Joel Osteen target of elaborate Internet hoax 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Photo: Courtesy Dr. Oz Show Image 1 of / 18 Caption Close Image 1 of 18 Joel Osteen appears on the "Dr. Oz Show" on Nov. 17, 2011, to talk about the healing power of prayer. Joel Osteen appears on the "Dr. Oz Show" on Nov. 17, 2011, to talk about the healing power of prayer. Photo: Courtesy Dr. Oz Show Image 2 of 18 Joel Osteen throws out the ceremonial first pitch prior to a Washington Nationals baseball game against the Houston Astros in Washington, April 16, 2012. (AP Photo/Ann Heisenfelt) Joel Osteen throws out the ceremonial first pitch prior to a Washington Nationals baseball game against the Houston Astros in Washington, April 16, 2012. (AP Photo/Ann Heisenfelt) Photo: Ann Heisenfelt Image 3 of 18 Joel and Victoria Osteen, left, receive a 1683 King James Bible from their friends Roma Downey and Mark Burnett, who stopped in Houston Jan. 20, 2013, to promote their docudrama "The Bible." Credit: Lakewood Church less Joel and Victoria Osteen, left, receive a 1683 King James Bible from their friends Roma Downey and Mark Burnett, who stopped in Houston Jan. 20, 2013, to promote their docudrama "The Bible." Credit: Lakewood ... more Image 4 of 18 Joel Osteen joins Oprah Winfrey on stage at Lakewood Church during "Oprah's Lifeclass" in Houston Oct. 5, 2012. 
 
 Joel Osteen joins Oprah Winfrey on stage at Lakewood Church during "Oprah's Lifeclass" in Houston Oct. 5, 2012. Photo: George Burns, Chief Photographer Image 5 of 18 President Barack Obama spoke to Christian leaders at a White House breakfast April 6, 2010, with Joel and Victoria Osteen at right. President Barack Obama spoke to Christian leaders at a White House breakfast April 6, 2010, with Joel and Victoria Osteen at right. Photo: JEWEL SAMAD, AFP/GETTY IMAGES Image 6 of 18 Joel and Victoria Osteen, left, with their son, Jonathan, stand with former President Bill Clinton and his daughter, Chelsea Clinton, as they attend early services, March 2, 2008, at Lakewood Church. 
 
 Joel and Victoria Osteen, left, with their son, Jonathan, stand with former President Bill Clinton and his daughter, Chelsea Clinton, as they attend early services, March 2, 2008, at Lakewood Church. Photo: Steve Ueckert, Houston Chronicle Image 7 of 18 Then-Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., greets Joel Osteen, and his daughter Alexandra in Pittsburgh, March 15, 2008. Then-Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., greets Joel Osteen, and his daughter Alexandra in Pittsburgh, March 15, 2008. Photo: Carolyn Kaster, AP Image 8 of 18 Joel Osteen preaches during a worship service he leads with his wife, Victoria, Sunday, at Lakewood Church, the congregation he took over 8 years ago after the death of his father, John Osteen, founder of the institution. Osteen moved the congregation from its outgrown northeast Houston established site to the building formerly known as the Compaq Center and before that as the Summit, where the Houston Rockets won two championships, circuses entertained with clowns, tigers and elephants and numerous rock stars had packed audiences on their feet, not unlike today's service. Sunday, Sept. 30, 2007, in Houston. (Steve Ueckert / Chronicle) less Joel Osteen preaches during a worship service he leads with his wife, Victoria, Sunday, at Lakewood Church, the congregation he took over 8 years ago after the death of his father, John Osteen, founder of the ... more Photo: Steve Ueckert, Staff Image 9 of 18 Lakewood Church Pastor Joel Osteen, gives his sermon to his 11 a.m. sermon, Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011, in Houston. Olsteen's church averages about 40,000 people in attendance per week. ( Nick de la Torre / Houston Chronicle ) less Lakewood Church Pastor Joel Osteen, gives his sermon to his 11 a.m. sermon, Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011, in Houston. Olsteen's church averages about 40,000 people in attendance per week. ( Nick de la Torre / Houston ... more Image 10 of 18 Osteen Osteen Image 11 of 18 Joel Osteen preaches to a large crowd at the Times Union Center March 16, 2012, in Albany, N.Y. Osteen is a televangelist and the senior pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union archive) less Joel Osteen preaches to a large crowd at the Times Union Center March 16, 2012, in Albany, N.Y. Osteen is a televangelist and the senior pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union ... more Photo: Lori Van Buren Image 12 of 18 Lakewood Church Pastor Joel Osteen, left, stands next to his wife Victoria Osteen, who's the Church's Co-Pastor, as singers and the band perform on stage during his 11 a.m. service, Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011, in Houston. Olsteen's church averages about 40,000 people in attendance per week. less Lakewood Church Pastor Joel Osteen, left, stands next to his wife Victoria Osteen, who's the Church's Co-Pastor, as singers and the band perform on stage during his 11 a.m. service, Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011, in ... more Photo: Nick De La Torre, . Image 13 of 18 Joel Osteen welcomes his mother, Dodie Osteen, on stage at the Times Union Center March 16, 2012, in Albany, N.Y. Joel Osteen is a televangelist and the senior pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union archive) less Joel Osteen welcomes his mother, Dodie Osteen, on stage at the Times Union Center March 16, 2012, in Albany, N.Y. Joel Osteen is a televangelist and the senior pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston. (Lori Van ... more Photo: Lori Van Buren Image 14 of 18 Lakewood Church pastor Joel Osteen prepares to throw out a ceremonial first pitch before the Astros play the Indians. Lakewood Church pastor Joel Osteen prepares to throw out a ceremonial first pitch before the Astros play the Indians. Photo: Smiley N. Pool, Houston Chronicle Image 15 of 18 Joel Osteen and his wife Victoria greet a large crowd at the Times Union Center March 16, 2012 in Albany, N.Y. Joel Osteen is a televangelist and the senior pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union) less Joel Osteen and his wife Victoria greet a large crowd at the Times Union Center March 16, 2012 in Albany, N.Y. Joel Osteen is a televangelist and the senior pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas. (Lori ... more Photo: Lori Van Buren Image 16 of 18 Image 17 of 18 POPULAR SPEAKER: Joel Osteen often speaks to crowds numbering in the tens of thousands. When he takes the podium at Jerusalem Theater in Israel on Thursday the audience is expected to be about 1,000 people. POPULAR SPEAKER: Joel Osteen often speaks to crowds numbering in the tens of thousands. When he takes the podium at Jerusalem Theater in Israel on Thursday the audience is expected to be about 1,000 people. Photo: Ron Wyatt, Joel Osteen Ministries Image 18 of 18 Joel Osteen target of elaborate Internet hoax 1 / 18 Back to Gallery 
 
