If Benny Hinn Apologizes, Shouldn't They All


Evangelist Benny Hinn, his net worth is around $40 million, has apologized for preaching the prosperity gospel and pledged to stop. He admits he overdid promises that if believer sent him $1,000 that person would receive multiple amounts in return.

Many of my readers are religious and are quick point out that passages such as Luke 6:38, give and it shall be given to you, does not mean if you give it shall be given to you. Prosperity preachers are wrong, religious critics say, when they say prayer yields money.

Religious critics say God answers prayers for them but not for prosperity preachers. Prayers for heaven, healing and forgiveness of sins are answered.

I don't understand why these latter prayers are answered when those of money are not. It seems to me a god would not play favorites. But maybe this god has different ideas than I do.

We have to keep in mind that many of those who won the lottery prayed before they won. If they were just lucky and their prayers played no role why wouldn't they also conclude forgiveness of sins is a matter of luck as well.

While I think it is wrong for Benny Hinn to tell gullible people they might get rich is they first pay him, I think it is just as wrong the persuade people there is an afterlife. The evidence of both is the same, none.

If Benny Hinn is now confessing prayers do not help, other preachers should fess up that what they have been preaching about forgiveness of sins and heaven is no more accurate than the prosperity gospel.

Comments

  1. little helperSeptember 12, 2019 at 5:24 PM

    Giving to get or praying to get; no difference. Nothing more than wishful thinking.

    ReplyDelete
  2. little helperSeptember 12, 2019 at 5:30 PM

    Actually; The last two short paragraphs of the attachment is sufficient.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ardy BSeptember 13, 2019 at 10:21 AM

    "It’s not only churches that preach the prosperity gospels." I get a dose of prosperity gospel from my financial advisor and insurance agents. In reference to people falling for evangelists like Hinn, the concept of God's grace came to mind. Merriam-Webster defines grace as "unmerited divine assistance given to humans for their regeneration or sanctification". From what I have read, the sense of the concept varies by church and denomination. Divine assistance can be unconditional or conditional. Most often the latter. Couple the importance of grace in Christianity with literal interpretation of certain biblical verses and the vulnerability played upon by charlatans like Hinn comes to light. Prayer becomes prey.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jon LindgrenSeptember 13, 2019 at 10:50 AM

      You are right, the financial sites are wall to wall, "How to prosper during the coming depression."

      Delete
    2. little helperSeptember 13, 2019 at 12:23 PM

      Ardy; You are right. I congratulate you on your observation.
      There is more than one definition of Grace. Grace in it's simplest, and correct definition is "unmerited". (You don't do anything to receive). The catch comes when "grace", "graces (plural) is used as a pre-curser (requirement) to "do" (works) something to (get) the unmerited. (As opposed to the result of sanctifying grace, good works is the result). I'll give you one guess which church uses this ("conditional") formula. An often used term is; "Works assists grace".

      Delete

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