Read this story about Benny Hinn from TheStar.com. I've never been a big fan of his and this isn't helping.
After the prayers, songs and preaching from the charismatic minister, Hinn tells the crowd he is getting a message from God that people in the audience are being cured, and he asks them to come to the stage. The Fifth Estate used hidden cameras to show staff screening audience members coming forward, ensuring none with obvious physical ailment get near Hinn.
"It's always somebody that has some kind of illness that can't be readily seen" that makes it to the stage, Justin Peters, a Baptist minister in Mississippi who studied Hinn, tells the CBC.
Hinn says the cures take place in the audience, not on stage, so no one still in a wheelchair is allowed on stage. God, he says, has obviously not cured these people.
"I won't let them up, because they haven't been healed," he says.
The CBC tracked down some of the people claimed to have been cured, only to find that they were either still sick, never had the condition they were supposedly cured of, or had died.
Speaking to the Star, Hinn says he is forced to rely on the word of those coming to his crusades to tell him they are cured.
"It's not my job to claim that they are healed. I have never done that," he says. "I'm not a doctor."
Anytime you put on a rock show (read: worship service) complete with loud music and flashing lights you will find someone who has had a touch from God…loud music, light shows, inspirational talk may give you the warm fuzzies, but it doesn't make the feelings real. Far too many people are suckers who can convince themselves of anything…of course maybe I'm just a pessimist.
Has anyone here been "touched" at a Benny Hinn Concert?
No. I used to watch him occasionally when trying to buy into all the TBN stuff that everyone else I knew insisted was “of God”.
Personally, he’s always given me the creeps. There’s a look in his eye that seems more demonic than holy.
Has anyone ever seen this video?
I DONT THINK YOU UNDERSTAND!!!!
SUPER BAD REALLY MIGHT BE THE BEST MOVIE EVER. UNFORTUNATLY I REALLY DON’T REMEMBER MUCH, BUT TO PUT IT IN WORDS WE ALL CAN UNDERSTAND WEDDING CRASHERS HAS SOME COMPETITION.
I HEAR BENNY HINN IS GREAT AT CURING UNEMPLOYMENT!!!!
Here is the documentry on the CBC – very revealing stuff:
http://www.cbc.ca/fifth/main_miracles.html
Here is Benny’s wife in action:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=2jhw_5ye8Qo
Hinn is a hack. Even during my deluded years in MFI/CBC, I always thought Hinn was a fraud. Sounds like some of you agree. So, I guess we weren’t total goners even then. That’s encouraging.
Hinn’s wife’s youtube blurb is SCARY! A holy spirit enema? God won’t tolerate any less than that? How sacreligious! Not to mention completely nonsensical! What kind of parable is THAT?! Not to mention she’s so out of breath she can hardly talk. You’d think she had just finished up a spinning class rather than simply paced a few feet a few times on stage. Some temple of God. SICK.
(Reformed Pope said: “I’ve never been a big fan of his and this isn’t helping.”)
I’ve never been a big fan of his, either, and I’ve tried.
After watching him over the years, I’ve come to the conclusion he’s more concerned with promoting himself than in directing glory to the Lord Jesus, which I’ve found is always the case with these type of guys.
I see very little humility or the Spirit of God in his “meetings†or “crusades†(read: extravaganzas), but instead, quite a bit of pride and the flesh.
After viewing those youtube videos — they’re downright depressing — one word comes to mind…abomination.
joebib
Joebib said it well
Like many of you here, even when I was completely “charismaniacized” I still did not buy “the Hinn,” and I am very disappointed to see that still so many Christians embrace his sensationalism.
When somebody is earnestly seeking the Lord for something (like healing), He often answers — whether it is at the beach or at a Hinn convention — just because He’s nice. Sometimes people have a greater expectation of faith at one of those conferences, and maybe that helps them be more surrendered to God. (??)
You ask if anyone has been touched at a Hinn crusade. I’ve never been to one personally, because like y’all, he kind of gives me the creeps. But a good friend of mine who had been praying for children after a year or two of trying went to one of Benny’s meetings in Portland. She said while she was there she felt the warm fuzzies all over. The next month she and her husband got pregnant. My friend says God healed her at Benny’s meeting.
Who am I to say otherwise? If He did, I attribute the glory to God, and I would hope that Benny would too.
