OPEN LETTER TO TODD BENTLEY AND BENNY HINN AND/OR ANY OF THEIR SUPPORTERS
Now let me first say (before my question) that I do not deny that God still heals and I do not deny that the Sovereign God could use anyone He chooses to accomplish His purposes (whatever they may be). I do believe the Bible and that Jesus Christ is the only way of Salvation. With that said…
I have noticed that all the supposed healings happening at your ”Crusades” always involve an “absence of pain” and ailments that are unseen to the eye. Never do we see healings that involve the re-growing of limbs, eyes or anything that would be visible to the eye (or the camera evidently). Considering these facts makes me question that you have a gift of healing. In light of this I have several questions:
1 – If you have the gift of healing, why aren’t you going into hospitals and cleaning them out? Wouldn’t that be a greater witness of the power of God to the world (than doing it on stage in front of mostly Christians)?
2 - If you have the gift of healing, why are none of the healings ever things that people can see? (Such as limbs growing back, paralyzed people walking and such.) If these events have occurred, why haven’t they been captured on camera?
3 – If you have the gift of healing, how come it only happens on stage?
4 – If you have the gift of healing, how come it only manifests itself in a controlled environment after long periods of repetitive music that have been known to put people into altered states of consciousness (a state of hypnosis) which can make them believe they are healed when they actually are not?
5 – Since none of the healings involve things that can be seen… how do we know …
(a) that the people coming on stage are not paid actors?
(b) that the person isn’t simply is very excited and the adrenaline and endorphins which naturally result in a temporary absence of pain are making them think they are healed?
6 – Why is that if someone isn’t “healed” they are blamed for a “lack of faith? In Acts 3 the lame man Peter and John healed had no idea who they were and from the scriptures faith wasn’t even involved (in this case). Can you explain this accusation in light of Acts 3?
7 – Can you produce one shred of evidence that a person has ever actually been healed? I am seeking evidence from a Doctor before and after the Crusade that the individual was indeed sick and then was indeed healed?
8 – If you cannot produce this evidence, not even one substantiated case, will you admit that you are a false prophet and repent openly?
9 – Can you answer these questions without with out accusing me of being a heretic and divisive? Are you aware that if you do so, you are asking me to blinding accept without question what appears to be a deception? Are you aware that this is the first sign of a cult?
If Todd Bentley, Benny Hinn or any other stage show healer and/or their supporters / Ministry helpers and spokesmen can answer all these questions from the Bible, properly interpreted and in context I will support their ministry.
***6 12 08 - Todd's website only allows a 50 character limit in emails to the Ministry, so I clipped out questions 1 and 2 above and put them in. If they respond I will send them the rest.
***6 12 08 - Benny's site had an email address so I was able to send the entire message.
OPEN LETTER TO ALL CHRISTIANS
My concern for writing this is simply for our Nation. This is a short letter and I simply ask that you read it. Recent events in our country in light of God’s Word have me praying for our Country as never before and here is why…
In Romans 1:21-28 of the King James Version we read:
Rom 1:21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Rom 1:22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools,
Rom 1:23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.
Rom 1:24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves,
Rom 1:25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
Rom 1:26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature;
Rom 1:27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.
Rom 1:28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.
I travel all over our great country in my secular job (coast to coast) and I can tell you that our country is not simply flirting with judgment… we are currently under it. Please notice that in verse 26 it says, “For this reason God gave them up”… what was the reason? Verse 21 begins that explanation, “although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him”. So what is the result of us not giving honor to God? This result is His judgment. But now what is the result of that judgment? The sins listed in verses 26 through 32. So what is my point?
Many Christians think that such rampant and open flaunting of sin in our society (such as those mentioned in verses 26 to 32) will cause the judgment of God upon our great Nation… but I tell you it is not only a result of His giving us over already, IT IS THE JUDGMENT. The rampant sin and open debauchery in our Nation are not going to cause judgment upon our Nation, it is the greatest sign that we are already under God’s judgment. It is simply the RESULT of God’s judgment!
It is my firm belief is that we are much farther down this path of judgment than most Christians realize. It is high time we BEG God for His forgiveness and become actively involved in turning our Nation around. It is my conviction that the message of the Gospel; its’ love, its’ forgiveness and restoration of man to God is the only answer for our generation. Our fear and neglect of sharing this message coupled with our political laziness has caused the mess we have today.
Please join me in prayer… in sincere humility before God, our faces to the ground in shame and intercede for our Nation and beg God to restore it… not for us only, but for our children, grandchildren and all those who desperately need to hear the Gospel. Let’s quit sitting back and thinking, “someone else will do it” and get involved. Thanks you so much for your time.