Benny Hinn - Catholic
Mystic
by Joseph Chambers, Paw Creek Ministries,
2000
The world of Benny Hinn
is a strange, confusing world. He fits perfectly into the category of a
Charismatic Catholic priest, dispensing theological bondage and mystical
superstition. The ministry of "Personal Freedom Outreach" describes a recent
Benny Hinn three (3) hour video which presented him "as a 'twentieth century'
'Holy of Holies', a 'point of contact' for the power and anointing of God,
much as Roman Catholic priests were presented during medieval times." (The
Confusing World of Benny Hinn, Fisher and Goedelman, p. 79.) They also
suggested that he is becoming a kind of "Charismatic Pope."
There' are a host of problems in the Benny Hinn world, but nothing is more dangerous than his Catholic style and theology. Katrhyn Kuhlman was clearly the first public Charismatic to merge Catholic ideas and support with her Charismatic operation. Benny Hinn considers himself a benefactor and model of the Kuhlman mystic. Oral Roberts said on the three hour Hinn video, "I saw Kathryn Kuhlman as unparalleled, implying that Hinn is greater than Kuhlman." Roberts then spoke of himself as having God's power ... in his right hand, but said . of Hinn, his anointing "fills the building . . . a greater level has come."
Benny Hinn's Ecumenical Gospel
Benny Hinn ministries took in over $100,000,000 last year alone.
Listen to what Hinn said concerning Pope John
Paul II after his death,
“Pope John Paul II pointed millions to Jesus Christ when he was Pope. And I believe we're in for the greatest move of the Spirit of God on this planet."
—BENNY HINN (Benny Hinn: The Impact of the Pope's Death, By Chris Mitchell, Middle East Bureau Chief, CBN.com).
What? The Pope pointing people to Jesus? Hinn is a false prophet! Pope John Paul II pointed billions of people to MARY!!!Pope John Paul II pointed people to himself, to the Catholic priests, to the Seven sacraments, to religion, to Mary; BUT, not to Jesus Christ. You cannot point people to Jesus Christ while simultaneously teaching the traditions of men. John 4:24 plainly teaches that God must be worshipped in TRUTH, not the traditions of men. What a deception!!! This is why Christ said in Mark 7:7...
"Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."
Deceptively, Benny Hinn presents the Gospel of Jesus Christ on his website. Benny Hinn also teaches that there are NINE members to the Godhead. Hinn is very deceptive. If you look at Benny Hinn's website, you might be totally convinced that he's a born again Christian. Yet, Hinn's life contradicts his statements. If a famous preacher claimed to believe in freedom and America; but then you find out that he was a member of the Communist Party at the SAME time, what would you think? That man is Martin Luther King Jr. Would you believe his words about freedom? No! Likewise, Benny Hinn presents the Gospel on his website; but, then praises the Pope, recognizes Our Lady of Fatima (Mary) as legitimate, partakes of transubstantiation (Catholic holy communion), and promotes Catholicism—The biggest cult on earth!
Benny Hinn And Catholic Confusion
There is not an organization on the face of this earth that is more thoroughly demonic than Catholicism. It is riddled with heathen teachings and doctrines of devils. Yet, Hinn proudly stated, "My upbringing, of course, was Catholic in that I attended the Catholic school in Jaffa, Israel. And so my mentality basically is a Catholic mentality. When I was born again, I was Catholic in my ways. I was very Catholic in my ideas, in my behavior." (Christianity Today, Sept. 3, 1991.)
Indeed, the mysticism that accompanies his ministry, and according to his words, has done so since the first time he spoke publicly, is in the very style of a medieval mystic.
Benny Hinn personally told two reporters from the Toronto Globe And Mail in an article dated December 25, 1976, about his first speaking engagement. This supposedly occurred on December 7, 1974, at the Trinity Pentecostal Church in Oshawa. His words were,
"I held up my hands to pray and the100 people
present fell on the floor. That's when I became aware of my tremendous
power."
These kinds of phenomenon happen frequently in mystical religions, occultic ceremonies and with religious gurus, but are absolutely absent in Holy Scripture. The only time in the Bible that a person fen on the floor was when God Himself was manifested or an angel appeared to that individual.
To even consider a person having power to knock people on the floor flies in the face of reason and Biblical order. Why would God give a man or woman power to slay people? If He is going to manifest such a demonstration of His presence in His prophets or prophetesses, He is going to do something of meaning, not nonsense. It would disturb my soul for God to use me to slay people by the thousands and then heal them by the handfuls. If it is really God; and He cares about mankind; why would He not heal thousands and slay the handfuls. The God of Holy Scripture does not do foolish and meaningless things. That is Satan's style, not the Heavenly Father's.
