"Fredric L. Rice" <REMOVEFRice@SkepticTank.ORG> wrote in message
news:10ci907ofstesc6@corp.supernews.com...

Churches want faith-healer's claims tested

<snip>

Australian Catholic University theology professor Tony Kelly said

the church almost accepting a long history of craziness on the fringes,
"all
types of snake oil" should be treated with extreme caution.

"Bad publicity for the whole range of spiritual values should not be
tolerated and churches need to be, while recognising God can work in
mysterious ways, explicit in not letting simple devout people be

and they must give firm guidance on this," he said.

"Any person who is humbly trying to do the work of God needs some money

but

once self-promotion and amassing huge sums of money takes over, it is

a

good sign. The work needs to be God-directed, non-profitable, and carry

the

spirit of poverty and humility."

Isn't the Catholic Church the richest religious organisation in the world?

"Fredric L. Rice" <REMOVEFRice@SkepticTank.ORG> wrote in message
news:10ci907ofstesc6@corp.supernews.com...

Churches want faith-healer's claims tested

Faith-healer or spiritual charlatan, American evangelist Benny Hinn
still manages to pack in the crowds. Jason Gregory reports
09jun04
A MODERN Christian "crusade" led by American television evangelist
Benny Hinn, a self-professed miracle-worker and faith healer, will
be unleashed on
Brisbane later this month.

They should make him prove his claims by making an amputee regrow an
arm or leg. Or bring someone back from the dead. Anything
scientifically verifiable will do. If he fails (when he fails), then
they should feed him to the kangaroos.

"Fredric L. Rice" <REMOVEFRice@SkepticTank.ORG> wrote in message
news:10ci907ofstesc6@corp.supernews.com...

Churches want faith-healer's claims tested

http://www.thecouriermail.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,9784692%255E3102,00..html

Faith-healer or spiritual charlatan, American evangelist Benny Hinn still
manages to pack in the crowds. Jason Gregory reports
09jun04
A MODERN Christian "crusade" led by American television evangelist Benny
Hinn, a self-professed miracle-worker and faith healer, will be unleashed
on
Brisbane later this month.



More than 30,000 believers hoping for some kind of healing of body, mind

or

spirit, are expected to raise the roof of the Brisbane Entertainment

Centre

for two shows - sandwiched between shows in Chicago and Ohio - on June 25
and 26. They are his only shows in Australia.

Apart from those watching television during the vampire hours, relatively
few Australians know of Hinn although his Orlando Christian Centre
ministry,
founded two decades ago, earns up to $100 million a year and is said to
have
a weekly world TV audience of more than 50 million.

In the US "disbelievers" have marred his church and concert hall
performances by protesting outside venues and accusing the 51-year-old
Lebanese-born tele-minister of preying on the sick and elderly.

Watchdog groups have been lobbying US Congress to pass legislation making
it
illegal to hawk anything that cannot be proven to deliver what it

promises,

and authorities have also been investigating his growing wealth.

His visit, along with that of fellow millionaire faith healer Kenneth
Copeland next month, have been pre-empted by Australian church authorities
who believe claims of miracle healings should be investigated by
government.

St Paul's Theological College academic dean Reverend Dr David Pascoe said

a

secular authority was needed to test claims of "miracle healings" to
protect
people's rights.

"Some (evangelists) appear to be their own authority and if one of the
Government's charges is to protect people's rights, then a secular
authority
could do that - we do it for consumer goods," Dr Pascoe said.

Although Hinn calls himself a pastor, he has no theological training and
therefore cannot have his claims censured by higher authorities.

Brisbane Catholic Archbishop John Bathersby said he was "disappointed" by
people attracted by signs and wonders holding unreal expectations.

"The Church would come down on us like a tonne of bricks if we made
outlandish statements proven false because Rome carefully investigates

acts

of wonder or awe," Archbishop Bathersby said.

In 1998 when Hinn, who claims God appeared before him when he was 11, was
last in Brisbane he attempted to ban the media from entering the
entertainment centre.


Hinn claims that during his stage shows he cures the seriously and
terminally ill, those with long-time drug habits and leanings towards
witchcraft.

He asks for "gifts, your best seed (money) or donations" as he performs

the

acts. He imparts the Holy Spirit by touching people, with a small puff of
the lips or by throwing it into the audience like a cricket ball.


Currently Hinn is requesting donations to enable him to take the Gospel to
the ends of the Earth. Three years ago he was asking for $30 million to
build a "World Healing Centre" and although the funds were raised the

plans

were abandoned.

Hinn says the massive donations (able to be given via credit card on his
website) he receives are no different to those collected by mainstream
churches.

Australian Catholic University theology professor Tony Kelly said despite
the church almost accepting a long history of craziness on the fringes,
"all
types of snake oil" should be treated with extreme caution.

"Bad publicity for the whole range of spiritual values should not be
tolerated and churches need to be, while recognising God can work in
mysterious ways, explicit in not letting simple devout people be exploited
and they must give firm guidance on this," he said.

"Any person who is humbly trying to do the work of God needs some money

but

once self-promotion and amassing huge sums of money takes over, it is not

a

good sign. The work needs to be God-directed, non-profitable, and carry

the

spirit of poverty and humility."

They should make him prove his claims by making an amputee regrow an arm or
leg. Or bring someone back from the dead. Anything scientifically verifiable
will do. If he fails (when he fails), then they should feed him to the
kangaroos.

