Letters About Benny Hinn In Fiji
compiled by Bud Press, Christian Research Service, 12/05


Floored by Benny Hinn

FIJI TIMES - by ROBERT KEITH-REID - January 1, 2006 - TOWARDS the end of this month how many gullible Rotfians will flock to be gulled by the Benny Hinn show?

Those who perchance have caught a Benny extravaganza on one of those Jesus shows the producers pay handsomely to run on television on Saturday afternoons will be familiar with his choreographed showmanship.

At some stage believers in Benny (carefully pre-selected, according to various Benny Hinn history files) assemble meekly, enthralled, on the stage before the font that is Benny.

Ever immaculate in a white outfit (ever worn more than once?) and perfectly coiffured hair (perchance a wig?) Benny stands ready to shrive them of all their little sins and any cough, sniffle or pain afflicting them.

One by one Benny's believers present themselves to him.

Gripped personally by God, as he claims he daily is thus being one up on the Pope, Benny ramps up the cant and thrusts a hand toward the face of each supplicant.

Behind each believer is positioned a couple of Benny's, er, bodyguards?

Their duty is to catch each supplicant as, overwhelmed by Benny's will they fall backwards, entranced, to be laid gently on the floor.

According to the Benny files, Benny, it is theorised, may have acquired some ability as a hypnotist, thus enabling him to induce temporary catatonia affecting people softened up by an hour of sales talk.

Occasionally the trick doesn't work, according to the Benny files.

Benny's bodyguards, because that is what allegedly they really are, standing alert to suppress trouble, quickly lead disappointed supplicants offstage before they embarrass Benny's mission.

I read somewhere that easily mesmerised people invariably have weak wills.

Rotfians all, as the nation stumbles toward a general election, perhaps in August, or perhaps May, would you want to suffer the afflication of government by weak-willed leaders unable to resist endless COLA demands by an every enlarging downsized civil service?

As the drama of the past few days infers, the will of some elements of the present government appears to be wobbly.

Benny Hinn's imminent descent from heaven in his personal jet offers us Rotfians, one and all, a magnificent opportunity!

Put our leaders to the Hinn test! Remember, Benny's infallible! He's ever online to God!

Present each leader to Benny.

Which of them would fall ecstatically, if weakly, backwards, bonk, to the floor before him, to lie bonked out on, felled in public by the power of Benny's salesmanship, for all voters to see?

One obvious candidate for the test is Laisenia Qarase.

His reported utterances indicate that he's a great Benny fan.

Another obvious candidate is Mahendra Chaudhry, a Hindu with surely Catholic tastes since he's a fired up apostle of that other well-heeled heavenly messenger, Mr Moon.

Unlike Benny, Mr Moon was not judged worthy of admission to the realm of Rotfi for red carpet treatment and $80,000-worth of taxpayer funded security.

Other obvious candidates for the Hinn test spring to mind.

Who would ecstatically fall backwards, bonked, before Benny? Poseci Bune? Apisai Tora? Sitiveni Rabuka? Mick Beddoes? The entire Great Council of Chiefs? Serevi?

That briefly Golden Boy boxer? The blokes out at Nukulau (some of whom heavily found Jesus within days of first landing there).

Asenaca? All the talatalas of the Methodist Church?

What would Rotfi's bemused voters deduce if they could bear witness to all and more of the above named collapsing bonk! bonk! bonk! to the floor, floored by the power of Benny?

What would Frank Bainimarama's response be to a holy advance from the hands of Benny Hinn?

Hands up those who think that those bodyguards would have to try to lead him gently away.

I don't think he'd go quietly.

http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=34505


We Say: Religious influence

ISLANDS BUSINESS INTERNATIONAL - Editorial - December 30, 2005 - Pacific Islanders suffer at the hands of their share of exploitive charlatans, native and expatriate. How many in Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Fiji have put their trust and money in the hands of a pyramid scheme trickster who has fleeced them of a lot of money?

A government of Vanuatu fell for the smooth line delivered to it by an Asian conman. He flourished what he claimed was the world's largest ruby, in reality a worthless lump of rock.

A steady procession of carpetbaggers has flowed through Tonga. The Cook Islands and Fiji have taken hits. Tuvalu and Niue feel guilty about how their Internet domain sites are used by foreign businesses that paid for access to them.

Frauds accomplished, or nearly so, by itinerant swindlers have been assisted in no small way by the naivety of some leaders of newly independent countries, but also by their avarice.

A feature of the security blanket now descending on the islands with the help, indeed at the insistence, of certain aid donors, is a burgeoning network of police, customs, immigration, financial and intelligence activity.

