Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Hinn healing: The plot thickens
The Times of India ^ | MONDAY, JANUARY 24, 2005 11:10:25 PM | SMITHA RAO & HEMALI CHHAPIA

Posted on 01/24/2005 10:20:39 PM PST by Gengis Khan

click here to read article


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100 ... 181-188 next last
To: Lib-Lickers 2

Who was paid off?

Was paying this off cheaper than facing even false charges backed by every liberal ACLU type in the country who would spend them into poverty?


61 posted on 01/25/2005 1:28:06 AM PST by A CA Guy (God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 59 | View Replies]

To: Khurkris

One thing common about charlatans is that you will find them in every religion.


62 posted on 01/25/2005 1:29:45 AM PST by Gengis Khan ("There is no glory in incomplete action." -- Gengis Khan)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 58 | View Replies]

To: A CA Guy
If you read the article, you'll see that the writer, Nickel, never says anything critical of religion. Indeed, he quotes both a Christian theologian and a rabbi. The quote from the rabbi's book is especially telling:

I hope there is a special place in Hell for people who try and enrich themselves on the suffering of others. To tantalize the blind, the lame, the dying, the afflicted, the terminally ill, to dangle hope before parents of a severely afflicted child, is an indescribably cruel thing to do, and to do it in the name of God, to do it in the name of religion, I think, is unforgivable.
I'll echo Nickel's last word after quoting this passage: "Amen."
63 posted on 01/25/2005 1:32:08 AM PST by snarks_when_bored
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 60 | View Replies]

To: Lib-Lickers 2

This fellow at this site uses the LA Times as the word of all truth regarding the issue you mentioned. He even says he relies on the LA Times for this story and offers NO KNOWLEDGE of his own on the matter.

Now we saw how fair the LA Times was to Bush and Christians in general all last year and during the elections.
They got it right about what, 5% of the time with 95% bias?

The Los Angeles Times is validity for you? Interesting.


64 posted on 01/25/2005 1:42:10 AM PST by A CA Guy (God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 57 | View Replies]

To: A CA Guy
Sure. I agree with that. There is nothing essentially wrong with a ministry asking for support. There are some ministries that do not do this as a policy.

The problem is when Bible teachers / preachers claim that listeners should contribute money to get something like healing or financial blessing from God. This is a serious distortion of Bible doctrine.

What did Peter tell the converted sorcerer who offered him money in order to get a spiritual gift? "Your money perish with you." Peter told him just the thought of this is wickedness. Yet these preachers promote this wicked thought as Bible doctrine.

What about when Elisha healed Naaman, the Syrian? After he was healed, he wanted to express his appreciation. (Nothing wrong with that.) The prophet refused it on principle. But his servant chased the man down and claimed the prophet changed his mind. The servant got punished by getting the leprosy which Naaman had just been healed of.

I guess my comments did need some clarification. Thanks for pointing that out.
65 posted on 01/25/2005 1:44:06 AM PST by unlearner
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 51 | View Replies]

To: snarks_when_bored

Cute, but this Nickel is a Senior fellow of the website you directed me to and they are very much associated with lots of aethiests all through the net.

Doesn't that smell the least bit fishy to you and do you really expect atheists to use science to validate anything Christian of of faith in your lifetime?


66 posted on 01/25/2005 1:46:46 AM PST by A CA Guy (God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 63 | View Replies]

To: Gengis Khan

Amen


67 posted on 01/25/2005 1:47:24 AM PST by Khurkris (That sound you hear coming from over the horizon...thats me laughing.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 62 | View Replies]

To: snarks_when_bored

never ever in the history of these so called healers has someone grown another leg, arm or eyeball when they have been missing them,, somehow out of the millions healed God decided to only heal unseen problems and deemed bone spurs, ankle injuries or bad hearing more important to heal than devastating injuries,,,,,,,,, and I loved the guys response when Hinn says with pride he has visited twice with the Pope and the guy said why didn't you volunteer to try to heal all the Popes afflictions then,,,LOL,,,


68 posted on 01/25/2005 1:51:07 AM PST by Lib-Lickers 2
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 63 | View Replies]

To: unlearner

The same preachers, ministers and priests have no problem asking for money to allow their Church to hear them speak the word of God.

If there is a healing ministry, it is your position that they should operate only while broke? Makes no sense to me.
I figure the fact that they travel the world is a staggering cost. They have to pay unions to run equipment. They have to buy and maintain the set and equipment, phones, employees and so forth.

You can't do that broke.

Now I'm sure there are other genuine faith healers that do this ministry different on a small local scale and they might be able to do it on five bucks a day.

It all depends on the circumstances, but I don't ridicule a ministry that collects money, what faith doesn't do that today with all the lives and buildings to finance?


69 posted on 01/25/2005 1:52:12 AM PST by A CA Guy (God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 65 | View Replies]

To: Gengis Khan

And in every profession on earth. It is a human failing due to a sin nature.


