Benny Hinn and dateline

[Chuck_Darwin]

Anyone see the NBC dateline expose on Benny Hinn and his "healing" crusades? I only saw about 15 minutes of it. We were over at a friends house and watched a bit of it then he shut it off in disgust.

What are your opinions of the expose? And why is it up to the secular media to expose him as a fraud(my assumpution b/c I didn't see the whole special)? I have noticed that in general the christain community is not very effective in self policing their extended flock.

I remember going to hear Mike Warnkey speak at a Christain College in the mid eighties about his life as a satanist and how he found jesus. Later I read about how he was found to be fraud. Yet I never heard boo abit it from the church or school that promoted his crusade, it would appear to me that they just swept the matter under the rug. Why is that?

 

[kanajlo]

http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_email.asp?/news/845747.asp

 

[Blindfaith]

Hi Chuck

I read this earlier, and couldn't come up with an answer for you.  I still can't.

There are many, many, many Christians (myself included) that think he's cracked, and speak out about it, but what can one really do?  He can get his "message" out there in a variety of ways, thanks to the technology we have and there's really nothing to be done.  Unless I'm mistaken?  I'd love it if I were wrong in this instance

Some Christian bookstore are still going to carry his books.

Some television shows (TBN included) will still help him spread his "message".

The poor souls who are looking for an insta-miracle are still going to give money to this *******.

 

 

[Hobokinite]

Hard to know what to think. Hard to know what to say. Does the guy do good? yes, i've met many that God has healed at his conventions. Is he a big target? yes. Is the money thing an issue? yes, he and all the other superstars are not good stewards. I don't believe in a poverty mentality, but I don't believe that preachers should be super sonic rich either.

I like small churches and pastors with a sheperd's heart. How can you be a pastor to millions?

Am I touching God's annointed like Benny would say? I hope not. All these big guys should go back to their roots.

 

[Doctrine1st]

Didn't get a chance to see that expose, but I saw one on him on HBO several years ago. It wasn't pretty, specially for the victims of what normally would be considered bunko schemes by law enforcement if it weren't under the protections of religion.

As far as why mums the word by the Hiearchies of Christianity and those who are so quick to speak out against everything they can find a sound bite for is; there most be this code of silence within itself. Their goal is to envagelize, but only if they knew how bad people as Hinn and all those on that chanel who we all know, hurts the very cause by making a mockery of the very faith they're trying to convert all to, one would think there would be an uproar, but no.

It's that same silence that kept the Catholic Bishops from disclosing wrongs in once the spot light of creditbility is on one in the church, it's on all. So what's the expedient move? Silence.

Happy New Year

 

[billhabing]

There is no reason to expose Mr. Hinn most people already know what he is about.

 

[Susan]

I believe that the televangelist in question is ethically challenged.

 

[MizDoulos]

Reminder:&nbsp&nbspLet's not let this discussion continue south into a bashing thread. You may express your viewpoints, but there will be no bashing of any denomination or group.

Thank you.


[notroll][/notroll]

 

[Annabel Lee]

Transcripts of the program:

Part 1: http://www.msnbc.com/news/845747.asp

Part 2: http://www.msnbc.com/news/848195.asp

 

[coastie]

Many Christian groups had already denounced him, while others didn't want to sell him out, especially without any solid proof.

Not many Christian organizations have the access or ability or podium to use to investigate and expose him like dateline.

Either that or its all a Giant conspiracy where Christians are trying to take over the world by healing people.

I don't know, I didn't see it, and I'd hate to write him off as a fake right away, but I've never really totally bought into that stuff.

 

[Chuck_Darwin]

I guess the root of my question or comment is about accountablity in the christain community. This is not an attack on any branch or denomination of christiandom. But a general lack of concern for the truth with in it's domain. Many groups have no issue with yelling from the roof tops the flaws or problems that lie outside of their domain, but when the issue lays within it is ignored. I can site 2 recent examples, the catholic church in Boston, and Benny Hinn. I do not point this out to call out these 2 sub-groups of christainity but as in indicator of a greater systemic flaw in the larger church in this country(and the world I assume).

I think that some of this can come from a desire to evanglize the world. Downplay the negatives and tout the positives. But is this dishonest? Benny Hinn came to my town last year. He was brought in by over 50 churches from the area. They provided the support staff for the event and I think they under wrote some of the cost. Were there any letters to the editor in the local paper from any churches that questioned Benny and his circus? No. There were a couple of letters from the non-christains calling him on the carpet. So where were the churches in our area that I know do not support Hinn and his ilk? They were silent to the public at large? Where is the light and salt?

 

[stillsmallvoice]

Hi all!