I was at a Hinn conference once, not a crusade, it was a conference, with about 2,000 people “Training For Ministry”, He mentioned one thing that kind of stuck with me, he said that if you dont understand something, study the bible and go with the bible not with what someone might tell u, whoever it is.
CBC has a point, but at the same time they can only track down a few people that were “healed” they cant track down all of them. Could the statistics be different if everyone was surveyed?
As for the money part, it is kinda strange that he stays in 10k/night hotel rooms, but we all need to take vacations right? lol. During the conference i went to I was saving money to goto bible school, and when the time for offerings came along, God challenged me i guess to give twice what i wrote on my check, so after hesitating for some time, i made out a new check, for what God said………..A month before I have to go to bible school, the money I needed came from very unexpected sources, and now with less than a week prior to my departure, i have alot more money than i need to get through they year of bible school.
Thats just my story, but im sure someone else is out there who did the same thing, but got very different results.
I cant say much about the healings, i have never been sick. I have friends who have been healed, not at a Hinn crusade, but were healed nonetheless…I also had a brother that died of cancer, and wasnt healed , and people prayed for him too, he was less than 1 year old….
Im not trying to tale Hinns side or whatever, I guess im just sharing my experiences, Mainly because i dont want to go to sleep yet, and theres nothing better todo.
In the past few months, I realized that seeking a personal relationship with God is the only way to go, because if you dont do that, all you can base your faith on is things you hear which can get confusing, i.e. tens of thousands of Hinn supporters, and tens of thousands of Anti-Hinn people, it maked you question everything, and leave you in a state of extreme confusion. But having a personal relationship with God gives you whatever you need to understand what is going on, at things like Benny Hinn crusades, you dont have to trust someone elses opinion, because you have the knowledge to know whether or not that opinion is legitimate or not….
Ive been tought not to talk bad about preachers, no matter what you think of them, because you never know who God sees them as…Imagine you spend your life claiming someone is a false prophet, and then you get to heaven, and it turns out that you were wrong, wouldnt that be kind of a bad thing?
…….Anyways, good night everybody. God Bless
I went to one of Benny Hinn’s meetings a long time ago and I have seen him on TV.
Rock concert? No way.
There were old hymns and Hinn’s off-tone leading of them.
I know people who have been healed, whether through something like a Hinn meeting or at a local church.
God does the healing, when and how he chooses.
Man puts on the show, and I’m sure God must shake his head, cry, laugh, whatever.
Hinn strikes me as a showman with good intentions.
Just my thoughts…………….
Even if there are legitimate healings at these meetings, I am still doubtful that their methods are either sincere or Godly. I think most transformations occur because people expect something from God and Hinn manages to snag some of the credit.
What if I suddenly discovered that God had given me a great gift in which it was possible to heal people of all kinds of ailments and diseases? What if I could pull people out of wheelchairs and cause deaf people to hear? What if I could cure cancer and cause lifelong pains to disappear? You know where I would go? No, it wouldn’t be on a national tour of sports arenas. I’d go to the local hospital, heal who I could, and start sharing about Jesus. I wouldn’t tell people my name, and I’d pray that God would keep me humble as I would be certain it wasn’t anything I’d done, it was the Holy Spirit working through me. And I certainly wouldn’t take a dime from anyone. “Freely you have received, freely give.”
When was the last time ol’ Benny went to a local hospital to share his “gift”? If he truly can heal people, why isn’t he going to the people that need it most? And why must he ask for money to show up? If he truly had the gift, he would never have to leave his home town, as thousands of people would simply come to him.
There is nothing consistent with his actions for someone who truly has the inside track on the Holy Spirit, and he misrepresents God and the Gospel. He should be exposed and shunned.
That’s a very good point. Here’s a BIGGER point to ponder:
For those of us who believe in the continuation of the miraculous sign gifts of the early church, why aren’t we ALL going to the hospitals to pray with people for healing? According to the bible, this type of ministry seems to be available to all believers (not just a select “anointed” few).
I ask this rhetorically, because I do know I haven’t visited any hospitals lately. I guess it’s a matter of faith.
RP asked: Has anyone been “touched” at a Benny Hinn Concert?