 It's a news flash with an asterisk: Lakewood Church Pastor Joel Osteen has resigned from the mega church that he has led since 1999, a move prompted by his decision to leave the Christian faith due to his "lack of faith." 
 
 The asterisk is needed, mind you, because the story is false, as in Internet hoax. 
 
 Whoever devised the elaborate hoax didn't just stop at a fake church website - http://www.joelostenministries.com/ - which is almost identical to the genuine Joel Osteen Ministries website - http://www.joelosteen.com/. 
 
 The hoaxer also has put up bogus news sites trumpeting the fictitious news, replicating news outlets that include CNN, Yahoo.com and the Christian News Network. They've also posted a fake YouTube video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxVo9wV5CtA& - and bogus Twitter page - https://twitter.com/PastorJoelOsten. Osteen's real Twitter account can be found at @JoelOsteen. 
 
 A fake CNN site trumpets the headline, "Pastor of mega church resigns, rejects Christ," with a subhead, "Cites lack of faith, pledges 'new church.' " 
 
 Likewise, the pseudo Lakewood Church website includes "A special message from Pastor Joel," where a would-be Osteen elaborates on his decision to leave the church: 
 
 In the message, the Osteen poser states that he has "been accused of altering the 'message' to fit my own doctrine and dogma. Others have accused me of preaching 'feel good Christianity'. I have also been accused of profiting greatly from my ministry, with my books and television deals. 
 
 "Many of their criticisms are legitimate," the bogus message states. "What they don't know is that deep down in my heart, for a number of years now, I have been questioning the faith, Christianity and whether Jesus Christ is really my, or anyone's, 'savior.' I believe now that the Bible is a fallible, flawed, highly inconsistent history book that has been altered hundreds of times. There is zero evidence the Bible is the holy word of God. In fact, there is zero evidence 'God' even exists." 
 
 Lakewood Church officials are aware of the hoax and "false rumor," church representative Andrea Davis said. 
 
 Hoaxes have come a long way since Orson Welles described a Martian invasion of the earth in a 1938 radio broadcast, which accidentally sent many Americans into a panic. 
 
 Today's pranksters often turn to the web, which has a rich tradition of hoaxes. Remember Bananadene, a fictional drug made from bananas? Or claims by English pranksters that they started the phenomenon of crop circles and that hundreds of "copycat" circles have followed? 
 
 And there was the bogus Cambodian Midget Fighting League, which duped some British newspapers to publish stories about the "tragedy." 
 
 Lakewood officials declined to say whether the church would pursue legal action against the perpetrator of the hoax. But if they did sue on grounds of libel or slander, it could be a difficult legal fight, a Houston attorney said. 
 
 "There are protections for parody and satire, but the issue is whether a reasonable person would believe that the publication was indeed satirical, or a parody of something," said attorney Charles Babcock. "The question is whether things being put out about the church could be deemed as defamatory." 

 America 
 
 Pastor Joel Osteen Is The Target Of A Complex Online Hoax 
 
 April Fool's Day was one week ago — but an elaborate hoax targeting Pastor Joel Osteen gained wide attention Monday, after those behind the hoax used Twitter, YouTube, and other social media to spread spurious claims that the pastor had renounced his faith and would close his huge Texas church. 
 
