National Enquirer, 02 Aug 2010, Benny Hinn holding hands with Paula White (not his wife)

(Mat 5:32 NKJV)  "But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.

In the article in Christian Post SG entitled “Benny Hinn Says Neglecting Family Led to Divorce” published 13 Aug 2010, it talks about the pain of going through the divorce process. Benny Hinn is one of the biggest Televangelist with his show “This is Your Day” being the most popular Christian daily show in the world. He regularly conducts city wide “Miracle Crusades” as means of fund raising and evangelism with the largest reaching 7.3 million (3 services) in India. He is extremely influential and popular and often greeted by the head of states in the countries he visited. Pastor Benny had preached in Singapore on numerous occasions including –

• City Harvest Asia Conference 2008, 19 Nov 2008, Expo Hall 8

• Benny Hinn Miracle crusades 2007, at the Singapore Indoor Stadium

• City Harvest healing service in March 11, 2005 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

Benny Hinn was married to Suzanne Hinn in 1979 and had 4 children by her. The divorce was filed by Suzanne on 01 Feb 2010.

In the Christian Post article, Benny Hinn also attempted to deny the rumors by the National Enquirer that Benny Hinn was in relationship to Paula White (who herself is a mega church pastor and a recent divorcee). The National Enquirer reported Aug 2, 2010 of the alleged affair with photos of Benny Hinn and Paula White holding hands whilst strolling in Rome. Apparently both were on their way to visit the Catholic Vatican officials!. Was he asking the Pope for blessings? Despite their denials of "nothing immoral", the picture of them holding hands tells a thousand words.

We are so eager to use the OT laws to condemn gays, yet not one word of rebuke was published by Christian blogs or magazines against Benny Hinn for the divorce. In Mat 5:32, Jesus applied a strict scrutiny of the law against the Pharisees who has been using the law to condemn others. Jesus judged them by the same measure they used against others. However, in the 21st century, we have one special rule for Christians and another for gays.

 Jesus was not unfair in severely criticizing the Pharisees because they were using religion to persecute the weak and the defenseless in an arrogant and self righteous attitude. Therefore by our condemnation of gays as sinners because of their sexual orientation, we become the modern day Pharisees and bringing for ourselves automatic condemnation even for “sins” that we would not be normally faulted for. A much higher scrutiny is demanded and there is a raising of the judgement bar when we run down the gay community using the OT laws in bible, for we ourselves shall be judged strictly by the Word and by God without grace nor mercy because we have shown none.    

The Lord also tells me to tell you in the mid 90’s, about ‘94-’95, no later than that, God will destroy the homosexual community of America. [audience applauds] But He will not destroy it – with what many minds have thought Him to be, He will destroy it with fire. And many will turn and be saved, and many will rebel and be destroyed.” [Benny Hinn]

Is Benny Hinn guilty of adultery because of the divorce? Even though he did not initiate it? Yes, because they blame gays even for their innate sexual orientation. In 1987, he even prophesied that God will kill all gays. Therefore, now by the sin of adultery, the prophecy will return to him in the same manner. This is the Law, and the word of God is like a boomerang. Will the audience now be applauding the same manner as they applauded him when he said that God will destroy the gay community?

 It is ironical that we are denying gays the right to marry, yet here we have the leading evangelist in the world getting a divorce and breaking up his marriage yet there is no condemnation from the Christian Churches in US or Singapore. We are so eager to cry out against the smallest speck of dust in the eyes of the gay men and yet even the big log in our eyes we do not see. We also blame gays for causing the breakdown of such straight marriages, and yet in Benny Hinn’s case, no gay ducklings were seen casting spells or doing mischief to destroy their marriages. 

"I don't care if the anointing of God is on you. Nobody wants to be alone. I don't care who you are. I am a human being just like you." Said Hinn.

The Christian Right in America and Singapore have done so much harm against the gay community with their rhetoric, false accusations, condemnation of sin, and denying them relationships – to be with the people they loved. The only sin was because their love was with people of the same sex. Many were forced into the closet for decades, to be alone, hiding their sexuality.

The Christian Right has forced us to be alone, deprived us of acceptance by our church, family, and community by categorizing us as evil, and as sinners. We have deprived of having fruitful and mutual caring relationships, with the Christian Right being the main protagonist against gay marriage in USA, and against gays having any rights in Singapore where because of them homosexuality is still legally a criminal offence.

Many Gay Christians have left the church because just as Benn Hinn had said “Nobody wants to be alone. I don't care who you are. I am a human being just like you. “ Benny Hinn has not treated the gay community with dignity, respect nor with common humanity. Why should we treat him as he said “a human being just like you” where are many thousands of casualties along our spiritual road of gay Christians killed spiritually by the church. The flame of their passion and zeal for God were stuffed out.

What Pastor Benny Hinn prophesied did come partially through that in the 90s, the Christian Right has indeed destroyed the faith of many in the margins of society as they arose to blame gays for the ills of society. When Benny Hinn was caught holding hands with another mega church pastor, Paula White, a recent divorcee as well, they were caught in what they had preached themselves. As Jesus said,

(Mat 26:52 NKJV)  But Jesus said to him, "Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.

Who are we to judge Benny Hinn even though he had caused much harm against us, for God is our justice and our redeemer. We pray that he will be able to remain single (after the divorce) throughout his life in devotion to God.

In "Good Morning Holy Spirit", Benny Hinn spoke of a purity of faith, the fellowship with the Holy Spirit and a simple life based on the discipline of meditating the Word, constant Prayer in the Spirit, and communion with God and with each other. We are indeed mere humanity needing the companion and guidance of the Holy Spirit.