RP: At the end of the service in the Tacoma Dome several years ago, I did feel the power of God almost push me over when Benny yelled, “Touch!” toward the different parts of the dome. I didn’t like, however, the fund-raising pushes via videotape. Kathryn Kuhlmann, whose mantle Benny claims to have donned, did not have that kind of fanfare in her healing meetings. She only allowed cameras to videotape her during one crusade in Las Vegas. (To me, that tape is worth owning and can be obtained from the KK Foundation.)
Another thing I didn’t like is, at the end of the meeting, the people rushed forward to touch Benny Hinn’s hand, arm, foot…He extended his arm into the crowd for a few minutes as his staff braced him so that he would not be pulled off of the stage. That was too much emphasis upon “man” for me.
Benny has a book that contains healing and miracle testimonies. It is called, This is Your Day for a Miracle (Creation House). Throughout the book, Benny has included photocopies of what appear to be official medical reports with the names smudged off for confidentiality. It would be interesting to read it and do a personal follow-up on all of those people who claimed to have been healed. Anyone game?
Concerning tithing, Benny promotes it in his book, The Biblical Road to Blessing (Nelson). He tries very hard to use a “love of the Father” and a “surrender to the Father’s love” (chapter 4) approach to the tithe rather than a “law of God” approach. His approach is so soft-spoken and subtle that my guess is that thousands of Christians will be sucked into the mandatory tithe through it. He’s the only author that I have come across so far who actually tries to use the tree in the garden of Eden to prove the tithe: As Adam and Eve were not to “touch” the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, so believers are not to “touch” the tithe – it belongs solely to God (pgs. 116-118).
[Comment ID #28003 Will Be Quoted Here]
I have never seen Benny Hinn’s wife before. I believe she is even more of a huckster then he is, and that’s going a LOOOOOOOOOOONGGG WAY!!!
[Comment ID #28028 Will Be Quoted Here]
I pray that if God gives you a gift to heal people, that you would be open to allowing the world to see so that He may be glorified and more people would know the Giver of the gift.
And that you would remain humble.
And not sing off-key in a white suit on television broadcasts!
Yes, I have been to 2 Benny Hinn meetings. Once in Seattle, once in Portland. In Portland, BH had my son on stage. I believe David was 6 or 7 at the time. He wears braces on both legs due to Spina Bifida. He prayed for David, proclaiming him healed. BH had him take off his braces and walk back and forth across the stage. Well..David can walk without braces. Not as you and I can, but he is able. This was filmned and played on the Benny Hinn program.
My husband at the time had the AIDS virus. In Seattle BH prayed for Harold. Both times he was “slain in the Spirit”. Harold did pass away.
I have 2 thoughts concerning BH crusades. 1. I believe that people are genuinely healed and blessed when believers gather together in His presence. I also believe God can heal anyone, anytime, anywhere. Point 2. What I personally saw and experienced was hype. From my perspective, this display was distasteful. It was kin to using the power of suggestion to accomplish a healing.
One other point on this subject. Some folks are so desperate to alleviate their own discomfort or want a healing they follow signs and wonders seeking this. When the question in prayer should be asked, Is this sickness for my growth and benefit. Will it cause maturity in my spirit and those around me.
I agree with FormerACC. If you truly had a gift of healing, would you go on television and proclaim your gifting? Or, possibly, would you be asking the Lord since He gave you this gift, “how can this be used for Your glory and Your honor?”
Just A Thought,
Laura
This has been mentioned before on this blog.
About a yer ago ABC’s 20/20 did an essay by Jon Stassal called “When Is Enough, Enough? The discussion was on the fund raising of the likes of Bennie Hinn and all the others like him on the shameful TBN broadcast.
There was discussion of the great wealth accumulated by so many of those so called “preachers, which included $20million mansions with garages stocked with several very expensive vehichles, which Hinn is in possesion of.
For this blog purpose, all of that is incidental. The purpose here is to make this point:
Being interviewed on 20/20, Bennie Hinn was asked if he could actually document anyone healed on his program. Bennie tried to skirt the direct questioning. The interviewer persisted and asked if just one case where a healing took place could be documented. After a bit of squirming and atempted evasivness, Bennie answered, “NO!” Go figure.
People, open your eyes and see these people for what they are!
.
Is he a hin or a HUN
Hun (hÅn)
n.