 Update at 12:15 p.m. ET, Tuesday: Man Behind Hoax Describes Motives, Public Response 
 
 But the story isn't true, according to The Houston Chronicle, which reports that "Lakewood Church officials are aware of the hoax and 'false rumor,'" quoting church representative Andrea Davis. 
 
 And on Osteen's Twitter feed this morning, the pastor's staff responded to a question about the story by writing, "It is a false rumor: Pastor Joel is not leaving the church." It now seems that that rather enigmatic tweet may have set off more interest in the fake story Monday than had been generated when the hoax was hatched last week. 
 
 To perpetrate the hoax, a convincing media "bubble" was constructed, complete with a fake Twitter feed (that's now been suspended) and a website that duplicated the look of Osteen's actual site — but with one "e" in the pastor's last name in the URL address. The website was not available for part of Monday afternoon, seemingly a victim not of punitive action but of over-loaded servers. 
 
 The fake site featured a letter titled "I am leaving the Christian faith," in which the person posing as Osteen thanked his wife, his congregation, "the State of Texas and my close friends, Oprah Winfrey and Larry King, for all of our support over the years." 
 
 The hoax was bolstered by a YouTube video that included mock-up images of the websites of CNN, Drudge Report, and Yahoo — all with headlines blaring the false news that Osteen had repudiated Christianity. The video was uploaded by "ChristianityNews," via an account that seems to have been set up earlier this month. 
 
 The hoax seems to have convinced some folks of the story's legitimacy, as the fake Twitter feed confirmed the news on the fake website. Comments on the video and elsewhere ranged from expressions of sadness to congratulations. 
 
 The fake site also included what it claimed were reactions from Osteen's congregation. Here's an example: "'We'll pray for him. He's come under the influence of the Devil,' said Margaret Samson, a twelve-year member of the church." 
 
 On Facebook, some of Osteen's actual followers wrote to say they weren't fooled by the hoax, while others sought clarification from the pastor. His social media feeds and verified websites have made almost no mention of the hoax. 
 
 A WordPress version of the fake site was taken down Monday afternoon, replaced by a message that its operators had violated their terms of service. 
 
 A domain search for the registration of the fake "Osten Ministries" site reveals that it was created on April 1, 2013, and registered to an entity listed as BMG Enterprises in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. At the time of this post, an email to the contact person listed for the site had not been answered. 

 We all go through times when we feel like we're going backward. Things were going well, we knew we had God's favor, but then things turned. We lost a major client, our child didn't get the scholarship, or a friend walked away. We wonder, "What did we do wrong?" But just because you face difficulties that you don't understand doesn't mean you're not in God's will. God is ordering our steps, and sometimes He will order a cutback. Just as there are seasons of growth, there are seasons of pruning. Without the pruning we won't become all we were created to be. 
 
 Jesus said, "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit" (John 15:1–2). That makes sense. When we have things in our life that are not productive—a friend who is pulling us down or a job that's leading nowhere—He'll cut those things away so we can put our energy into things that move us forward. But Jesus added, "Every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so it will be even more fruitful." The only way to get from "fruit" to "more fruit" is to be cutback. That means there are times when you're doing the right thing and the wrong thing happens. Instead of getting discouraged, recognize that it's a pruning season. Without that cutback you won't see new growth. He wouldn't let you lose your job if He wasn't going to give you something better. He may have pruned a friend out of your life, but there's a better friend coming. You may be satisfied to stay where you are, but God is not satisfied. He has new levels, new opportunities, new relationships in store for you. 
 
 Jesus went on to say, "If you abide in me, you will bear much fruit." In John 15, He mentions "fruit," "more fruit," "and much fruit." The way you move up, the way you increase, is simply by abiding. He was saying, "When things happen that you don't understand, abide in Me, trust Me, keep being your best. Believe that I'm still directing your steps, praise Me, and stay faithful." If you keep doing the right thing, keep serving, keep giving, keep expecting favor, keep going the extra mile, then your passing the test. You're about to come in to much fruit. New doors are about to open, new relationships are on the way, negative situations are about to turn around. Because you abide in Him, abundance is coming, healing is coming, breakthroughs are coming, new levels of your destiny.
– Somebody has put a massive amount of work into a hoax claiming that pastor Joel Osteen has renounced his faith and is resigning from the Texas megachurch his father founded, the Houston Chronicle reports. The hoax includes a fake Twitter feed, a YouTube video from "ChristianityNews" containing mockups of news websites trumpeting Osteen's loss of faith, and a fake website that looks similar to the pastor's own site. "Deep down in my heart, for a number of years now, I have been questioning the faith, Christianity, and whether Jesus Christ is really my, or anyone's, 'savior,'" the fake Osteen writes, thanking his wife, his congregation, Texas, "and my close friends, Oprah Winfrey and Larry King," and pledging to devote his efforts to environmental issues from now on. Lakewood Church officials say they are aware of the hoax. NPR has tracked the website to an entity called BMG Enterprises in Milwaukee.