Benny Hinn’s crusades contradict the example given by Jesus
BENNY Hinn’s comments (“Why evangelist Hinn keeps faith with ‘healing crusades’”, SD, April 16) contradict Jesus.
Jesus did not require “a whole lot of faith” [for miracles to happen]. Jesus (Matthew 17:20) told his followers that they only need faith the size of a mustard seed to be able to move mountains.
There is also no need for lots of believers to come together “in one voice”. Jesus promised (Matthew 18:20) that where two or three are gathered in his name, he will be there with them.
Indeed, Jesus spoke out against ostentatious religion and told his disciples (Matthew 6:6) that when they pray they should go into their own room, shut the door and pray in secret. “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective” (James 5:16).
Jesus did very little teaching and healing in the temple or synagogue. He went into the market place, into the fields and into people’s homes and conducted his ministry among ordinary people in their ordinary lives. It is clearly shown in the Gospels that Jesus tried to avoid publicity and preferred to meet individually with people. That great love for the ordinary person is what brought the crowds to him.
I do not understand why Jesus can’t “become real when there isn’t worship going on”. Jesus, according to Christian theology, was born, lived, died and conquered death as a human. Jesus is the perfect man who really shared and overcame all our human frailties and promised his disciples that he had all power in Heaven and on Earth and would be with us forever. How much more real can you be?
Jesus would go to the hospitals. In keeping with his mission to reach the lost (Matthew 9:11-13), Jesus spent his time with those who were not to be found among the religious. Jesus did not need to whip up emotionalism before “healing” arguably psychosomatic ills like backache and ear problems.
Jesus could, in the course of an ordinary day, give sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, the ability to walk to the crippled. He even raised Jairus’s daughter and his friend, Lazarus, from the dead.
The parable of the sheep and the goats (Matthew 25: 31-46) clearly shows Jesus’ priorities. It is an expansion on the teaching of the prophet Micah (Micah 6:8) that we should act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with God.
Evangelists and their crusades are like candy floss. It tastes good when you eat it, but that soon fades. When all the people claiming to be Christian reject these hedonistic, emotion-ridden crusades and simply live their lives as Jesus and the prophets before Him taught, then we will see the kingdom of God on Earth. — Dave Rankin, Cambridge
Give JZ an EPWP job
IN HIS election manifesto, President Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma aka “A Scandal Per Minute” promised that he was doing something about job creation and fighting unemployment.
Social grants and the expanded public works programme (EPWP) were his main solutions. So why don’t we as the ANC redeploy him to being a social grant recipient or an EPWP worker just for one year and in the meantime redeploy someone else to his position?
But definitely not Des van Rooyen. — Skhu, East London
Boardwalk in decay
WHO is responsible for maintenance of the Nahoon Nature Reserve boardwalk?
It is in an appalling state with piles of sand preventing wheelchair/disabled access, the rails ripped apart and thrown on the ground. It creates a general impression of it being left to its eventual demise.
There even appear to be fewer birds and animals around.
The brightest spot at present is the Reef Café whose friendly staff provide excellent service. This is one of the few assets this godforsaken city still has to offer, so why not make an effort to preserve it? — Theodora Goddin, Berea
Protect our elderly
IT is disturbing to note there are still people abusing our elderly (Gogo Nozipho Mzayifani pleading to be rescued, DD, April 16). The geriatric has suffered all these years in silence and was subjected to verbal and physical abuse. She is a double amputee living all alone and needs to be in a place of safety. The department of social development needs to send social workers to investigate her health and welfare. If her conditions are not suitable, she must be placed in an old age home. A prompt, thorough investigation should be conducted by the department and the police so that the culprits face the full might of the law. — Roy D Claasen, via e-mail
21st-century slavery
THE capture into slavery of a group of Nigerian Christian schoolgirls by Boko Haram two years ago was almost unbelievable in this supposedly enlightened 21st century! Now it emerges that these young girls are still alive, but dressed in orthodox Muslim women’s clothing, and they are reportedly being treated as sex slaves!
It appears that the Boko Haram leaders do not think girls should be educated. Instead they are to be used and abused.
How can civilised nations allow this shocking behaviour to continue? How can this be viewed as acceptable in any faith?
Imagine the anguish of the parents who have lost their daughters.
This is the complete antitheses of the teachings of their Christian faith, for example, that we are all created in the image of God and can trust in Jesus to give us a fulfilled life here on earth. — Patricia, via e-mail
NOTE TO WRITERS:
Letters should not exceed 200 words. Write to the Editor at PO Box 131 East London 5200. E-mail: letters@dispatch.co.za. Fax: (043) 043 748 1723. Please include your name, telephone number and address. The Editor reserves the right to edit or reject letters. Preference will be given to readers writing under their own full name