Nov.5/2006; Benny Hinn was born Toufik Benedictus Hinn in the coastal city of Jaffa in Israel in 1952. He was one of eight children born to an Armenian mother and a Greek father. The family was Greek Orthodox. In 1968, they emigrated to Canada settling in Toronto and Benny, who by this time was a young teenager, began attending Georges Vanier High school, north of Toronto. While at school, Benny befriended a group of religious students who introduced him to prayer meetings and teaching of the Gospel. Benny eventually became a Born Again Christian, despite concerns and initial opposition of his family. When he was 21, he attended a healing service in Pittsburgh headlined by evangelist Kathryn Kuhlman. She would become a major influence on his life, so much so, that he emulates her style to this day. Benny Hinn began his healing ministry in Toronto by hosting his own evangelical program on local television. His success in Canada inspired him to travel with his healing missions. In Orlando, Florida he met and married Suzanne, the daughter of a local pastor and it was there that Benny Hinn began to build his evangelical empire. Today he is known as Pastor Benny . Without doubt he is one of the best known and possibly richest televangelists in the world. Each year he travels the world conducting so-called miracle healing crusades that are very closely patterned to a rock concert tour. Benny Hinn as a young pastor. He produces a daily television show called “This is Your Day” from his studios based in California and has written several books about his life and ministry, which he markets and sells, along with video tapes of his crusades, music CDs and bibles. Benny Hinn is also a proponent of the Prosperity Gospel or the Word of Faith movement. As is implied by the name "Prosperity Gospel" the supporters believe that faith works as a mighty power or force. That it is through their faith that they can obtain anything they want – such as health, wealth, or any form of personal success. However, this force is only released through their faith. According to Pastor Benny if a person expresses their faith by sowing a sufficient monetary seed into his ministry - that person will be granted divine physical healing. Jordie, the young man in Calgary is still on dialysis and still looking for his miracle. Little Grace is fine, says her Mom, but there's been no change in her physical condition. They haven't attended any more of Pastor Benny's crusades. Also, in his letter to his followers after our original broadcast, Pastor Benny suggests that our reporting on his hotel expenses was misleading. He claims that the hotels he uses often give him rooms for free, or "deeply discounted". Well, we checked on that and the two luxury hotels which appear in our story, the ones in London and Milan, both told us that they do not offer deep discounts or freebies on those rooms. Some Christian groups have been critical of Benny Hinn for preaching the Prosperity Gospel and for misinterpreting scriptures on a number of occasions. Read more on the Apologetics Index, it is an online resource on religions. He has also been criticized by a number of Christian watchdog groups for not joining the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability . The Council is the leading accreditation agency that helps Christian ministries earn the public’s trust through adherence to seven standards of accountability. It has over 1,100 members, including Pat Robertson and Billy Graham. Benny Hinn refuses to join. Roddy Allen, a forsensic accountant with the firm of Kroll Linquist Avey pores over financial records with the fifth estate's Bob McKeown. BENNY HINN'S FINANCES; Under U.S. tax laws the Hinn Ministry is not legally obligated to makes its finances public because it is a religious organization. Although most major American churches and ministries release financial information voluntarily there are no public records for how much the Hinn ministry makes or how that money is spent. Benny Hinn insists that every penny is spent on God's work. But the fifth estate obtained confidential financial records from inside the Hinn ministry. These documents were provided by individuals who say they want the public to know how Benny Hinn spends the money entrusted to him. The fifth estate asked Roddy Allan, a forensic accountant, to review the ministry's expense and travel records. He says, "I'm a mere bean counter, but it would be hard to persuade me that you had to incur that kind of expense in order to accomplish a business objective." The prestigious Lanesborough Hotel, next to Buckingham Palace, is frequented by celebrities such as Madonna and Micheal Jackson. Here is a very small sampling of financial records from the summer of 2003. At that time Hinn had crusades in St. Petersburg, Russia and Stockholm, Sweden then departed for a four day whirlwind trip to Italy and London, billing it as a simple layover. A hotel bill for room service and chauffeur services at the Lanesborough Hotel in London (see bill .pdf) Tips given to staff at Lanesborough Hotel in London after a one day stay (see chit .pdf) Tips given to the staff at the Savoia Hotel in Milan, Italy (see chit .pdf) $5000US dollars cash given to Pastor Benny Hinn (PBH), no details for the reason (see chit .pdf) A gift from Benny Hinn to a 'homeless woman with a baby' of $20US (see chit .pdf)