Benny Hinn And The Catholic Mass
The Mass as celebrated in Catholic churches is a
blasphemous event. Nothing moved the reformers to resist the Pope and the
doctrines of Catholicism more than this false teaching. The Mass proposes the
constant death of Jesus Christ over and over, plus it is a fetish practice
that reduces a Believer to a God-eating cannibal. The whole idea is subhuman
and represents a religious descent in to gory superstition. No wonder the
doctrines of Mary were necessary to aid the constant dying Redeemer as His
co-redemptrix. If the body and blood of Jesus must be offered by Him as a
constant death, then His resurrection is reduced to a helpless idea and the
ascended Mary becomes the bridge to their unsure future. Even purgatory is
needed because of the weakened Messiah who is still being baptized in His
daily death. It is a confusing and unbiblical picture.
Apparently, Benny Hinn loves this confusion. Let me quote an experience that
he recently told on the Paul Crouch (TBN) television show.
"On national television, Hinn recently shared an
experience which should raise a red flag in the minds of all thinking
Christians. In the course of describing a Catholic communion service in
Amarillo in which he took part, he stated that he suddenly felt numb, then
felt someone step in front of him. The sensation become so real that he then
reached out and touched a robe which had "a silky feeling, a beautiful
softness to the robe. ... The next thing I was feeling was actually the form
of a body, the shape of a body. And my body ... went totally numb.... And God
really gave me a revelation that night, that when we partake communion, it's
not just communion, Paul [Crouch]. We are partaking Christ Jesus himself. He
did not say, "Take, eat, this represents my body." He said, "This is my body,
broken for you..." When you partake communion, you're partaking Christ, and
that heals your body. When you partake Jesus how can you stay weak?...sick?
... And so tonight, as we partake
communion, we're not partaking bread. We're partaking what He said we would be
partaking of: "This is my body."' " (The
Confusing World Of Benny Hinn, G. Richard Fisher and M. Kurt Goedelman, pp.
132-133, quoting Praise The Lord Show, Trinity Broadcasting network, December
27, 1994.)
Benny Hinn is clearly a Catholic mystic invading Charismatic and Evangelical churches with doctrines of demons. The work of the cross is a finished work. The true faith of Bible believers does not and cannot survive mystical religious experiences. "The just shall live by faith." (Galatians 3:11, KJV.) Apostle Paul wrote to the Galatians of this danger. He called it being "bewitched", deceived by the spirit of witchcraft, when we try to aid our faith with fleshly ceremonies and ritualism.
"O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, be ore whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? Have ye suffered so many things in vain? If it be yet in vain." (Galatians 3:1-4, KJV).
Benny Hinn Is A Catholic Mystic
The simple faith of our Lord Jesus Christ is being severely tested in these closing hours. People have itching ears and want to hear soothing messages. There is an incredible desire for esoteric experiences and religious giants. Most religious people are not satisfied with a simple Bible-centered church where they learn truth and feed on the Word of God. They have not been taught that the Word of God can carry your spirit right into the fellowship of the great and true God. No one is more to blame for this state of religion than the ministers. The true church cannot survive without a genuine move of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God's restrainer and protector of our minds and souls. The church needs revival. In this atmosphere, a mystic like Hinn can supply a false religious high and appeal to that longing in man for a God that can be known. Hinn talks over and over of this revelation he is getting from his god. While his theology is even changing, his talk of these revelations is constant. Most people do not even hear the implication of the doctrines as long as they are feeling goose bumps and shedding tears. People are so hungry to experience God that reducing Him to a shallow emotion is to them better than nothing. It is the same bondage that enslaved millions of Catholics, Hindus, Moonies, etc. It is a false emotion created by clever mystics, voodoo witchdoctors and multiple gurus with the aide of the master of deceit.
The mysticism of Benny Hinn can only be described as demonic. His ability to lash out at his enemies and to those that expose his deception one minute, and then to receive a revelation from God the next is confusing to say the least. He has confessed to his false doctrines and promised to clean up his theology time after time, but continues in the same vein. His followers treat these lapses in the same way the ancient Babylonians treated their cruel gods that had to be appeased by their constant sacrifices and adoration. His power over the crowds who attend his church, the large crusades, and who watch by television, is scary. It gives some idea of the control the Antichrist will have over the masses.
It appears that his mystical craziness blended with his god-like announcement has elevated him to a level of a mini-god. He cannot be described by any term more fitting than as a religious mystic. He aptly blends his Jerusalem heritage, his Catholic background and mindset, and his Charismatic personality with his prosperity doctrines to present himself as an intriguing, successful showman. He is clearly captivating.
Benny Hinn's Pronouncements: Does He Knowingly Lie?
A recent article in The Inkhorn,, published by Rev. Larry Thomas, stated,
"... the televangelist-faith healer has a well-documented reputation for fabrications, embellishments, truth-twisting, exaggerations and misstatements. Following up his stories usually leads to a series of hyped-up claims that cannot stand the light of truth. Hinn has misrepresented everything from his three conversion stories to his father's political career, his boyhood stutter and a plane crash in which he said he escaped without even a scratch." (The Inkhom, August 1995, p. 13.)
