Benny Hinn: Healer Or Hypnotist?
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
INVESTIGATIVE FILES JOE NICKELL Benny Hinn: Healer or Hypnotist? enny Hinn tours die world with Kathryn Kuhlman (1907-1976). At draws the largest crowd of any evangelist his "Miracle Crusade," drawing that service he had a profound religious in America today" (Condren 2001). thousands to each service, with experience, and that very night he was Hinn's mentor, Kathryn Kuhlman, B pulled from bed and "began to shake who performed in flowing white gar- many hoping for a healing of body, mind, or spirit. A significant number and vibrate all over" with the Holy ments trimmed with gold (Spraggett seem rewarded and are brought onstage Spirit (Hinn 1999,8-14). 1971, 16), was apparently the inspira- to pour out tearful testimonials. Then, Before long Hinn began to conduct tion for Hinn's trademark white suits seemingly by the Holy Spirit, they are services sponsored by the Kathryn and gold jewelry. From her he obviously knocked down at a mere touch or ges- Kuhlman Foundation. Kuhlman died learned the clever "shotgun" technique ture from the charismatic evangelist. before Hinn could meet her personally of faith-healing (also practiced by Pat Although I had seen clips of Hinn's ser- but her influence on him was profound, Robertson and others). This involves vices on television, I decided to attend as he acknowledged in a book, Kathryn announcing to an audience that certain and witness his performance live when Kuhlman: Her Spiritual Legacy and Its healings are taking place, without speci- his crusade came to Buffalo, New York, Impact on My Life (Hinn 1999). fying just who is being favored (Randi last June 28-29. Donning a suitable Eventually he began preaching else- 1987,228-229). garb and sporting a cane (left over from where, including the Full Gospel Selection Process a 1997 accident in Spain), I limped into Tabernacle in Orchard Park, New York my seat at the HSBC Arena, downtown. (near Buffalo) and later at a church in In employing this technique, Hinn first Orlando, Florida. By 1990 he was sets the stage with mood music, leading Learning the Ropes receiving national prominence from his the audience (as did Kuhlman) in a gen- Benny Hinn was born in 1953, die son book Good Morning, Holy Spirit, and in tle rendering of of an Armenian mother and Greek 1999 he moved his ministry headquar- He touched me, oh. He touched me, father. He grew up in Jaffa, Israel, "in a ters to Dallas. And, oh, die joy that filled my soul! Greek Orthodox home" but was "taught Lacking any biblical or other theolog- Something happened and now 1 by nuns at a Catholic school" (Hinn ical training, Hinn was soon criticized by know He touched me, and made me other Christian ministries. One, 1999, 8). Following the Six-Day War in whole. 1967, he emigrated to Canada with his Personal Freedom Outreach, labeled his family. When he was nineteen he be- teachings a "theological quagmire ema- Spraggett (1971, 17) says that with came a born-again Christian. Nearly nating from biblical misinterpretation Kuhlman, as it was sung over and over, two years later, in December 1973, he and extra-biblical 'revelation knowl- it became "a chant, an incantation, hyp- traveled by charter bus from Toronto to edge.'" He admitted to Christianity notic in its effect," and the same is true Pittsburgh to attend a "miracle service" Today magazine that he had erred theo- of Hinn's approach. by Pentecostal faith-healing evangelist logically and vowed to make changes In time, die evangelist announces that (Frame 1991), but he has continued to miracles are taking place. At the service I Joe Nickell is CSICOP's Senior Research remain controversial. Nevertheless, attended, he declared that someone was Fellow and author of numerous investiga- according to a minister friend, "Outside being "healed of witchcraft"; others were tive hooks. of the Billy Graham crusade, he probably having the "demon of suicide" driven 1 4 May/June 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER out; still others were being cured of can- "Now, it's okay to relax and separate resulted from "an abusive relationship cer. He named various diseases and con- them." If he has too many candidates with her husband." Still another (who from the first test, he may then give ditions that were supposedly being alle- admitted to being "an emotional per- them a second test by suggesting they viated and mentioned different areas of cannot open their mouths, move a son") said her sister-in-law sitting the anatomy—a back, a leg, etc.