This is designed to counter crime of a kind which, if unchecked, could undermine the stability of certainly some of the region's countries and cause a great deal of trouble in any of them.

Good leaders naturally wish to shield their people from attacks by crime in all its forms. They also alert their people to entrapment by illusions presented to them in the name of one religious denomination or another.

As introduced to the Pacific Islands firstly by Protestant and Roman Catholic churches, and more recently by the fast growing evangelistic churches, Christianity profoundly influences every part of the region. It is not just that at weekends church ministers can count on preaching to congregations that fill their churches. It is that the Pacific's governments fervently proclaim themselves to be inspired and directed by God.

In the Pacific, Christianity is a powerful political influence that must be reckoned with. In Fiji, it has been distorted and wielded to illegally change governments.

Competition between the old and more recently arrived churches arouses unchristian animosity. Both these sectors have a new worry; competition from charismatic brands of Christianity. These denominations, presenting such ecstatic theatricals as healing, prophecy and gabble presented as speaking in tongues, are a powerful attraction for people ready to be diverted from set, staid religious services offered by the older churches.

The latest arrivals are popping up at a rate that poses the question; are some perhaps disguised money-making businesses run primarily for their personal profit by charlatan self-proclaimed “reverends”? Since national constitutions protect freedom of religion, authorities empowered to crack down on plainly criminal deceptions are inhibited in dealing with Churches of Mammon.

They have a similar handicap in responding to intrusions by enormously wealthy crusader denominations that are such an unctuous feature of the religion business in the United States.

Fiji's authorities in 2004 saw it fit to grant V.I.P status to Reinhard Bonke, a German evangelist, who claims a following of millions in Africa. He also claims to have restored sight to the blind and whole bodies to the lame.

In November, Vanuatu and Fiji barred Sun Myung Moon, a self-proclaimed Messiah and founder of the asset-rich and enormously cashed-up Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianty from landing on their shores.

The Fiji Government went so far to describe Moon's idea as being “misleading, repugnant and divisive and would affect the peace, good order, public safety and public morality” of the country.

In January, another big-time millionaire Jesus salesman, Benny Hinn, was due to descend on Fiji in a private jet. Hinn's critics have nasty words to say about his style of business. On the other hand, millions of people believe his claims to have a personal direct daily line to the managers of Heaven.

Unlike Moon, Hinn will get government red carpet treatment. His presence will cost local taxpayers a F$80,000 (US$45,000) security bill. Can't Hinn depend on God for his safety?

Is he exempt from that biblical admonition? The one about “it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.”

IslandBusiness.com - Click Here


Chicken farm

FIJI TIMES - Letters to the Editor (Sunday, January 01, 2006) - MANY years ago a man entered Jerusalem riding on an ass.

There was no great fanfare and many of the locals asked of each other "who is that man?"

This not knowing will not happen when Benny Hinn arrives in Fiji and is escorted safely to Suva.

This escort is not about safety, it is all about hype.

If Benny and his acolytes were made to obtain their own transport to Suva or wherever, many would not know of their presence.

But let the Government supply a whole load of ratumobiles, police outriders, sirens and flashing lights then you really do make an entrance.

You cannot miss the traffic screw-ups and better still from Benny's point of view, it's all for free, that is, he is not paying, the people who pay taxes are.

A very good start to any visit!

The Bonnkes, Moonies and the Hinns of this world bring nothing that's not here already.

So why do they come here?

Is it for love of Fiji, or Fiji money?

I suggest that all of these evangelists look on Fiji as a medium sized Third World chicken farm, and they believe that the gullible chickens are ready for plucking.

But don't leave it too late, they may wake up.

Is that why we have had the Bonnkes, Moonies and now Hinn in such a short space of time?

Who's next on the list?

Ron Welsh
Pacific Harbour

http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?item=letters


Christian Research Service Issues A Challenge to the Officials and People of the Fiji Islands

CHRISTIAN RESEARCH SERVICE - December 22, 2005 - Christian Research Service is just one discernment ministry among many here in the U.S. and overseas that has spent years conducting extensive research on Benny Hinn, and informing the body of Christ about Hinn's false teachings, false prophecies, false healings and lavish lifestyle.
Since the early 1990's, Benny Hinn's ministry has been under constant criticism--specifically from cult evangelists, apologists, theologians, pastors and former members of his churches--specifically for what he has done, said and taught during his telecasts and crusades.

And there are plenty of books, videos, DVDs, articles, news releases, news media documentaries and Christian websites that expose his deception.

