People are searching my blog for news about televangelist Benny Hinn’s divorce. I wrote about Benny before, here, but with no mention of divorce. But if people are looking here for news, I will give them some, second hand …
The BBC and the British newspapers have not yet found this worthy of reporting, so I am reliant on the US newspapers, via Google News and also through a link I found from a tweet by Rich Tatum (seen through Facebook) to the story as reported by the LA Times blog.
The Washington Post has more details than the LA Times and some response from Benny’s camp, so I will quote part of its report:
The wife of televangelist Benny Hinn has filed for divorce from the high-profile pastor, whose reputation as an advocate of prosperity gospel has attracted millions of followers and criticism from lawmakers and watchdog groups over his lavish lifestyle.
Suzanne Hinn filed the papers in Orange County Superior Court on Feb. 1, citing irreconcilable differences, after more than 30 years of marriage. The papers note the two separated on Jan. 26 and that Hinn has been living in Dana Point, a wealthy coastal community in southern Orange County.
“Pastor Benny Hinn and his immediate family were shocked and saddened to learn of this news without any previous notice,” Benny Hinn Ministries said Thursday in a statement. “Although Pastor Hinn has faithfully endeavored to bring healing to their relationship, those efforts failed and were met with the petition for divorce that was filed without notice.”
This is of course very sad, and reminiscent of the high profile divorce of Todd Bentley a couple of years ago. In this case there is no suggestion that any other woman, or man, was involved. Very likely the main underlying issue is that the high pressure work of a modern American evangelist is incompatible with a normal family life.
Well, Benny Hinn has repulsed all efforts to date to be transparent with his ministry monies, income, assets, planes, cars, and Carlton Ritz life. (He lives a stone’s throw, or he USED to live, from the Carlton Ritz in Dana Point.) But Benny Hinn must have his finances DARK, and he must have supporters worldwide come to his aid to KEEP THEM DARK. Because DARKNESS in finances, according to Hinn’s gospel, is of God. Right?
But now, God might expose just how much money he has taken from donors, via this divorce. That is the gospel of California divorce law. Ain’t God funny!
Despite apologists for Hinn’s desire for eternal DARKNESS with his finances, this divorce could shed the light of day where he don’t want the sun to ever, ever shine!
The Ten-Trillionaire Televangelist
By Robert Winkler Burke
Of inthatdayteachings.com
Copyright 4/26/2009
When he drew a boundary for Sea,
posted a sign that said no trespassing,
(The Message Proverbs 8:29)
One day a televangelist appeared on the scene,
He was handsome, charismatic, lean, not mean.
He said, Hello World! Give me your tithes!
He broadcast a wild show, it was quite a ride.
To one hundred-forty nations his show was sent,
From one hundred-forty nations came tithes’ ten percent.
At that time the world’s income was one hundred trillion,
And, by golly, he received ten-thousand billion!
Ten-thousand billion was his wonderful income,
Which was ten trillion, give or take a million.
As he had more cash than any known government,
Ambassadors from the US and China were sent.
Please help us, oh televangelist, they asked of him,
Would you buy us an aircraft carrier, or moon landing?
Our nations are broke, said ambassadors of the world,
Build us a freeway, or school, or tractor for field!
All the world’s excess cash has gone to you,
What, oh great man of God, with it will you do?
The world was quiet that day, waiting to hear,
What the richest man of God would say sincere.
But he said, Sorry to inform you, oh ambassadors,
I spent it all on myself, and perfume for my whores.
Did you think I’m not subject to the maxim,
Power corrupts: It did with my tithe taxing!
Don’t blame me for wasting all the world’s wealth,
To stop waste, oh world, keep your money yourself!
But honestly and quite frankly, since the world is so cotton-picking gullible,
I’ve decided to now become the world’s first quadrillion evangelist lovable!
Robert, thanks for your little ditty, which made me laugh, although of course the figures are wildly exaggerated. But I do object to your use of the word “whores”, especially in the context of legal action in progress, as there is no evidence or suggestion that Benny has been involved with other women.
Has Benny actually said that he has a “desire for eternal DARKNESS with his finances”? But I accept that he has shown a lamentable lack of transparency in this area. It will indeed be good if he is forced to reveal his riches – but surely he will not if he comes to an out of court settlement with Suzanne.
I’m pretty horrified by the poem. Why is it that Christians seem to take pleasure in peoples falling?
“Ain’t God funny!” Yeah he is but not in the way I take that you are implying. God has a man divorced to reveal his apparent financial misgivings?
We need to give out grace and love as there will come a day when we need it. God loves Benny Hinn like he loves his own Son, even if he has misused his finances and his position (I’m not saying he has). We need to pray for him not tear him down.
Ferg, Amen!
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