There are some things worth fighting for, and for the right reasons…Historically, NAHREP has been friendly with consumer groups. We have not always agreed on everything, but I respect them and have worked hard to have a good relationship with them. But…
The incomparable NAHREP at L’ATTITUDE (NAL) event in Miami. This year, the crowd will be bigger and the speakers will be even more impressive! If you are not familiar with some of the names, let me provide some additional color: Eddy Cue is a Cuban-American and the second-ranking executive at Apple, Orlando Bravo is the wealthiest Latino in America with a net worth of more than 8 billion dollars, and Priscila Almodovar is the only Latina CEO of a Fortune 100 company. Beyond this incredible list of headliners, the hallways at NAL will include…
Attorneys General from thirteen states sent a letter to the 100 largest corporations in America, advising them that they believe the ruling extends to private companies. In their letter, the group of Attorneys General stated their view that “racial discrimination in employment and contracting is all too common among Fortune 100 companies and other large businesses.”