According to Hinn's website and regular reports streaming in from online news sources in Fiji, Hinn is sche! duled to conduct his first healing crusade in Suva, Fiji in January 2006, where an estimated 300,000 may be in attendance.
But Hinn's visit to Fiji isn't without its own controversy. The clanging chains of questions and doubt are already rattling in a city with an estimated population of 167,000 people.

Please refer to the following articles from various news sources, including Fijian:
http://www.fijivillage.com/artman/publish/article_25697.shtml ("Qarase Defends Protection for Evangelist," 12/21/05).
http://www.pacificislands.cc/pina/pinadefault2.php?urlpinaid=18898 ("FIJI: Methodists Won't Oppose Visit of US Televangelist," 12/14/05).
http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=33558 ("Church wants Hinn banned," 12/13/05).
http://www.fijilive.com/news/show/news/2005/12/14/1407.html ("Crusade organizers undisturbed by opposition," 12/13/05).
http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=33514 ("No disclosure on Benny Hinn," 12/12/05).
http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=33443 ("Qa! rase backs man of God," 12/11/05).
http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=33480 ("Passing the needle test," 12/11/05).
http://www.fijivillage.com/artman/publish/article_25434.shtml ("Stop New Denominations Coming to Fiji," 12/10/05).
http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=33353 ("Don't ban Hinn call," 12/9/05).
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/bulletins/rnzi/200512091422/498dba8 ("Fiji minister says banned preacher free to sue government," 12/9/05. This article speaks mainly about the infamous Rev. Sun Myung Moon, but mentions Benny Hinn).
http://www.fijivillage.com/artman/publish/article_25418.shtml ("Church defends Benny Hinn's visit," 12/9/05).
http://www.fijivillage.com/artman/publish/article_25397.shtml ("Church Concerns Valid-Vosanibola," 12/8/05).
http://www.fijivillage.com/artman/publish/article_25390.shtml ("Church Concerned with Evangelist Visit," 12/8/05).
http://www.fijivillage.com/artman/publish/article_25380.shtml ("Methodist Church Concerned with Benny Hinn Crusade," 12/8/05).
http://www.fijivillage.com/artman/publish/article_24680.shtml ("Govt to provide Security for Evangelist," 11/10/05).
http://www.abc.net.au/ra/news/stories/s1527916.htm ("Fiji criticised for granting Visa to American evangelist," 9/12/05).

'Put Benny Hinn to the Biblical test. If he fails, put him back on the plane!'

Every year the suffering and dying flock to Benny Hinn's healing crusades with a hope and a prayer that This will be their day for a healing. But they leave the same way they came in--suffering and dying. Precious, innocent children, whose bodies have been contorted, wilted, misshapened and tortured by Multiple Sclerosis and Spina Bifida, leave Hinn's crusades in wheelchairs.
Furthermore, those confined to wheelchairs are always placed in the rear of the crusade building, away from the main audience, and away from  Benny Hinn and the stage where he conducts his "miracles."

It stands to reason, if Benny Hinn had the true Biblical gift of healing, he would go to the hospitals and emergency rooms here in America and around the world. But he doesn't, because God does not work miracles through Benny Hinn.
If the mere thought of this doesn't bring you to tears, then your heart has been hardened, possibly to the point of no return.
Therefore, Christian Research Service issues the following challenge to the Fijian officials and people: Put Benny Hinn to the Biblical test (1 Thessalonians 5:21; 1 John 4:1).

As a suggestion, once Hinn's plane lands in Fiji, Christian Research Service suggests that the Fijian officials immediately wisk him and his entourage away to the nearest hospital. If Hinn has the true, New Testament gift of healing, the bedridden and lame will walk; the diseased will be healed; the weak will be made strong; amputees will grow new limbs; children confined to wheelchairs with twisted bodies will be made whole; the suffering will find peace; the incurable will be miraculously cured; broken bodies will be mended; the blind will see; the deaf will hear; the dead will be raised to life.
But if he fails the Biblical test, put him back on the plane!

Is this too much to ask of a man who claims to receive visions and divine revelations from God, and visitations from Jesus Christ?

