Pastors Joel and Victoria Osteen bashed for throwing ‘Hook ‘Em’ hand sign
Thousands of students graduated this past weekend from the University of Texas at Austin, flooding social media with photos of proud new alumni and their families. For most parents, documenting the occasion with a photo means throwing up the ol' "Hook 'em Horns" hand sign, too, usually without much fuss. But when your parents are the first couple of televangelism, a spirited hand gesture can take on a whole other meaning.
Joel Osteen and his wife, Victoria, draw thousands to their massive sermons every week at Houston's Lakewood Church, and millions tune in from across the globe to watch. The pair also head a massive multimillion-dollar empire stemming from book deals and tours. Their son, Jonathan, recently graduated from the Texas college, and he posed with each of his parents for a pretty common photo taken during commencement weekend: the graduate and his mom and dad both making the "Hook 'em Horns" hand sign.
Congratulations @JonathanOsteen on your graduation from the University of Texas at Austin! I couldn’t be more proud! pic.twitter.com/cw7hcChut6
— Victoria Osteen (@VictoriaOsteen) May 20, 2017
We had a great day celebrating @JonathanOsteen‘s graduation from the University of Texas at Austin! So proud of him! pic.twitter.com/fHATVCFPQy
— Joel Osteen (@JoelOsteen) May 20, 2017
The gesture has a long history of alternate meanings outside of the University of Texas' use. In some parts of the world, the sign means cattle, which might be confusing if you didn't realize the Longhorns are the school's mascot. It also gained prominence after late rock singer Ronnie James Dio used it heavily in concerts as a way to gesture "rock on." Most notably though, it's seen as a sign of evil or even the devil. So seeing two pastors famous worldwide throw up the horns (as in Longhorns!) set more than a few people off on Twitter.
@JoelOsteen @JonathanOsteen Doe you know which sine this is Mr Osteen? Shame on you. Unbelievable. It's the devil's sine.
— Gré Westerhof (@GreWesterhof) May 20, 2017
😈 or what? Pls Victoria kindly explain.— Andre Andre (@AndreUPX) May 21, 2017@VictoriaOsteen @JonathanOsteen What symbolic signs are u showing the world? Congratulations for belonging to the
🐃🐐🐂🐮— Daakye Hene Emma (@LallypopGuy) May 20, 2017@VictoriaOsteen @JonathanOsteen Please explain why you u used that sign @JoelOsteen ,@VictoriaOsteen we seem not to understand
@VictoriaOsteen @JonathanOsteen ..Joel showing the sign of the devil is bad enough, you too Victoria.. unbelievable, what are you thinking??
— Steve Pane (@steve_pane_) May 20, 2017
While a nice suggestion, a thumbs up probably wouldn't fly around campus, since it's the sign of rival Texas A&M University.@JoelOsteen @JonathanOsteen The sign sir... I honor you but that hand gesture sent a very bad signal sir.!!!! Can't believe it's you.
— Innocent Nzola (@kavivyajunior) May 20, 2017
😶😶😶— askofu indimuli (@ian_indimuli) May 20, 2017@JoelOsteen @JonathanOsteen Why on Earth would you use the devil sign? My goodness a thumbs up would work or you don't have thumbs??
@VictoriaOsteen @JonathanOsteen Yea what's with the Satanist hex
— sergio gonzalez jr (@hoodysoldy) May 20, 2017
@VictoriaOsteen @JonathanOsteen @VictoriaOsteen why that sign, really your teachings have uplifted us but that sign makes me concerned and worried
— J So-oabeb (@JosefSoabeb) May 22, 2017
@VictoriaOsteen @JonathanOsteen Pst Joel I read and share your devotions with my family, very fond of you but you should've be sensitive to that sign, to christ its wrong
— wayne (@waynekitt) May 21, 2017
@VictoriaOsteen @JonathanOsteen Is it just me is anybody else troubled by hand gestures
— American Dad (@God_Guns45) May 20, 2017
@VictoriaOsteen @JonathanOsteen Doing horns?! Even though is UT, that symbol ain't good! Thats devil's symbol!
— Isaac Hogg (@isaachogg) May 21, 2017
A few users tried to help clarify that the hand sign was the official one used by the university to represent the longhorn mascot.
😑— Farand S (@Farand_Ess) May 20, 2017@GreWesterhof It's the University of Texas' 'Hook' em Horns (as in Longhorns)' sign.
@Sabato_Oukoo @JoelOsteen @JonathanOsteen It's a Texas hand sign...
— #FreeGianni (@MrBeyonceFan) May 20, 2017
@sir_oyola @JoelOsteen @JonathanOsteen Hook 'em Horns is the slogan and hand signal of The University of Texas at Austin.
— mclay (@mojoclay) May 21, 2017
🤘🏽— B0$$ (@jaclyn_raeee) May 20, 2017@cjtk10 @JoelOsteen @JonathanOsteen It's the university's sign for the Texas Longhorns!
In the end, the tweets congratulating the pastors and their son far outnumbered those criticizing the hand gesture.
🐂🤘🏻🐂🤘🏻🐂— Scott Borsky (@CantorBorsky) May 20, 2017@VictoriaOsteen @JonathanOsteen As a proud UT Austin grad, HOOK 'EM HORNS!!
@VictoriaOsteen @JonathanOsteen That makes the two of us for graduating. I'm proud of you, Jonathan. I graduated from College of DuPage, last night, too. Good luck to us! pic.twitter.com/DkTDEH5c7e
— Chris (Rad) Finch 4 (@RadFinch) May 20, 2017
@JoelOsteen @JonathanOsteen People are going to take this picture completely out of context with the hand gestures smh
— Peter Bahi (@PeterBahi) May 20, 2017
God bless you @JonathanOsteen. Congratulations!
@JoelOsteen @JonathanOsteen I am from Tanzania and I know this is a U of Texas Longhorns why are people so ignorant? Congrats Jonathan!
— Conrad Kwayu (@ConradKwayu) May 20, 2017
💜💜— WildBillWill™ (@JacksGapsRaps) May 20, 2017@JoelOsteen @JonathanOsteen Congrats! I keep thinking Jonathan is only 16, lol! I get the hand sign, ignore the haters!
🎉🎓😊👏— hermin rosiana (@HerminRosiana) May 21, 2017@JoelOsteen @JonathanOsteen Congratulations, being the best among the good. Thanks to God and your parents, they play a big role until your graduation. GodBlessU
@JoelOsteen @JonathanOsteen Such a great feeling when your kids graduate from college. Awesome accomplishment! Your dad would be proud too!!!
— Johnny Dudley (@coach_dudley) May 20, 2017
While neither Joel or Victoria have responded to the criticism, it’s certainly a moment for their global fans to learn a new meaning behind the gesture. After all, what starts at the University of Texas changes the world, right?