"Fredric L. Rice" <REMOVEFRice@SkepticTank.ORG> wrote in message
news:10ci907ofstesc6@corp.supernews.com...

Churches want faith-healer's claims tested

http://www.thecouriermail.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,9784692%255E3102,00..html

Faith-healer or spiritual charlatan, American evangelist Benny Hinn still
manages to pack in the crowds. Jason Gregory reports
09jun04
A MODERN Christian "crusade" led by American television evangelist Benny
Hinn, a self-professed miracle-worker and faith healer, will be unleashed
on
Brisbane later this month.



More than 30,000 believers hoping for some kind of healing of body, mind

or

spirit, are expected to raise the roof of the Brisbane Entertainment

Centre

for two shows - sandwiched between shows in Chicago and Ohio - on June 25
and 26. They are his only shows in Australia.

Apart from those watching television during the vampire hours, relatively
few Australians know of Hinn although his Orlando Christian Centre
ministry,
founded two decades ago, earns up to $100 million a year and is said to
have
a weekly world TV audience of more than 50 million.

In the US "disbelievers" have marred his church and concert hall
performances by protesting outside venues and accusing the 51-year-old
Lebanese-born tele-minister of preying on the sick and elderly.

Watchdog groups have been lobbying US Congress to pass legislation making
it
illegal to hawk anything that cannot be proven to deliver what it

promises,

and authorities have also been investigating his growing wealth.

His visit, along with that of fellow millionaire faith healer Kenneth
Copeland next month, have been pre-empted by Australian church authorities
who believe claims of miracle healings should be investigated by
government.

St Paul's Theological College academic dean Reverend Dr David Pascoe said

a

secular authority was needed to test claims of "miracle healings" to
protect
people's rights.

"Some (evangelists) appear to be their own authority and if one of the
Government's charges is to protect people's rights, then a secular
authority
could do that - we do it for consumer goods," Dr Pascoe said.

Although Hinn calls himself a pastor, he has no theological training and
therefore cannot have his claims censured by higher authorities.

Brisbane Catholic Archbishop John Bathersby said he was "disappointed" by
people attracted by signs and wonders holding unreal expectations.

"The Church would come down on us like a tonne of bricks if we made
outlandish statements proven false because Rome carefully investigates

acts

of wonder or awe," Archbishop Bathersby said.

In 1998 when Hinn, who claims God appeared before him when he was 11, was
last in Brisbane he attempted to ban the media from entering the
entertainment centre.


Hinn claims that during his stage shows he cures the seriously and
terminally ill, those with long-time drug habits and leanings towards
witchcraft.

He asks for "gifts, your best seed (money) or donations" as he performs

the

acts. He imparts the Holy Spirit by touching people, with a small puff of
the lips or by throwing it into the audience like a cricket ball.


Currently Hinn is requesting donations to enable him to take the Gospel to
the ends of the Earth. Three years ago he was asking for $30 million to
build a "World Healing Centre" and although the funds were raised the

plans

were abandoned.

Hinn says the massive donations (able to be given via credit card on his
website) he receives are no different to those collected by mainstream
churches.

Australian Catholic University theology professor Tony Kelly said despite
the church almost accepting a long history of craziness on the fringes,
"all
types of snake oil" should be treated with extreme caution.

"Bad publicity for the whole range of spiritual values should not be
tolerated and churches need to be, while recognising God can work in
mysterious ways, explicit in not letting simple devout people be exploited
and they must give firm guidance on this," he said.

"Any person who is humbly trying to do the work of God needs some money

but

once self-promotion and amassing huge sums of money takes over, it is not

a

good sign. The work needs to be God-directed, non-profitable, and carry

the

spirit of poverty and humility."

They should make him prove his claims by making an amputee regrow an arm or
leg. Or bring someone back from the dead. Anything scientifically verifiable
will do. If he fails (when he fails), then they should feed him to the
kangaroos.

--
Desdinova
Remove nospam to e-mail
AA #2182 EAC Director of If I Told You I'd Have To Kill You

Theology is never any help;
it is searching in a dark cellar at midnight
for a black cat that isn't there.
-- Robert A. Heinlein

"Fredric L. Rice" wrote:

Churches want faith-healer's claims tested
http://www.thecouriermail.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,9784692%255E3102,00..html
More than 30,000 believers hoping for some kind of healing of body, mind or
spirit, are expected to raise the roof of the Brisbane Entertainment Centre
for two shows - sandwiched between shows in Chicago and Ohio - on June 25
and 26. They are his only shows in Australia.

Whst a pathetic example of the depths that the human mind can descend to.
We really are a sorry lot

In article <10ci907ofstesc6@corp.supernews.com>,
REMOVEFRice@SkepticTank.ORG (Fredric L. Rice) wrote:

Watchdog groups have been lobbying US Congress to pass legislation making
it illegal to hawk anything that cannot be proven to deliver what it
promises...

Well, that would mean every church in the land would have to be shut
down. I wonder if they bloody well thought this through?

St Paul's Theological College academic dean Reverend Dr David Pascoe
said a secular authority was needed to test claims of "miracle
healings" to protect
people's rights.

Sodding hypocrites. They talk about miracles, promise eternal life if
you give up having fun and generally make a living pushing stuff that
nobody has ever been able to prove, then they get their knickers in a
twist as soon as someone else starts doing the same thing.