70 posted on 01/25/2005 1:53:41 AM PST by A CA Guy (God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 62 | View Replies]

To: Lib-Lickers 2
Bump for later amusement....
71 posted on 01/25/2005 1:54:05 AM PST by Gamecock (GWB: "Not because we consider ourselves a chosen nation; God moves and chooses as He wills.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 68 | View Replies]

To: Lib-Lickers 2

What makes you think the Pope is meant to be healed?


72 posted on 01/25/2005 1:54:43 AM PST by A CA Guy (God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 68 | View Replies]

To: A CA Guy

Whether Crouch did or didn't engage in the behavior attributed to him in the article, he shouldn't have paid hush money, and I hope he didn't. It's tantamount to bribery.


73 posted on 01/25/2005 1:57:38 AM PST by Chunga
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 61 | View Replies]

To: Chunga

The problem with TBN having an employee make accusations like this is that there are a gazillion layers from the ACLU and elsewhere willing to drag the issue into court and cause TBN expenses in the many millions to defend.
TBN is a target. Christianity is a target.

Becomes much cheaper to pay once and them never allow privacy with employees again for safety.
That's one of the reasons why these days lots of doors remain open so people can witness nothing happening.

It's too easy to make charges and gain a great pay day.


74 posted on 01/25/2005 2:04:48 AM PST by A CA Guy (God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 73 | View Replies]

To: Rocketman

Like I said, Hinn isn't my cup of tea, but I do not think TBN thinks he is a phony.
I also think the local paper on which this tread was started would not exactly be thrilled with any form of Christianity.


75 posted on 01/25/2005 2:15:07 AM PST by A CA Guy (God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies]

To: A CA Guy
It might be cheaper to pay someone off who is accusing you of something immoral; but paying your accuser off with hush money is very like a bribe.

If one has done nothing wrong, one shouldn't encourage others to question one's integrity and morality because one didn't have the stomach to face down a false accuser and resorted to payoffs instead.

76 posted on 01/25/2005 2:16:04 AM PST by Chunga
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 74 | View Replies]

To: A CA Guy
I don't think you read my last post carefully enough. I agreed that ministries are well within their rights to ask for support. Some ministries choose not to do this.

The problem with ministries like Benny Hinn's is when they teach false doctrine. I am sad to say that Mr. Hinn does indeed do this. He may be sincere. I do not know. But I have heard him promote this false teaching with my own ears.

This give-to-get doctrine is a distortion of what the Bible teaches. God is the initiator. He gives first.

If Mr. Hinn only asked for people who had already been blessed or healed to give as a show of appreciation, I would not object. But to say IF you give, God will heal you and pay you back with interest is wrong.

God gives freely without needing to be bribed.

Even if Mr. Hinn charges money to come to his meetings, he would be within his rights. Like you said, it costs money to do these things. Just don't attach giving money as a prerequisite for the gift of God.

I hope this clarifies the difference.

One other thing. I do know of a ministry larger than Mr. Hinn's that has always had a policy of never asking for financial support. This ministry demonstrates God's supernatural power to provide for their needs without asking anyone but Him. That takes a lot of faith. And I would not insist that ministries that do otherwise are wrong. But this is possible.
77 posted on 01/25/2005 2:24:10 AM PST by unlearner
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 69 | View Replies]

To: Chunga

The philosophy is nice, but the reality is that such a case would cripple TBN in court to defend.

Millions in costs to defend.
Would not only break the bank, but would allow what could be easily false accusations to be spoken like gospel through a trial which would make many members of their ministry to leave even if this was a false accusation.

So once, you pay something off, and the lesson you learn is to NEVER be alone with an employee again and to leave the doors open during most meetings and all where there are just two people who aren't married.

The cost of defending the truth and their honor could have easily wiped them out.

Similar crud is happening all through life, which is why there are open doors and many cameras installed to prove what did NOT happen.


78 posted on 01/25/2005 2:26:58 AM PST by A CA Guy (God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 76 | View Replies]

To: unlearner

AGAIN, I think Hinn (just like all ministers, preachers and priests) asks for donations.

It is scriptural to give to the CHURCH and at times the CHURCH might be the local healer.

I have never heard Hinn claim the healing is from him, he has always claimed that Christ deserves the glory and does the healing.

I am no fan of his style, but God works many times through those we least approve of. I don't know that this Hinn is false at all.
I'm not so sure he teaches any false thing either.


79 posted on 01/25/2005 2:33:43 AM PST by A CA Guy (God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 77 | View Replies]

To: A CA Guy
No. The appearance of impropriety is heightened by the payoff.

Why do most people believe Michael Jackson is guilty of pedophilia?

Because he paid off an accuser's family.

Assuming his innocence, Crouch has lost far more integrity via this purported payoff than he would have had he stood in front of a court, faced down his accuser and denied engaging in the behavior.

It could conceivably have cost him millions to do it, but what's more important? His solvency or his integrity as a man of God?

80 posted on 01/25/2005 2:36:56 AM PST by Chunga
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 78 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100 ... 181-188 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson