Posted on 01/03/2007 11:30:43 AM PST by SirLinksalot
Tele-evangelist sued over 'God can heal' claim
Ed Pilkington
Darlene Bishop, a tele-evangelist with a nationwide following, does not do things by half. When she and her husband Lawrence erected a statue of Jesus on the grounds of their mega church in Monroe, Ohio, they made it 62 feet high.
No less gargantuan are her claims about the power of prayer to overcome illness. Through a series of sermons, books and a television show, Sisters, broadcast on religious satellite channels throughout the US and abroad, she preaches that God has the power to heal even the most deadly diseases, including cancer.
But the contention is now the subject of a court action. Four of Mrs Bishop's relatives are suing her over her claim that God cured their father - her brother - of throat cancer. He died of the disease 18 months ago. In her book Your Life Follows Your Words, Mrs Bishop tells how she overcame her breast cancer through prayer, and how her brother was also cured. There is no mention of his death in the book, which she says is due to the fact that it was published at a time when he had been in remission for more than a year.
But the volume is still on sale through her website (price $15) under the blurb: "How God healed her of breast cancer and her brother healed from throat cancer".
Mrs Bishop's brother, Darrell "Wayne" Perry, was an accomplished songwriter whose work has been performed by big names in country music such as Tim McGraw, and by the Backstreet Boys. For a year before his death in May 2005, aged 55, he was cared for by his sister.
(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...
I don't put much credence in any tv preacher that has anything to sell. God's word is not for sale, it's free for the asking............
"Mrs Bishop's brother, Darrell "Wayne" Perry, was an accomplished songwriter whose work has been performed by big names in country music such as Tim McGraw, and by the Backstreet Boys."
Now THAT'S versatility.
Oh, methinks the woman is a fraud out to make the jack.
"In her blog, Mrs Bishop dismisses the allegations as "complete lies", insisting she would never tell anyone to refuse medical help. "I encouraged him to listen to the doctors, but he refused surgery."
Chemo is he**. Sounds like he decided God wanted him sooner rather than later. End of story.
"Hi. I'm Darlene Bishop, and I'm here to help."
Is stupidity on behalf of the plaintiff a valid defense?
God does heal. But the prerequisite is faith. And sometimes the healing is the *ultimate healing* in that the person is taking home, where there is no sickness or suffering.
Exactly, My2Cents.
I remember when my father was dying of cancer. I had a good scream at God... it says in the bible that if you believe, you will be healed. I believed, so why didn't he heal my dad? And God's reply to me was "That's why I sent my Son." My dad WAS healed, by the blood of Christ. We must all one day leave this world, and healing is not always physical, but rather eternal.
I can't stand evangelists who make false claims and lead people to believe that they will be physically healed if they do this or that and if they're not physically healed, it's their fault for not having faith. That's not what it's about. If it is God's will, He will heal physically, to show His Glory. Physical healing is a symbol of the eternal healing that takes place through God. Sometimes it is God's will that we be taken home to Him. Just my humble opinion.
Leviticus 26:1 Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the LORD your God.
I'd say she may be a TV preacher but that doesn't mean she is obedient to God's Word.
Thank you for your comments. As my father died of cancer last year, your words have special meaning for me as well. Sadly, most people consider prayer as means of providing a "wish list" to God, expecting Him to fulfill it, rather than a means to approach the heart and mind of God, and to discover His will in a situation. Clearly, God's concept of healing may be quite different than our's.
Many televangelists don't have the capacity to see things from God's perspective. It's probably because so much of their riches are here in this life.
Benny Hinn is nuts.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ob6cpfeMoBo
The premise is that all good comes from God, whether it be healing or just to be alive in good health, while physical disability's such as death are a result of sin and which sin is not from God. So how can a Christian be sued for their beliefs, one in which the state does not recognize in the first place? This is frivolous.
Have you contributed to his private jet fund yet?
My 2 cents also.
When we approach God about suffering, it's important to remember the words of Paul:
2Co 12:9 And He said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may overshadow me.
2Co 12:10 Therefore I am pleased in weaknesses, in insults, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am powerful.
When we get to Heaven, I believe we will be astonished at the number of people who were perfected through suffering and weakness. Having your pride stripped away is sometimes the best thing for you.
A flashback to the Steve Martin movie where the guy gets money for the cracked leather seats in his airplane.
One of my favorate passages, Pappy. The promise isn't that we'll not suffer, but that we'll overcome in the midst of suffering, to the extent that Christ will be glorified.
For those who are unaware, Hinn had a fundraising project going called Dove One. Basically, it was him asking for money from his followers to buy a Gulfstream G400 executive jet. You can STILL contribute to the project through his donation page (donate at least $1,000 bucks and you'll get a small replica of the jet), but it appears that he's taken down the main page that was advertising it.
"Leviticus 26:1 Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the LORD your God."
I'm wondering. Does that apply to Jesus, since he was the 'living god'?
Can an image of Jesus be considered 'graven' or an 'idol'?
God can heal, it's Darlene that can't.
Yes if it is venerated. Especially images of Jesus where he looks like a hippie.
"Yes if it is venerated."
What of the statues of Jesus in churches as well as him depicted on the cross?
Are not these images venerated?