Sincerely in Christ,
Bud Press, Director
Christian Research Service
www.christianresearchservice.com
Jude 3
December 22, 2005

Additional articles and websites for further research on Benny Hinn and the Word-Faith Movement:
-- Do You Believe in Miracles?
-- The Price of Healing
-- IRS investigating televangelist's operation, report says
-- Pastor Hinn in Nigerian money row
-- Benny Hinn's Move into Necromancy: Faith Healer Claims Contact with the Dead Fortells New Direction for His Ministry
-- Out of Control, Again! Benny Hinn screams, hisses and pushes followers during Canada Crusade
-- Benny Hinn's False Prophecies for the 1990's (word-for-word transcript)
http://www.erwm.com
http://www.trinityfi.org
http://www.apprising.org
http://www.letusreason.org
http://www.powertostand.org
http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com
WORD-FAITH AUDIO CLIPS


Letter to the President of Fiji concerning Benny Hinn
December 19, 2005

H.E. Ratu Josefa Iloilovatu Uluivuda, CF, MBE, JP,
President of the Republic of the Fiji Islands
Government House, Berkley Cresent
PO Box 2513, Government Buildings
Suva, Fiji

Dear Mr. President:

Greetings from America in the name of Jesus Christ.

As you know, Benny Hinn is scheduled to pay a visit to your country and conduct a "Benny Hinn Miracle Crusade" that may attract thousands of Fijians to Suva in January 2006.

As a Christian who has spent many years monitoring and researching Benny Hinn's teachings, prophecies and healing crusades, I am led by the Lord to report to you that Benny Hinn has been proven to be a false healer, false prophet, and false teacher by Christians both here in America and worldwide. There is ample information and documentation available to verify this.

For example, over the years Benny Hinn's "healing crusades" have attracted untold thousands of adults and children, many of whom suffer from a wide variety of afflictions and diseases such as AI! DS, cancer, blindness, diabetes, and deafness. Others who attend Benny Hinn's crusades are confined to wheelchairs and suffer from Cerebral Palsy and Multiple Sclerosis.

Sadly, it is these precious, innocent people who flock to Benny Hinn's crusades with the hope they will be healed, but they leave the same way they came in--sick, dying and in wheelchairs.

It is important to note that those confined to wheelchairs are always placed in the rear of the crusade building, away from the main audience, and away from Benny Hinn and the stage where he conducts his "miracles."

Benny Hinn does not have the true Biblical gift of healing. If he did there would be thousands, if not millions, of testimonies to back i! t up. There is not one legitimate healing on record. Not one. There are, however, testimonies of people who believed they were healed during a Benny Hinn crusade, but they ended up dying a short time later.

Again, if Benny Hinn had the true Biblical gift of healing, he would go to the hospitals and emergency rooms here in America and around the world. But he doesn't, because God does not work His miracles through Benny Hinn.

For years here in America, Benny Hinn has indulged in a lavish lifestyle, with multi-million dollar homes, expensive cars, airplanes, designer clothes and bodyguards. Much of his wealth is a result of massive appeals for financial donations over the internet, and passing around large buckets at his crusades for money and checks. By now, the annual income for Be! nny Hinn Ministries may exceed $100 million a year.

Only time will tell how many Fijian dollars Benny Hinn will collect from your people and add to his growing millions.

In the past, Benny Hinn has claimed to be a "god" and a "messiah," and has also claimed to have regular visitations from angels, dead people, and Jesus Christ. He has even placed curses on adults (and their children), for those who disagree with him and expose his false teachings publicly.

On December 31, 1989, Benny Hinn delivered a series of prophecies for the 1990's, and claimed they came from God, the Lord, and the Holy Spirit. While delivering these prophecies, he said that:

-God would destroy! the homosexual community with fire by 1994 or no later than 1995.
-a destructive earthquake will hit the east coast of the United States in the 1990's.
-Cuban Communist dictator, Fidel Castro, will die in the 1990's.
-a world dictator, who is a perfect incarnation of Satan, will rule the world.
-Jesus will be seen in the 1990's.

Obviously, not one of these prophecies came true. According to the Bible, Benny Hinn is a false prophet and should be avoided (Deuteronomy chapters 13 and 18; Matthew chapter 24).

Mr. President, Benny Hinn's teachings and healing crusades are dangerous to the spiritual and physical welfare of believers worldwide. We love you and the people of Fiji, and pray that you and your staff will strongly consider canceling the January 2006 Benny Hinn crusade.

Thank you, Sir. I appreciate your time and look forward to your reply.

Sincerely in Christ,
Bud Press, Director
Christian Research Service
Jude 3

PS: For further information on Benny Hinn, please visit the following websites:
http://www.christianresearchservice.com/Benny_Hinn.htm
http://www.trinityfi.org
http://www.letusreason.org/WFDir.htm
http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/bhinn.html
http://www.erwm.com/BennyHinn.htm