—that limb, or open their eyes after closing beside her had begun to "speak in he claimed were being healed. He even them. Those volunteers who fail one tongues" and that she herself felt she stated that he need not name every dis- or more of the tests are sent back to ease or body part, that God's power was effecting a multitude of cures all over the arena. Hinn's selection process is—perhaps not Thus, instead of the afflicted being surprisingly—virtually identical to that employed invited up to £f healed (with no guaran- by professional stage hypnotists. tee of success), the "shotgun" method encourages receptive, emotional individ- uals to believe they are healed. Only that was healed of various ailments, includ- self-selected group is invited to come ing high blood pressure and marital forward and testify to their supposedly trouble. At her mention of her brother, miraculous transformation. While I Hinn brought him up and learned he remained seated (seeing no investigative had been healed of "sixteen demons" purpose to making a false testimonial), two years previously, and expected to others are more tragically left behind. At be cured of diabetes; Hinn prayed for one Hinn service a woman—hearing God to "set him free" of the disease. the evangelist's anonymously directed Another was supposedly cured of being command to "stand up out of that "afraid of the Lord" (although he was wheelchair!"—struggled to do so for carrying the bible of a friend who had almost half an hour before finally sink- died of AIDS), and one woman stated ing back, exhausted (Thomas 2001). she believed she had just been cured of There is even a further step in the ovarian cancer. selection process: Of those who do make In each instance—after the person it down the aisles, only a very few will has given a little performance (running actually be invited on stage. They must about, offering a sobbing testimonial, first undergo what amounts to an audi- etc.), and Hinn has responded with tion for the privilege. Those who tell the some mini-sermon, prayer, or other re- most interesting stories and show the action—the next step in the role-playing greatest enthusiasm are the ones likely to is acted out. As one of his official catch- be chosen (Underdown 2001). ers moves into place behind the person, This selection process is—perhaps Benny Hinn Hinn gives a gesture, touch, or other sig- not surprisingly—virtually identical to nal. Most often, while squeezing the that employed by professional stage their seats, and those who pass all the person's face between thumb and finger, hypnotists. According to Robert A. tests are kept for the demonstration. he gives a little push, and down the Baker, in his definitive book. They Call Needless to say, not only are they com- compliant individual goes. Some slump; It Hypnosis (1990, 138-139): pliant, cooperative, and suggestible, some stiffen and fall backward; a few but most have already made up their Stage hypnotists, like successful trial reel. Once down, many lie as if en- minds in volunteering to help out and lawyers, have long known their most do exacdy as they arc told. tranced, while others writhe and seem important task is to carefully pick their almost possessed. subjects—for the stage as for a jury— if they expect to win. Compliance is Role-playing Along with speaking or praying in highly desirable, and to determine this Once on stage, one of Hinn's screener;rs tongues (glossolalia) and other cmo- ahead of time, the stage magician will announces each "healed" person in tional expressions, this phenomenon of usually give several test suggestions to those who volunteer to come up on turn, giving a quick summary of thhee "going under the Power" is a character- the stage. Typically, he may ask the vol- alleged miracle. At the service I istic of the modern charismatic move- unteers to clasp their hands together attended, one woman put on a show ooff ment (after the Greek charisma, "gift"), tightly and then suggest that the hands jumping up and down to demonstratite Also known as being "slain in the are stuck together so that they can't pull them apart. The stage hypnotist that she was free of pain following kneee Spirit," it is often regarded skeptically selects the candidates who go along surgery three weeks before. Anotheicr even by other Christians who suspect— with the suggestion and cannot get was cured of "depression," caused by correctly—that the individuals involved their hands apart until he tells them, "the demon," said a screener, thaat are merely "predisposed to fall" (Benny SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2002 15 Hinn: Pros & Cons 2002). That is, they greater or lesser degree to "mental medi- of her hearing" as claimed at the merely engage in a form of role-playing cine." Pain is especially responsive to sug- Portland crusade. However, her physi- tiiat is prompted by their strong desire gestion. In the excitement of an evangel- cian stated, "I do not think this was a to receive divine power as well as by the ical revival, the reduction of pain due to miracle in any sense." He reported that influence of suggestion that they do so.