Benny Hinn and my mother
My mother as a Catholic without much education in Catholocism, has been going to his crusades and is aftr me to go to one coming up soon near my town. I cannot argue with her as she insists she is right. I have listened to him, read a couple of his books and, frankly, he doesn't make sense.
I lost my husband a year and a half ago, and she is so into BHinn that all she talked about to our priest at the funeral was about BHinn! She said that the Pope watches BHinn all the time - I have no way of refuting this.
I tell her I am very strong in my faith (after all, my parents gave us 12 yrs of Catholic education) and have no desire to see someone who I believe is almost heretical in his talks! She is making a nervous wreck out of me; my sisters and brother (7 of us total) said just to go along with her, but I feel I shouldn't. It would be wrong.
I know she spends a lot of her money (which isn't a lot) on him and his books, videos, etc. I fear she's not seeing what he is saying - just looking for a healing and the "beautiful" music. She is 87 yrs old and still 'with it' - ' has all her buttons' etc. My sisters say don't upset her, But!! Also, she says that all the stuff against him on the computer, media is all lies. I try to tell her I am very peaceful in my faith, especially since the Holy Spirit helped me get back to the Church after 20 years! She believes the Holy Spirit is like BHinn says - healing, posterity, financial wealth!
Frankly, I am at a loss as to what to say - I don;t want to see his crusade - not that I'm afraid to, but I have no interest in THAT kind of spiritual "help". She, at times, has been kind of critical on the Catholic church and the priests that don't have that Holy Spirit guided sense!! Especially since we are undergoing a persecution in our Church now and we don't need BHinn's kind of confusing so-called theology.
She also said that BHinn said the Pope, when he met him, told him to keep on doing what he was doing. So, did the Pope tell him that? And does the Pope watch TBN and BHinn? Pray for my mother - and me, too. Thank you, and God Bless you!
QUESTION from Josephine on September 1, 2003
ANSWER by Staff on September 6, 2003
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Dear Josephine: I am sorry to hear about your plight with your mother. It is always a sad and painful thing to watch a loved-one descend into groupie-ism and be emotionally manipulated. If I were you, I would not go to the crusade. Hinn does not represent the fullness of truth that is in the Catholic Church. Catholics have no business being involved with such persons. As for the truth of her claims about the Pope and Hinn, the burden of proof is upon her. You and I do not have to disprove it, she has to prove it -- with documentary evidence that is credible. If she cannot produce any credible sources for her information then she hasn't a leg to stand on. I sincerely doubt that the Pope wastes his time watching Hinn on TV. Where would he find the time even if he wanted to? Bottomline: claims that the Pope did anything in reference to Hinn must be proven and proven with credible evidence and NOT "because Benny said so". The best and probably only approach you can make with your mother is to pray for her. Arguing will do little if any good at all given the intensity of her conversion to the "Church of Hinn". Be a model of Catholic Christianity to her, make a statement of disapproval by not indulging the dysfunctional behavior and groupie mentality (including NOT going with her to the Crusade), and love her.
God Bless, |