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Under the title, 'Hinn controversy brings out crowds,' Suzanne Sheppard of the Trinidad & Tobago paper 'Newsd@y' spoke of how preparations for Benny Hinn's Savannah crusade are "in high gear."
"For several months preparations have been in high gear for the visit to Trinidad and Tobago of evangelist Pastor Benny Hinn. Thousands of volunteers from Full Gospel and Evangelical churches throughout the country have been mobilised and are in the final stages of rehearsals for the three-day crusade scheduled for the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain, from May 19 to 21.
Undaunted by the controversy raging over the imminent arrival of the globetrotting evangelist, representatives from the more than 400 Christian churches supporting the event are getting ready to serve as ushers, security personnel, intercessors, members of a mass choir, facility workers and to perform other duties during the three-day event.
Although local Hindu group the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha has raised strong objections to Hinn’s visit, even seeking the intervention of the Government and the Inter-Religion Organisation (IRO) in the matter, the resulting controversy has not hampered preparations for what local organisers expect to be a massive event which will be attended by thousands.
In response to the objections raised by Maha Sabha General Secretary Sat Maharaj, Rev Alister Alexander, Event Chairman and head of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the West Indies (PAWI), issued a statement in which he said the local organisers did not want to “enter into a war of words and debate concerning the upcoming event.”
He said: “We respect people’s opinions and feelings about the matter and wish to be granted the same in return.”
According to Rev Alexander, Hinn is coming to TT at the invitation of PAWI in collaboration with Full Gospel and Evangelical churches. He made it clear that the local Benny Hinn Event Committee “has not and will not” receive funding of any kind from the Government of TT.
“We do respect the plural composition of our society and seek only to bring people to a personal relationship with God. In the spirit of respect of all creeds we do extend an open invitation to whosoever wishes to attend, as we do believe that this event will be a blessing to our entire nation,” Rev Alexander said.
In a series of newspaper advertisements and an open letter to Prime Minister Patrick Manning, Maharaj claimed Hinn had cast negative aspersions against the country during his previous visit. He claimed the Maha Sabha had done extensive research on Hinn’s ministry and had concluded that claims of healing during his crusades were nothing but theatrics “designed to maximise revenue.”
However, protests and criticisms have not stopped Hinn, one of the best-known evangelists in the United States, from staging mass crusades around the world.
This audio highlights areas of grave concern re Benny Hinn's statements and ministry.
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