I approve!
Posted on 12/18/2006 7:23:27 AM PST by Laissez-faire capitalist
This version of Benny and the jet has nothing to do with the hit Elton John song.
"Benny" is Benny Hinn, the Dallas-area televangelist. The jet is Dove One, a Gulfstream G4SP that his ministry recently acquired, according to his Web site.
Hinn's ministry did not return a call from the Houston Chronicle, but it has very publicly sought help paying for the plane. Hinn wants 6,000 of his "partners" to donate $1,000 each toward the down payment. Extensive information about Dove One on the Web doesn't include the total cost, but similiar Gulfstream jets appear to sell for at least $30 million.
Donors of $1,000 or more get a scale model of Dove One and their names inscribed inside the plane, Hinn said.
But a frequent critic of televangelists, Ole Anthony, suggests another way if Hinn wants to reach unchurched people around the globe.
"For the amonunt of money it takes to fly one of these things, he could take his whole staff first-class on a commercial flight," said Anthony, head of the Trinity Foundation in Dallas.
Anthony's group has scrutinized Hinn's ministry for years, focusing particulary on such expenditures as a California parsonage overlooking the Pacific Ocean, reportedly worth about $10 million.
Hinn, on his Web site, says he is merely answering God's call in Isaiah 6:8: "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?"
HInn's response: "Long ago I said, 'I will go, Lord. Send me! But I cannot do it without you, nor can I do all our wonderful Lord has called me to do without Dove One!"
Guys like Benny Hinn make Jim and Tammy Faye Baker look like saints.
The problem, Benny .... is the fact that you want to arrive like some friggin' king or something ... you stupid haired phoney.
Living proof that you can get rich selling cheap Grace.
Just another journalist looking for something that'll stick.
The Man has a private plane for the same reasons all people who have them do...
Chiefly, because you can come and go anywhere as you please.
Egads...God forbid!!
He is looking a bit silly soliciting donations to pay for it after he bought it, though.
I don't think there's anything wrong with a high-income person, even a televangelist, buying a jet he can afford.
But there is something distinctly strange about someone buying a jet he's not sure if he can afford.
Has he considered maintenance costs? If he doesn't know, they're sky high, literally. Just in fuel and FAA-required maintenance I think you're talking about $3,000-odd an hour, and then I believe you need both pilot and copilot to fly it.
If you're not using it every day, it might be better to charter it - it would cost about $10,000 per flight hour which is a lot cheaper than millions of dollars + $3,000 a flight hour unless you have a lot of flight hours in mind. Or fractional ownership could work.
D
The Man has a private plane for the same reasons all people who have them do...
____________
Oh please. Most of the others have to pay for the plane themselves. Hinn is selling modern day indulgences to pay for his.
Most people that have them don't prey on the simple minded, infirm and financially insecure elderly to pay for their private planes.
On the other hand, up in the air would make for an easier shot if God wanted to zot him.
Private jets are all the rage among televangelists these days:
http://www.elitecxteam.org/
Christ led by example in this and all things.
- Charter
- Fractional ownership
Either of these would work fine for most of us.
But not for Binny. As an uber-megalomaniac, he needs to "own" the plane to be satisfied.
I don't know much about him, but I suspect he's a sociopath.
I publish a weekly report of business aircraft transactions in the U.S., and I see a religious entity acquiring one at least once a month. From twin pistons up to Gulfstreams, but mostly in the Citation range. Off the top of my head, the largest single group of non-manufacturing owners would be builders/developers, followed by auto dealers.
We've come along way from "the Son of man has no place to lay his head," haven't we?
Benny's a crook, plain and simple. His fake miracles, false prophecies, lies about his personal history, fleecing of the faithful and nefarious financial ways are well documented.
Fools and their money...
"Oh please. Most of the others have to pay for the plane themselves. Hinn is selling modern day indulgences to pay for his."
Heaven forbid that he buy a humble King Air 300. A USED one.
Benny: Now I can take my friends to the Super Bowl in style. (The Jerk)
I approve!
Be that as it may, he is providing a much needed public service---injecting the money of fools and crazy people into the durable items market.
"HInn's response: "Long ago I said, 'I will go, Lord. Send me! But I cannot do it without you, nor can I do all our wonderful Lord has called me to do without Dove One!"
If God is sending him, God will pay his way. Hari Krishnas beg for money.
Richard Mueller was a man of prayer. He ran an orphanage. One day, they were out of food and money.
He got down on his knees and said, "Lord, we have no food. You have always met all our needs. We look to you now for some food." He had the table set and the kids sit down to breakfast.
There was a knock at the door. He opened the door and a bakery truck was parked out front. The driver said, "My truck is broken down and all my baked goods are going to spoil. Can you use them?"
That's my God and Richard Mueller's. He pays His own way.
Oh yeah. Here.
He needs to raise money for hair implants so he can get rid of that ridiculous comb over.
Has he considered fractional ownership with Victoria Osteen? Her flying choices are somewhat limited, given that Continental is based in Houston.
That is a GREAT story, thanks for sharing.
Kind of related, in the "nothing can separate us from the love of God sense" - our pastor has been preaching on Romans and yesterday wrapped up part of Romans 8 with a story about a Vietnamese Christian who during the war travelled with an American missionary, translating for him all over the country.
After the war the Vietnamese Christian was imprisoned for his faith and for "aiding the Americans." For years he was fed Marxist propaganda, allowed no English and no written publications other than communist ones, until he began to doubt his faith - what if he was wrong, what if there was no God, and then finally one day he decided that the next day, he would choose not to pray. The next morning he was assigned to clean the bathrooms, was emptying one pot, saw a piece of paper with what he thought was English, snatched it up, put it in his pocket, and kept it hidden until late that night when everyone was asleep. He got it out of his pocket and the paper said nothing but the words "Romans 8." He broke down and cried because he knew exactly of what that chapter consisted.
Simply awesome is our God.
I have absolutely no problem with ministries asking for money. The Apostle Paul asked for money, I believe, in 2 Corinthians. As the old saying goes, "You can't change the world if you can't pay the bills."
I have a problem in this case with what the money is used for. A private jet is a ridiculous expense.
What is it with televangelists and their HAIR?
Look at that Crouch woman and that pink explosion atop her head!
I cannot believe SO MANY people can be fooled into giving money to these people.
I can just see Paul now, cruising around the Med in his own personal trireme. lol
1 Timothy 5:17-18
"The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. 18For the Scripture says, "Do not muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain," and "The worker deserves his wages."
NIV version
In other words, a paid clergy is completely Biblical.
Looks like a Foster Freeze Double Whirly Dilly...
How do they pay for their wants and needs?
I could not have said it better.
Hey Quix,
How much are you kicking in?
Hey Alex, where' the Hair pic?
Ya know, a used turboprop transport along the lines of a Hercules or a Provider would probably be cheaper AND more appropriate... And it would be able to carry relief supplies. And it would show some humility.
I wouldn't expect that of Benny Hinn, though.
Thanks. That''s a good one, too.
They have regular 9 to 5 type jobs.
Out of thier own pockets. Many work full time jobs in addition to their church callings which can take 40-50 hours per week. Even the young missionaries pay their own way, just like Christ.
Perfect scripute. This man is a disgrace to the Gospel. CO
That's my God also!!
Seeing the headline, I instantly recalled Oral Roberts in the tower years ago.
To quote the PGA promo, "These guys are good!"
Ole Peter was a pretty swift dude, huh? Pegged 'em right down to their motives.
Great Scripture quote.
You mean the Holy Spirit Ramscoop one?
wow. He's played LA, played Orlando, and now he's in Dallas. What's next, Vegas?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.