By Rick Hiebert. All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission.
I have to confess that I sometimes enjoy the humour videos of Ray William Johnson, who has a very popular YouTube series where he makes amusing comments on viral videos and other videos that he finds amusing. I could be called a fan. But I can guarantee that Todd Bentley is not, after Johnson derided Bentley before a YouTube audience of 3 million viewers–and counting–this week.
It’s Johnson’s video from September 27. I was drinking a Slurpee, when shortly after the 30 second mark, Johnson began to comment on a “pastor” doing a healing. I almost spilled my drink on the keyboard when I saw that he was starting to riff on Todd Bentley in that video that Boing Boing posted recently on their own website.
Johnson, one of the most popular posters on YouTube, has Bentley clearly in his sights, although, for his own reasons, he doesn’t mention Bentley–”this pastor guy_”–by name.
“So this next video made me kind of sick…” Johnson introduces the Bentley video.
I need to add a caveat about Johnson. I don’t believe that he is a born again Christian and this is sometimes–as in this video–reflected in his adult language and his jokes. So what I will do for now is merely link to his video to be careful.
UPDATE: Bene D suggests that I just post it so, with the above caveat in mind, enjoy. The segment on Bentley starts at 0:31.]
[This is a special musical episode for Johnson, so this leads Johnson to turn Bentley's attempt to heal the woman into a really funny dance mix.]
I wouldn’t use Johnson’s language, but I have to add that he has a sense for how ridiculous and fake Bentley can seem to a non-Christian.
“I honestly wonder if that pastor takes money up front or if he charges it by the BAM,” says Johnson.
Johnson’s video is at 3.2 million hits as I write. He devotes just over a minute to Bentley.
Here is something that may be significant. As Bentley is preparing to hit the road, it seems that secular video makers are defaulting towards a view of Bentley where he could be continuing to be unsound at what he does. No surprise to BDBO readers, perhaps, But, *if* Bentley is repentant and holy, he has a long way to walk to reach credibility thanks to introductions such as the one Johnson offers in his video.
Secular defaulting to “this is ridiculous” hampers the good and ethical evangelists who may be trying to do the same ministry as well. Thanks, Todd.
I have to admit that I wonder a bit whether Ray William Johnson may have better discernment than some Christians–who are supposed to have the Holy Soirit’s help–when assessing Bentley.
“I honestly wonder if that pastor takes the money up front or if he charges it by bam… bam bam bam bam bam!”
If you can find the embed code, put it up Rick.;^) Truth comes from wonderful places.
Go to the you-tube address where this Bentley service was posted (presumably by a sincere admirer of Bentley).
Then take a look at the comments…….. nasty stuff.
If such people consider Bentley a representative of the Christian faith, then this is really serious……….
Saw them Sean, thanks. That 20/20 and Rivera interviews Bentley did aren’t going away.
I would like to know what happened to the lady needing the hip operation.
When the adrenaline wore off, she must have been in a world of hurt.
Bentley’s overseers want him to be seen as a representative of their faith, that some may believe all Christians are egomaniac self-appointed evangelists speaks to the failure of the charismatic movement to reign their shysters in. That the majority of Christians also decry this kind of con is often lost in the noise. The mockery and derision is not surprising.
Yes, it’s serious.
When believers don’t discern and give guys like Bentley a platform to prey on the vulnerable – let the comedians and none religious media have a go.
Hey BD…
It was ABC Nightline, BTW. Great job by Kofman and his producer.
I wonder if, given the reports that he had drinking issues during the Lakeland revival, whether Todd Bentley tried Sunny D and rum.
Any ‘restoration’ is incomplete and unfounded until he’s ‘restored’ to the wife of his ORIGINAL vows. Obviously the TB lovers won’t see it that way.
Dave,
You hit the nail on the head.
As for T.B is any marriage beyond God’s Grace?
If so maybe he should try selling cars.
Ron,
No marriage is beyond God’s grace. Unless one of the partners is overcome by lust for another person outside of the marriage and chooses to turn his or her back on God’s grace because the ‘lust of the bed’ is more important.
And as we’ve seen, there are any number of ‘prophets and apostles’ willing to rubber stamp such behavior, strengthen the hands of the wicked and call it ‘restoration’. Somehow I doubt that’s what the Lord had in mind when He spoke on the issues of adultery.
But there’s a positive side to all of this. If I get tired of my wife and find another woman I want to ‘do it’ with, I’ll dump my wife, marry who I’m lusting after and then start screaming for ‘grace’ and ‘forgiveness’. That way I get to have my way and still cover it in a veneer of spirituality.
The real victims here are his children, who saw his betrayal and abandonment of their mother firsthand. They’re the ones I wish God’s grace upon.
@Dave
Your comments assume that Todd intentionally did what he did because he knew that he could receive grace and forgiveness for it. Pretty harsh judgement.
@Rob
Aww Rob, you think I’m harsh eh?
Well not nearly as harsh as dumping the first wife for a new, slimmer, better-looking gal who doesn’t have the health problems that the first wife did. Odd you mention my opinion as being harsh but you’re mute about the harshness of this upon Todd’s ex-wife and family. Yeah, I’m the bad guy here. R-I-G-H-T.
I agree completely – non-christians often have better discernment than Christians – they’re not conditioned to believe anyone who claims to be an “anointed minister”
“rob” protests too loudly
Evangelist like this are dangerous and damaging to all Christian religions theonly way to become a true priest or minister is to go to an actual seminary and to be ordained with what I am reading here I have to wonder on this ministers background