Read Pastor Meeter’s recent sermon:

I get my haircut at the Park Slope Barbers on Seventh Avenue. The barbers are three Italian brothers who are very entertaining plus one quiet Russian guy. They know who I am and what I do. The tall brother is Vito, and I was in Vito’s chair and Vito was telling me that on Sundays he and his wife don’t go to mass but they watch the TV preacher Joel Osteen, and isn’t he tremendous, and do I ever watch him? Vito, how am I going to watch him on a Sunday morning? And his brother Angelo says, Yeah, Vito, how’s he going to do that on a Sunday morning?

Actually I got off easy. Even if I were free on Sunday mornings I wouldn’t watch him. TV preachers don’t do anything for me. I have nothing against them, I’m sure they help some people, but I did tell Vito not to send Joel Osteen any money.

I just don’t need anyone telling me that if I have faith I can be healthier, wealthier, and happier. Of course I believe that believing is the best thing I can do for myself and that it promotes success, but the full story is that sometimes faith can actually increase our suffering. The epistle reminds us that it got St. Paul put in jail.