1. A member of a nomadic pastoralist people who invaded Europe in the fourth and fifth centuries A.D. and were defeated in 455.
2. A barbarous or destructive person.
3. Offensive Slang. Used as a disparaging term for a German, especially a German soldier in World War I.
Daisyblackhead wrote: After a bit of squirming and atempted evasivness, Bennie answered, “NO!†Go figure.
DB: I think that we should read Benny Hinn’s book, This is Your Day for a Miracle before we close the door on it all. It contains doctor’s reports.
I believe that in order for a miracle to happen one has to have faith in it. Complete faith, without a shadow of a doubt.
Could it be that in the USA we are so focused on science and “reality” that we have lost our sence of faith? We believe, but then we at the same time wonder if its really going to happen or not.
Would Bennys crusades be different if the people that went there truly believed withougt a shadow of a doubt in that healings are taking place, instead of looking at the stage going “this is too flashy” or something like that.
Just a thought……………
[Comment ID #28172 Will Be Quoted Here]
David:
I don’t doubt for a minute that what you say about those Dr’s reports being in BH’s book. I just scratch my chin in wonder if any or all of those Drs are real and independent of the BH. Or are they just more bunk created by the Hinn ministries to help validate their claims?
A sceptic? Yes! For good reasons.
oh my!! David.. you seem to be a supporter of the Hin-Hun….
That’s ok!!
[Comment ID #28174 Will Be Quoted Here]
You should re-examine your position on faith, my friend. If it were up to us to provide all the faith necessary for God to move in our lives, we would be helpless! As Paul said in Romans 3:3
How many times did Jesus do miracles while scolding the disciples for their lack of faith? Go ahead, count them. I dare you.
In Mark 9, Jesus casts out a demon from a young man in spite of his father’s lack of faith.
You put God in your magic faith box, as if He were some Spirit to be conjured by your ability to drum up the necessary amount of faith! Don’t you think God can do as He pleases? God is not some genie in a lamp that requires a faith rubbing to do our bidding! He is not subject to the whims of man, neither does He require our full cooperation to do as He wishes.
People like Benny Hinn, Oral Roberts, etc. who portray God as some kind of faith vending machine to get what we want is a gross misrepresentation of the Father. Is not the Father merciful and kind and loving? Do you think He would really require that we completely transcend every single doubt about Him before He moves on our behalf? On the contrary, Jesus said,
If anything, people who subscribe to these beliefs about faith show how little their faith is in the Father who loves them!
Also, I am a scientist, and have loved science since I was a boy. To many Christians (and even other scientists) my beliefs would seem to be a paradox. God created Science. He made the rules. To deny them is to deny the Creator. If Science says many (perhaps most) of the so-called healings at Hinn’s meetings are illegitimate, then perhaps people should pay better attention to the facts rather than listen to his drivel. It matters not how much or how little doubt one has when you attend his meetings, if he was the real deal, then it could be scientifically proven and verified that genuine healings have taken place. God is not afraid of a little scrutiny, so why do people like Hinn come up short?
[Comment ID #28003 Will Be Quoted Here]
Just one more comment on Benny Hinn’s healing powers. His wife, as shown in the youtube video, obviously has a major weight problem.
Why hasn’t he “Healed” her?
(Shades of Peter Popoff’s hearing aid!)
Heal a weight problem? Nah, most of the time it is just laziness. I bet if she would just get a work out routine going and start downing some slim fast, she would be just fine.
Yeah, I saw a news report on him a while ago and they said that they followed up on some people who were supposedly healed at one of his crusades. One woman who was told that she was healed of cancer, ended up dying some time later, alone. Sad.
FICM Said:
Dude! These guys totally are on the same track as you:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cawV8kz7tQA&NR=1
(best line: blindness, cancer, you name it Benny can heal it. Well except tone deftness)
“I believe that people are genuinely healed and blessed when believers gather together in His presence. I also believe God can heal anyone, anytime, anywhere”
I went to one of his meetings in the mid 90′s and honestly say the presence of the Lord was their but I doubt it had anything to do with the nonsense on stage, more likely the saved ones in the audience and God blessing them.
[Comment ID #28251 Will Be Quoted Here]
The last 20 seconds of that youtube is HILARIOUS!