Justin Peters analyzed Benny Hinn's Ministry and its methods for his master's thesis in theology. Justin Peters was born in Vicksburg, Mississippi. The influence of two Christian parents coupled with the challenges of Cerebral Palsy led Justin to begin inquiring about Jesus at an early age. In fact, he became a born again Christian at age seven. As a teenager, Justin visited faith healers, hoping to be healed himself, but his hopes were unfulfilled. In November 1995, while attending Mississippi State University, Justin decided that his calling was to enter the ministry and become an evangelist. With that goal in mind, he set off to study theology at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. His Master’s thesis, completed at the end of 2002, was an examination of the life and ministry of Benny Hinn. As research for his thesis, Justin attended several Benny Hinn Crusades. However, his requests for interviews with Benny Hinn were denied. READ part of Justin’s thesis (.pdf) Justin is now a staff evangelist at the First Baptist Church in Vicksburg, Mississippi but he travels often to preach to other congregations across the United States. He is an avid hunter and fisherman. READ his interview with the fifth estate (.pdf)
FURTHER READING; On Tuesday, November the 9th, I watched the Benny Hinn documentary, for the second time. I am really appalled by his ministry. I can see how he his message appeals to people, especially ones in need. I am always suspicious of massive evangelical healing's in that I suspect "plants" in the audience. I think the fifth estate took the correct approach showing the various people that were in need and were shunted/steered away from the stage. - Mark Johnston
Thanks you for this program. People like Benny Hinn give Christian ministries a bad name. I'm glad you had the courage to expose his shenanigans. - Louise Swartz
You have successfully planted the seeds of doubt that will hopefully lead to exposing a major fraud. There's nothing wrong with believing and praying for a miracle....its' part of faith. I accept that. I have always been dismayed at the crowds I see and what I hear those odd times when I tune in and hear Benny being the Apostle of God....with a direct line, no less! What an act! - Tony G.
Thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you! Your show remains true to journalism and makes me proud to say that Canadian journalism is probably the most unbiased and balanced in the world. From your expose on Benny Hinn to your biography on Dick Cheney, to the conspiracy theories show that has become a classic, the Fifth Estate remains true to its aim. - Amar Sheth
I would like to congratulate you on the wonderful report in which you exposed Benny Hinn for the false prophet and liar that he really is. We are long overdue in sending a warning to the public about false televangelists like Hinn and many others who are only out to prostitute themselves and the Word of God for the almighty dollar. - Joanne Smith
Trinity Foundation Inc - leading watchdog of religious media Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability - DONOR ALERTS
TBN’s Response to ABC 20/20 Report Attempts to Mislead Donors, Transparency Grade Dropped to “F”
MinistryWatch.com Recommends that Donors Withhold Giving to Benny Hinn Ministries
ECFA Terminated Membership Ties with GUM
MinistryWatch.com advises donors to withhold support to Trinity Broadcasting Network; calls also for new leadership
Non-Transparent Ministries: Are they Faithful in Small Things?
Tsunami Disaster Scams
MinistryWatch.com calls for establishment of an independent commission to take over governance of Trinity Broadcasting Network
Claims by Leroy Jenkins Do Not Hold Up Under Scrutiny
Fraudulent Solicitation for Victory Orphan Center International
Where lies the Christianity of Christian Children's Fund?
Trinity Broadcasting Network's (TBN) hoarding too much cash
419/Nigerian Scam Targets Christians.
No comments:
Post a Comment