Mr. Hinn apparently has a serious problem with credibility. His recent book, Welcome Holy Spirit, tells a story of his being invited to a Catholic hospital while preaching a revival in Ontario, Canada. He was invited for this crusade by Pastor Ted Spring at the Elim Pentecostal Tabernacle. Hinn stated in his book,
"I received a special invitation from the Reverend Mother of a Catholic Hospital in the area. She wanted me to conduct a service for the patients - along with three other Pentecostal preachers and seven Catholic priests. The chapel of the large hospital seated about 150." (Welcome Holy Spirit, Benny Hinn, p. 23 1.)
Benny Hinn then tells an intriguing story of this event. He said that the chapel was filled with chronically ill, bed and wheelchair patients, and doctors and nurses watching. He said he took control and with anointing oil he and the ministers and Catholic priests began anointing and praying for the sick. He said one priest kept knocking down (meaning the Holy Spirit) as he anointed them. He stated that the hospital looked like an earthquake had hit and that people were under the power of the Spirit. (Ibid, p. 234) He quoted the Reverend Mother (his term) as saying,
"After the service in the chapel, the Reverend Mother asked, 'Oh this is wonderful. Would you mind coming now and laying hands on all the patients in the rooms?' ... More than fifty doctors, nurses, Pentecostal preachers, priests and nuns joined this 'Miracle Invasion' team as we headed for. those hospital rooms." (Ibid.)
Hinn further stated,
".... We entered the lounge ... One by one, they fell under the power. In fact, as we began to pray for one gentleman who was smoking, he fell under the power with a lit cigarette still in his mouth." (Ibid. p. 235.)
What a fascinating story. The only problem is the story appears to be a total fabrication. The same hospital recently released a statement denying that Hinn's story occurred in their hospital. They stated.
"No such events have ever occurred at General
Hospital. His pronouncement can neither be verified through the medical
records nor by the hospital. Mr. Hinn's claims are outlandish and
unwarranted." (Quarterly Journal, Personal Freedom Outreach, July-Sept, 1995.)
It is clear that Benny Hinn is a Catholic
Charismatic in the medieval mystic vein. Our greatest concern should be to
warn people of this End Time deception and teach the absolute necessity of
careful faithfulness to the Holy Scripture. The Hinn phenomenon could not
exist in a Bible-centered atmosphere. He would be exposed immediately!
Benny Hinn Professes to be Catholic!
Hinn proudly stated, "My upbringing, of
course, was Catholic in that I attended the Catholic school in Jaffa, Israel.
And so my mentality basically is a Catholic mentality. When I was born again,
I was Catholic in my ways. I was very Catholic in my ideas, in my behavior."
(Christianity Today, Sept. 3, 1991.)
Benny Hinn Promotes Our Lady of Fatima
"Hinn appeared on the April 23 installment of Larry King Live. King challenged him as to why he doesn’t go from “bed to bed” in hospitals with his healing power. Hinn indicated that he does visit hospitals and when he prayed for people, there were some who were healed but others who were not. He then offered King this explanation as to his mixed results: “But, you see, the gift does not work when you want it to work. The anointing must be there.”
The driving force of his ministry then came to light as he told King: “In a crusade — in a meeting when I am ministering, the anointing of God comes on me and that’s when things happen.” Yet all of this begs the question: Why would the Holy Spirit limit Himself to work in power in only emotionally charged meetings? Hinn would have us believe that the anointing comes and goes but mostly comes in arenas and convention centers. Hinn’s concept takes issue with Scripture as 1 John 2:27 states: “The anointing which you have received from Him abides in you.”
Hinn then endorsed the reputed divine healing power of the Marian shrines at Lourdes and Fatima. He told King and the viewing audience: “Look, God has given us, Larry, many sources of healing. Look at Lourdes. People have been healed going to Lourdes and Fatima. There was a pool, even in the Bible, the pool of Bethesda, where the angels stirred the water — people were also healed. So God has given us many avenues of healing. He wants us to be healed.”
It is disturbing to see Hinn put these two extrabiblical shrines in the same category as a biblical event. It must also be noted that in the incident in John 5, the man was healed by Jesus (John 5:12-13) and Bethesda is never mentioned again after this chapter. (It is a dry archaeological ruin today.) Further, no one is ever pointed back to it for help or healing. In Acts 3 the man is not pointed to the pool (which was nearby) but to Christ (Acts 3:6). Whatever temporary mercy God had shown at Bethesda ended with the person of Christ. But the point must be made that there is a universe of distance between what Lourdes and Fatima are promoting and the Jewish pool of John 5. At the Pool of Bethesda, no one was being encouraged to hold to teachings contrary to God’s Word.
The message of both Lourdes and Fatima are messages supposedly from the Virgin Mary promoting veneration and prayers to her." -SOURCE
