A Question of Faith. . .

First some Housekeeping Matters:

It has been over a week again. I know that I probably have less than 2o unique people who check here at least once a month, but I am sorry I will try to keep updates a bit more frequent. Also, I had to change what comments were allowed because of spammers. Thus, unless you have a blogger ID, you can't post comments. If you want to make a comment, just email me with it instead. If you don't have my email address, then here is a junk-mail account: Seanxor@yahoo.com. Email that one and I will give you a real one. Now on to the real post . . .


For whatever reason Indianapolis has two faith channels. I can not imagine there is enough viewers to keep two almost identical channels going, but there is. This also means that for the most part at any given time of the day Benny Hinn is on TV. If you are unfamiliar with Benny Hinn he is the "faith healer" who hold crusades where he (usually) talks about the Holy Spirit and healings in some capacity before having people come up on stage who have been healed, and he then "slays them in the spirit" (they pass out when he puts his hand near them). Now I have for the most part always equated Benny Hinn with a crack-head. I also vividly remember, a Newsweek article I read that followed up with people who went up on stage and were healed at one of his crusades. Newsweek followed up with multiple people who were supposibly healed of chronic or long term illnesses (such as artheritis, diabeties, cancer, etc). Everyone they followed up with really had not been healed and still had the problem. One woman even died from cancer, after stopping treatements because she believed she was healed. Also a quick google search on "Benny Hinn" will give you scores of articles (like this one) that point out many heretical statements and actions he has made over the years. I also have also pondered how his TV healings work. He has a weekly (or maybe daily, I don't really know) show where he sometimes claims the holy spirit is telling people who need to be healed and he is proclaiming certain people viewing just got healed from some condition. I have always been curious, do those healings happen during a repeat as well? Basically I have always been very skeptical (and even cynincal) of Benny Hinn (and honestly I think I have good reason to be a bit so).

However, over the past two months while flipping through channels I have watched a bit of his stuff (since he really is almost always on one of the two channels). In doing so, I have had to ask myself why should I be so skeptical (heretical teachings and tape dealyed healings aside). Seriously, if I believe that nothing is impossible with God (which I do) and if I believe that he is very active in the lives of people today (which I do), and if I beleive that the Supernatural, such as miracles, still happen today (which I do), why should I be skeptical of Benny Hinn. I think the answer lies mostly in the heretical teachings of his and the "bad vibe" I always feel when watching him. Though I do have to thank his shows for making him question my faith. If a paraplegic wheeled up to me and told me they just asked God to make them walk again, do you think it will happen, how would I answer? I have honestly asked myself that question, and sadly my honest answer is something along the lines of "maybe" or "I guess it's possible." Jesus, Peter, Paul, and the rest of the disciples never said maybe, they said yes! While I do honestly leave God can do all things and that He is active, and that He does heal people, I realized that I do not truly Pray or Live like I believe that. Yes I know that logically that someone who's spinal cord has been snapped will not walk again, but then again I also know that it is impossible to walk on water. The one thing I can say about Benny Hinn, wether he be prophet or an Anti-Christ, he did (inadvertantly) teach me a humbling lesson about faith. My prayer is, now more than ever, the prayer of the man with a demon posessed son "I do believe, help me overcome my disbelief."