I Once Went To a Cult Meeting

A first-hand encounter with Benny Hinn

Growing up in secular Lutheran Scandinavia, I had never been exposed to those modern “mega-churches” that are able to fill up a stadium arena, except through occasional satellite TV shows that would pop up at a relative’s house.

But now I was traveling to see the world, and during a trip to Israel, someone invited a friend and me to come with them to a Benny Hinn conference, somewhere in the Judean Hills.

I had heard of this TV preacher and miracle healer before, and my curiosity got the upper hand of me that day. I decided to go and see this for myself.

Upon arrival, it just felt like I was attending a concert of some kind. My friend and I showed up early, but there was already a long line of people waiting to be let inside. I noticed that many of the attendees were middle-aged women, although the crowd was a very mixed one. There were people of all ages and walks of life. From the different outfits and buzzing of voices, it was apparent that it was a very international gathering of people.

Many were being shipped in by busses, and I have never seen so many busses at one time on any given occasion, not before nor after this event. The expectations were high, and you could feel the tension in the air from the restless crowd.

As the arena filled up, loud music was pouring out from the big loudspeakers in the front. People started lifting their hands into the air. Some moved back and forth to the soothing piano music. Then the violins joined in.

The lights on the stage were colorful and warm. All around me, people were mumbling syllables to themselves, some of them already entering their own little spheres. I guess they were praying in tongues, although to me it sounded like they were just repeating a few favorite sounds, and if it was language, it was definitely not a complex one.

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