Tele-evangelist sued over 'God can heal' claim (Darlene Bishop)

The Guardian ^ | 01/02/2006 | Ed Pilkington

[NinoFan]

For those who are unaware, Hinn had a fundraising project going called Dove One. Basically, it was him asking for money from his followers to buy a Gulfstream G400 executive jet. You can STILL contribute to the project through his donation page (donate at least $1,000 bucks and you'll get a small replica of the jet), but it appears that he's taken down the main page that was advertising it.

[Bigh4u2]

"Leviticus 26:1 Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the LORD your God."

I'm wondering. Does that apply to Jesus, since he was the 'living god'?

Can an image of Jesus be considered 'graven' or an 'idol'?

[dfwgator]

God can heal, it's Darlene that can't.

[AppyPappy]

Can an image of Jesus be considered 'graven' or an 'idol'?

Yes if it is venerated. Especially images of Jesus where he looks like a hippie.

[AnotherUnixGeek]

God does heal. But the prerequisite is faith. And sometimes the healing is the *ultimate healing* in that the person is taking home, where there is no sickness or suffering.

No offense, but you seem to be saying that God may heal his followers by letting them die, but will also refuse to heal unbelievers, resulting in their death. Neither seems to qualify as "healing" in any real sense of the word.

In my opinion, science, medicine, and the ingenuity of man are the best bet if you get sick. Get medical help, be an informed patient involved in your own treatment, make the doctors explain themselves and their reasoning to your complete satisfaction and hope for the best.

[Bigh4u2]

"Yes if it is venerated."

What of the statues of Jesus in churches as well as him depicted on the cross?

Are not these images venerated?

[Bigh4u2]

"No offense, but you seem to be saying that God may heal his followers by letting them die"

And then there was Lazarus.

[Asfarastheeastisfromthewest...]

I'm wondering. Does that apply to Jesus, since he was the 'living god'?

Was Jesus God? Was He part of the Triune God - God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit? Matthew 3:17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. John 10:30 I and my Father are one.

[AppyPappy]

Not in many churches. Sometimes, they are just art.

[ImAmericanFirst]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOBS2y6RwZE

[Bigh4u2]

"Was Jesus God?"


http://www.everystudent.com/wires/whodoyousay.html

[PalestrinaGal0317]

In my church (Catholic) statues/pictures are everywhere (particularly in the older, non-wreckovated-to-resemble-a-spacestation ones). These statues aren't to be "venerated" or worshipped; they aren't that which they depict; they are images to remind us of good people (saints) whose examples we ought to follow (surely a picture of Peter Marshall-who I deeply admire and respect, BTW-wouldn't be looked on askance in the buildings of various churches?) or God (see statues, however horribly rendered, of Christ) and that which He has done for us.

Of course, as with any art, they can verge on (and go way beyond) tacky. See 62-foot tall hippyesque statues of Christ, etc.

[My2Cents]

Sadly, science, medicine, and the ingenuity of man are often inadequate to address some illnesses. On the other hand, miracles do happen. People are cured of illnesses for which medical science has no explanation. There is no "forumla" for such healings. And, yes, God does choose to heal those who do not claim much faith at all, but these often result in sparking faith in the individual.

[Mr. Jeeves]

Call her Tammy Faye Boxer. ;)

[PalestrinaGal0317]

First off, anyone who can write for both Tim McGraw and the Backstreet Boys (gets out hand sanitizer and rubs down keyboard) deserves...something. I'm not sure whether it's respect, pity or a combination thereof.
Secondly, TV evangelists have always struck me as the epitome of loud and tacky. God certainly can (and, I'm sure, does on occasion) heal someone from terminal cancer. However, I'm reasonably sure that he has good taste.

[dglang]

Lazarus was a unique first time experience to show his followers that Jesus indeed had the authority and power to raise the dead. The first manidestation of this power was to His closest associates who still didn't realize who He was, and still didn't know it all afterwards until the very end.

God didn't cause Lazarus' disease, but used the disease to show Christs glory and total authority on earth.

The bible states that 'it is appointed once unto man once to die'. We all will die someday unless we are caught up in the rapture first. We may die in perfect health in old age or we may die in accidents or illness before 'our time'.

The bible states that 'the death of His saints in precious in His sight'. This not becase they die and cease to exist, but because they are going home to be with Him in Glory. Even the greatest of Gods faithful servents will die. Jesus Himself died and was buried, but rose again on the 'third day according to scripture' to show who He was and still is.

There aer only two people in the bible who were said not to die, Enoch and Elijah. Many melieve that these willl be the 'two witnesses' of Revelation who will be killed at that time and lay dead in the streets for several days before being raised again. Since all must die at least once, and these two haven't died yet, that will be their time.

All of Gods servents are human like the rest of us and they all have their faults and failures, and yet God delights in using us (humans) anyways. Even the greatest of Gods old testyament prophets had their failures, including reluctance to do Gods will simply because it will benefit non-believers, Example Jonah. Even Elijah ran in fear after slaying over 400 of Baael's prophets.

In truth, none of Gods servants can do anything without God doing it through them through His Holy Spirit. The bible declares that they labor in vain unless God is involved.

In so far as non-believers or others weak in faith not being healed, it is a soverign act of God exactly who He heals and when He does it. Oftentimes, even the extreme athiests get healed, even when they least expect it, just to show them who God and Jesus are.

While faith does move God to act for us and unbelief doesn't move Him, He is not moved by our needs or circumstances alone. If we spend a lifetime rejecting Him, can we expect Him to respond to our needs?

God has chosen to honor faith, the bible declares that 'without faith, it is impossible to please Him'.

God has placed so much emphasis upon faith, that He made faith alone in Christ the only basis for salvation and if He places so much value on faith for salvation, should He place less value on faith for healing and our daily needs?

[AnotherUnixGeek]

People are cured of illnesses for which medical science has no explanation. There is no "forumla" for such healings.

That's true. Cancers do go into remission and people do simply get better sometimes, religious or not. Our science and medicine still have a lot to learn, obviously, but they've come a long way and people are living longer and better as a result.

[dglang]

A perfect example of all who ridicule Gods servants. Can anyone expect anything else? If someone rejects God, they will surely reject His servants as well.

Many od Gods servants aern't perfect, but they are His servants and when they carry His anointing, rejection of them is the same as rejecting He who anointed them.

[Bigh4u2]

"Lazarus was a unique first time experience to show his followers that Jesus indeed had the authority and power to raise the dead. The first manidestation of this power was to His closest associates who still didn't realize who He was, and still didn't know it all afterwords until the very end."

But doesn't that statement answer the question that was asked about whether "God heals his followers by letting them die"?

Although it may have been a 'one time' occurrence, It seems to me that it does.

But that's JMO!

[Bigh4u2]

"Of course, as with any art, they can verge on (and go way beyond) tacky. See 62-foot tall hippyesque statues of Christ, etc."

I agree. It's one thing to proclaim your faith to God by following scripture as it was intended. And quite another to erect 65 foot tall statues. Because in doing so, it seems you are not glorifying God or Christ, but just trying to draw attention to yourself.

I ask all these things to try to learn more about what I perceive, more than to argue right or wrong.

If I am wrong, or not sure about something I feel it's better to ask, even question in the hope to find the right answers.

Thanks.