'It's the gospel of Ayn Rand': Son of evangelist eviscerates Joel Osteen's 'prosperity gospel' greed

The son of a famous theologian and evangelist ripped into "prosperity gospel" pastor Joel Osteen, saying his disastrous decision to deny help to the flood-ravaged citizens of Houston exposed him as a follower of Ayn Rand's philosophy of selfishness instead of the Jesus he praises every Sunday in his megachurch.

Osteen came under harsh national criticism earlier in the week for locking up his Houston-area church and offering only prayers to the victims of of Hurricane Harvey.

The criticism didn't abate after the fabulously wealthy evangelist finally opened up his church doors after he was publicly shamed across the board.

Appearing on MSNBC's AM Joy, commentator and prominent atheist Frank Schaeffer -- son of noted evangelical scholar Francis Schaeffer -- unloaded on Osteen for being more interested in his wealthy lifestyle than administering to the poor.

"Your father was very much involved in terms of this sort of prosperity ministry -- this kind of evangelicalism," host Joy Reid asked. "What do you make of the Joel Osteen affair here?"

"Joel Osteen lives in a 10 to $15 million house," Schaeffer explained. "He is one of these con artists, like so many in the evangelical world, who are all about 'send me money, God will bless you.' When they talk about themselves, it's 'look God had blessed me.'"

"The trouble with Houston or all catastrophes is that it doesn't fit in with the Osteen-Trumpian view of 'look at me, look how successful I am. You can be like me if you go to Trump University' in terms of Trump's con game, and 'if you come to my church' in terms of Joel Osteen and other evangelical guys," he continued.

"Osteen and these people, in terms of the old time evangelical gospel, are heretics," he emphasized. "They preach of a Jesus that hasn't come to minister to the poor, did not say blessed are the poor and the meek. Osteen and Trump come from the capitalist American idea of success. Their gospel is the gospel of Ayn Rand: 'Blessed are those who triumph over others and get rich.'"

You can watch the video below via MSNBC: