Benny and His Jet: Not Allowed to Enter Britain… TWICE!

Posted by: Todd
Posted on: Mon, October 05, 2009
(36) comments so far

Benny and His Jet: Not Allowed to Enter Britain… TWICE!

Benny Hinn was turned back at a UK airport last week under new rules on visiting ministers of religion. He was not allowed into the country.

Many thousands of Pentecostal Christians travelled from across Britain and Europe and booked long weekend breaks in the capital’s hotels for his mission at the ExCeL exhibition centre in Docklands, East London, which had been due to begin on Thursday night.

They were left disappointed after Border Agency officials turned him back when he landed with his private jet because he had failed to obtain a “letter of sponsorship” from a church.

Instead, Mr Hinn flew on to Paris and tried to enter Britain at Luton airport but was again turned back.

A Border Agency spokesman said: “Under the UK’s tough new points-based system, religious workers must obtain a valid certificate of sponsorship prior to arriving in the UK. These rules are designed to make sure that a legitimate sponsor is linked to each application to enter the UK for work purposes.

QUICK... can we make a law that would not allow him back into the states?

(Just kidding)

I love this part of the article:

Jill Masefield, who lives in Bristol, said that she and thousands of other followers had been left waiting for Mr Hinn to appear at the free preaching event, not knowing why he had not appeared.Instead, another pastor preached and requested donations of up to £1,000.

Gotta love this sub-section of Christianity. At least they cover each other's backs.

You can read more here...

What do you think?

Todd

Comments

if you want a Globally Recognized Avatar (the images next to your profile) get them here. Once you sign up, they will displayed on any website that supports them.

Thea McKee on Mon, October 05, 2009

I just got back from Wales and the only problem I had was my flight was cancelled and had to be rerouted through Paris. NOT a single person questioned the fact that I was a Presbyterian minister—which we did mention to the customs agents and security at the airport in Manchester. Topics which were brought up only when they asked why we were going to Hawarden, Wales—polite conversation.

I agree with Bishop Dave, The fact that I entered via “coach” and not on my own private jet may have been a factor.

Now, as to Hinn, my mom sent Hinn so much $ when she was dying of cancer; my folks drove for hours to see him so she could be “healed.” Hinn’s organization kept telling her , “If your faith is strong enough…” That’s their out—no accountability—another case of blaming the victim.

And she was a woman of GREAT faith. Now, she was healed, but not of cancer. She was healed of emotional problems which had plagued her entire life. Cancer, and her faith in God resulted in the ultimate healing: emotional forgiveness for a traumatic childhood and the ultimate healing to be in Glory with her heavenly Father. Never did Hinn mention either of those two types of healings as viable. And yet, the greatest healing occured when she closed her eyes for the last time, smiled and said, that she was going home!!!! Now that’s healing, that’s faith, and that’s theGood News of Jesus Christ!!!!!
Jim B. on Mon, October 05, 2009

No matter what one thinks of Benny, what this is about isn’t about Benny’s ministry, it’s about the influence of Islam in G. B. What Benny’s situation is revealing is the gradual loss of religious freedoms in G. B. for the Christian message. The rise of Islam has even created a call by some G.B. legislators for inserting Sharia (?) Law within the British legal system. Never forget the Islamic moto: “we will first destroy the Saturday worshippers, and then the Sunday worshippers.” The slow extinguishing of the Christian message isn’t just happening in G. B., it’s throughout the whole of Europe.
Michael Dixon on Mon, October 05, 2009

Our unity in Christ is a witness, as is our polarization. When every visitor in my church is welcomed with a kiss in Christ, when ever family knows by the narratives of our church family that they will not want as a member of our congregation, when everyone in my community knows that if they chose to venture in they would be feted and we in the congregation would dance for joy and party because they joined us, then I would feel free to even think about whether I should support or controvert anything said about Benny Hinn.
JohnB on Mon, October 05, 2009

He is in good company, even (sic) Don Francisco was not allowed in earlier this year to do a concert here in the UK because he had not realised the law had changed and he needed a specific visa. Personally I find Don’s singing leads me closer to the throne of grace than many preachers (no names here!).
Just remember, if you lot had not declared independance from us this situation would never have taken place….(I’m running fast, ducking as I go)
David Buckham on Mon, October 05, 2009

JohnB

Go drink some tea and eat a scone! *Ducking and running the other way with matched speed*
Chris Meirose on Mon, October 05, 2009

I’d sign that petition. I’d get other people to sign that petition! Hinn promulgates a particularly deceptive perversion of Scripture, and does so to swindle many who cannot afford it out of what little they have. So whether or not it is a good set of laws in GB that caused this, it had a good effect. Another case of God bringing good out of bad.
rbud on Mon, October 05, 2009

Other than as an interesting news story, this means nothing to me. Not even that interesting a news story, actually. I do not follow Hinn, nor do I pass judgement upon him. I haven’t been granted judges’ priviledges, yet. If I ever do, you all will be the first to hear about it.
Mike T Jeffery on Mon, October 05, 2009

Before the “criticizers” are themselves criticized, perhaps one should hold Mr. Hinn and others to the test of false prophets in the New Testament and see how they fare. If they fail, should we still support them, or follow through the scriptures on the matter and shun them?
Leland Nelson on Mon, October 05, 2009

quote - “I do not like what Obama is doing in the US ..., but he is a brother in Christ.”

I see nothing in his life which would indicate that he is Christian. Jesus said that we would know his disciples by their fruit. Obama’s voting to deny medical care to babies that survived abortions (among many other policies of his that have made abortion more accessible) indicate he is not Christian. (One’s faith, not their ideology, should govern their actions.) The Scriptures (in John particularly) show that there is a faith which saves and a faith that seems to save but does not do so. Many people know who Jesus is but do not know Jesus. There is a difference. Claiming to know Christ does not make one Christian.
Bruce Claridge on Tue, October 06, 2009

You may not agree with his methodology but how about asking those who have been legitimately healed under his ministry..fruit speaks louder than our opinions…
Pastor Matt on Tue, October 06, 2009

Yeah, the law really has changed over here. Soon you won’t be allowed to be a “minister of religion” without at least degree level qualification from a _real_ university! (Rather than the degree mills that keep cropping up).

Whilst Britain is liberalising fast in terms of allowing (ie, not shutting don) Sharia courts in the UK (85 at the last count?), and considering sheltering Sharia law for Muslims in the UK, there is much anti-feeling toward leaders from other religions that come over and preach radicalisation and fundamentalism so the government wants to make sure they don’t let in just anyone just because they have a letter from a sponsoring mosque, but they’ll need to be qualified also. Degree level soon, and higher than that a few years later.

Personally I think it isn’t too bad an idea actually.

And anything that keeps absuers like Hinn out can’t be a bad thing.
David Buckham on Tue, October 06, 2009

Bruce,

Becareful with the sword you swing. What about the false prophecies? What about the false healings?

all about Christ,
David Buckham
Art Heinz on Tue, October 06, 2009

If we step back a bit we’ll realize that we have far more in common with each other than the issues that separate us. We should be far more concerned with the fact that evangelical preachers are denied access in the UK while Sharia Law is embraced.
Peter Hamm on Tue, October 06, 2009

Throwing out discernment for the sake of unity = bad.
Results does not = orthodoxy.

Benny Hinn has proven by his words (forget about his ridiculous actions and what appears to be overwhelmingly unsupported healing stories) that he has more in common with new age philosophers and charlatans than he does with any kind of orthodoxy whatsoever…
Fred on Tue, October 06, 2009

Why didn’t he just blow his breath on them, or wave his hand or a handkerchief and make them all fall out?