I met Benny Hinn (a local boy from Tel Aviv-Jaffa; there's a substantial Arab Christian community in Old Jaffa) back in early 1992 when he came here with a rather large group. I was working as a security guard/medic with a local company & we provided security at the Jlem Convention Center where Rev. Hinn was going to be. He was introduced to the security staff before the revival (?) & when he was introduced to me & was told that I was doubling as the medic-on-call, he shook my hand & said, "Well sir, we won't be needing your services tonight; there are going to be miracles here!" I thought, "OK..." He put on quite a show, that's the word I'll use. Everyone in the audience were either people who had signed up to come with him from the USA or local (Arab) Christians. Some of my native Israeli colleagues were in shock as Rev. Hinn did his stuff; they had never seen anything like it. He spoke about the late Kathryn Kuhlman, whom he had seen once in (my home town of) Pittsburgh, & from whom, I gather, he has learned/copied much. One thing he said sticks out in my mind (such as it is). He said that he was so excited to see her for the first time that when the doors opened at the hall where she was appearing, he pushed & barrelled past everyone and ran down to get a seat in the first row. I remember thinking he was such a heel & that he should have, rather, helped sick and elderly people to find seats rather than shoving past everyone to get one of the best seats for himself. I was not impressed.

Be well!

ssv

 

[MatthewDiscipleofGod]

"What are your opinions of the expose? And why is it up to the secular media to expose him as a fraud(my assumpution b/c I didn't see the whole special)? I have noticed that in general the christain community is not very effective in self policing their extended flock. "

My Christians friends and people I look up to have exposed Hinn a long time before secular media ever did. Ever hear of Hank "The Bible Answer Man"? He exposes many false teachers all the time. A quote from the article I link to below is "But a closer look reveals the same Benny Hinn who fabricates events to demonstrate his alleged supernatural powers from God."

http://www.equip.org/free/DP069.htm

 

[Evangelion]

Good call, ssv.

Onya mate.

 

[two feathers]

true healers don't promote their own names.
true healers don't beg for money.

 

[cosmokitty]

Hi Chuck.  I watched most of the special the other evening.  In reference to your question "Why must the secular media expose him?", I believe they were trying to point out that some of the things he does to "promote" his ministry are wrong.  It appeared that people really believed that they were healed only to return to their doctors and find out they still had the malady or disease.  I agree that 'ministers' should not use this technique to lure people to their faith. 

Also, there were questions concerning where the money from his ministry was being distributed.  At one time, Benny Hinn had promised to build an orphanage in Mexico City.  After investigating, Dateline could find no evidence for plans for the orphanage. 

Former members of his staff were on the show saying that they saw Benny Hinn's brother (no longer with the ministry-retired CEO of the ministry) take money from the offerings. 

I hope this information was helpful.  If possible, lookup Dateline online and see if you can get a copy of the original episode. 

 

[IslandBreeze]

I'll just say this. I have an aunt--who appeared on stage, and on one of his tapes, claiming to be healed of lupus. My aunt never had lupus, and for awhile she was saying that she WAS healed--but it came back...

Ever since then, I've stayed as far away from Benny Hinn and anything to do with him as I could. The man is trouble.

 

[ZiSunka]

Originally posted by Chuck_Darwin
Anyone see the NBC dateline expose on Benny Hinn and his "healing" crusades? I only saw about 15 minutes of it. We were over at a friends house and watched a bit of it then he shut it off in disgust.

What are your opinions of the expose? And why is it up to the secular media to expose him as a fraud(my assumpution b/c I didn't see the whole special)? I have noticed that in general the christain community is not very effective in self policing their extended flock.

I remember going to hear Mike Warnkey speak at a Christain College in the mid eighties about his life as a satanist and how he found jesus. Later I read about how he was found to be fraud. Yet I never heard boo abit it from the church or school that promoted his crusade, it would appear to me that they just swept the matter under the rug. Why is that?

We police each other about as well as the scientific community polices itself. Or were you not aware of the fraud scandals of science? Many researchers are currently under investigation for research fraud. Science, the journal, just had an article not too long ago about the drastic rise in research fraud in the past few years. YOu should look into it. Scientists, who live in glass houses, should not throw stones!

Oh, and most Christians have denounced Hinn and his "miracles," and expose his ministry regularly. But what are we supposed to do about people who are so desparate to be healed that they don't listen to reason and truth? We don't control each other, you know. We can only speak out and let people decide for themselves. Several of the "exposers" on the Dateline program ARE Christians who want everyone to know that Hinn's practices are NOT in accordance with Christian principles or Biblical truths.

 

[Chris†opher Paul]

Who is going to denounce this guy? Who is going to regulate him? For all I know, he started his own chuch, and like many others, are misusing the message of Christ.

 

[Miss Shelby]

Originally posted by Chuck_Darwin
Anyone see the NBC dateline expose on Benny Hinn and his "healing" crusades? I only saw about 15 minutes of it. We were over at a friends house and watched a bit of it then he shut it off in disgust.

What are your opinions of the expose? And why is it up to the secular media to expose him as a fraud(my assumpution b/c I didn't see the whole special)? I have noticed that in general the christain community is not very effective in self policing their extended flock.

I remember going to hear Mike Warnkey speak at a Christain College in the mid eighties about his life as a satanist and how he found jesus. Later I read about how he was found to be fraud. Yet I never heard boo abit it from the church or school that promoted his crusade, it would appear to me that they just swept the matter under the rug. Why is that?

HBO did a special on Benny Hinn and some other guy about a year or two ago.  They made these clowns look like total morons.  (not that they had to try real hard)

As for accountability, well there is none among Protestant Christians.  They may voice their opinion that Benny Hinn is a false prophet, but that is as far as it will go.  Why?  Because it isn't their problem.  That's why I'm not a Protestant anymore.

Michelle