Hinn 'Cured' Only Volunteers Not Patients: Panel

Star of Mysore/January 23, 2005

Bangalore -- A Fact Finding Committee has exposed that those who publicly announced that their illnesses were cured by the grace of Christ in the prayer meeting of the evangelist Benny Hinn were only his volunteers.

The volunteers who had mingled with the people in the large gathering to take part in the prayer meeting, rushed to the raised dais soon after Benny Hinn's show started and also openly declared that they were suffering from specific illnesses which were cured by him, the Committee revealed.

The team members who also gained entry into the prayer meeting posing themselves as devotees of Benny Hinn on Friday, the first day of the series of prayer meetings, first noticed the presence of his volunteers.

The Committee members also found out that the volunteers, who could be seen everywhere among the large audience, were none other than the volunteers of the evangelist keeping company with him after dusk.

Benny Hinn is reported to start his show while the people in the large gathering were made to experience increased heart-beats due to loud music blaring through the speakers. He makes dramatic declaration saying 'Christ has come. He is entering your body. You have now acquired a rare kind of strength', the study team is learnt to have said.

"Immediately after Benny Hinn touches the 'patients' and declares that their illnesses will be cured, the volunteers spread widely among the people gathered at the prayer meeting behave in an excited manner. They also weep uncontrollably and scream", the study team has said.

"In response to the command of Benny Hinn to those who have been cured to come to the dais and announce their experiences, the volunteers rush there and make many statements such as 'I got my sight', 'I am cured of cancer, 'I got back my ability to walk', 'my heart ailment has been cured' and so on", the study has revealed.

Although the behaviour of the volunteers influences the bystanders, it is only the weak-minded ones who will believe what they see and hear. The rest are divided equally between believers and non-believers, according to the study team.