"No offense, but you seem to be saying that God may heal his followers by letting them die"
And then there was Lazarus.
Was Jesus God? Was He part of the Triune God - God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit? Matthew 3:17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. John 10:30 I and my Father are one.
Not in many churches. Sometimes, they are just art.
"Was Jesus God?"
http://www.everystudent.com/wires/whodoyousay.html
Of course, as with any art, they can verge on (and go way beyond) tacky. See 62-foot tall hippyesque statues of Christ, etc.
Sadly, science, medicine, and the ingenuity of man are often inadequate to address some illnesses. On the other hand, miracles do happen. People are cured of illnesses for which medical science has no explanation. There is no "forumla" for such healings. And, yes, God does choose to heal those who do not claim much faith at all, but these often result in sparking faith in the individual.
Call her Tammy Faye Boxer. ;)
First off, anyone who can write for both Tim McGraw and the Backstreet Boys (gets out hand sanitizer and rubs down keyboard) deserves...something. I'm not sure whether it's respect, pity or a combination thereof.
Secondly, TV evangelists have always struck me as the epitome of loud and tacky. God certainly can (and, I'm sure, does on occasion) heal someone from terminal cancer. However, I'm reasonably sure that he has good taste.
Lazarus was a unique first time experience to show his followers that Jesus indeed had the authority and power to raise the dead. The first manidestation of this power was to His closest associates who still didn't realize who He was, and still didn't know it all afterwards until the very end.
God didn't cause Lazarus' disease, but used the disease to show Christs glory and total authority on earth.
The bible states that 'it is appointed once unto man once to die'. We all will die someday unless we are caught up in the rapture first. We may die in perfect health in old age or we may die in accidents or illness before 'our time'.
The bible states that 'the death of His saints in precious in His sight'. This not becase they die and cease to exist, but because they are going home to be with Him in Glory. Even the greatest of Gods faithful servents will die. Jesus Himself died and was buried, but rose again on the 'third day according to scripture' to show who He was and still is.
There aer only two people in the bible who were said not to die, Enoch and Elijah. Many melieve that these willl be the 'two witnesses' of Revelation who will be killed at that time and lay dead in the streets for several days before being raised again. Since all must die at least once, and these two haven't died yet, that will be their time.
All of Gods servents are human like the rest of us and they all have their faults and failures, and yet God delights in using us (humans) anyways. Even the greatest of Gods old testyament prophets had their failures, including reluctance to do Gods will simply because it will benefit non-believers, Example Jonah. Even Elijah ran in fear after slaying over 400 of Baael's prophets.
In truth, none of Gods servants can do anything without God doing it through them through His Holy Spirit. The bible declares that they labor in vain unless God is involved.
In so far as non-believers or others weak in faith not being healed, it is a soverign act of God exactly who He heals and when He does it. Oftentimes, even the extreme athiests get healed, even when they least expect it, just to show them who God and Jesus are.
While faith does move God to act for us and unbelief doesn't move Him, He is not moved by our needs or circumstances alone. If we spend a lifetime rejecting Him, can we expect Him to respond to our needs?
God has chosen to honor faith, the bible declares that 'without faith, it is impossible to please Him'.
God has placed so much emphasis upon faith, that He made faith alone in Christ the only basis for salvation and if He places so much value on faith for salvation, should He place less value on faith for healing and our daily needs?
A perfect example of all who ridicule Gods servants. Can anyone expect anything else? If someone rejects God, they will surely reject His servants as well.
Many od Gods servants aern't perfect, but they are His servants and when they carry His anointing, rejection of them is the same as rejecting He who anointed them.
"Of course, as with any art, they can verge on (and go way beyond) tacky. See 62-foot tall hippyesque statues of Christ, etc."
I agree. It's one thing to proclaim your faith to God by following scripture as it was intended. And quite another to erect 65 foot tall statues. Because in doing so, it seems you are not glorifying God or Christ, but just trying to draw attention to yourself.
I ask all these things to try to learn more about what I perceive, more than to argue right or wrong.
If I am wrong, or not sure about something I feel it's better to ask, even question in the hope to find the right answers.
Thanks.
"There aer only two people in the bible who were said not to die, Enoch and Elijah.
But what of Moses?
I always thought that God sent a chariot to take him to heaven and that he didn't die but was lifted up to heaven.
Is my interpretation wrong? Or did I just watch the 'Ten Commandments' too many times? :)
Just an airplane? Ken Copeland has his own private airport in his back yard.
Me too, I'm a strong believer in God, but have seen enough hucksters and false prophets in my life to fill a stadium. As flies are drawn to honey, phonies are drawn to profitable possibilities of the Gospel. Now Pat Robertson is yet again telling us of his "prophecies." It's amazing this man who cannot tell God's Word from his own still has a following.
I'll be seeing that in about an hour. I pass it everyday.
Exactly. I think we expect Christians to all look alike, dress alike, act alike, never wear anything bright or wear makeup, etc. God uses the FOOLISH things of the world to confound the WISE. Let's be careful of judging who is foolish and who is wise...
WOW. Coordinates?
I had a similar realization when my mother died of cancer. We plan what we are going to do next summer, God knows what he will be doing at the end of eternity. It's hard to keep that in perspective when you see someone that you love dying slowly.
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.