the Healer Fraud.
i'm pretty skeptical of bandwagon Christian things.
especially when there's lots of crying involved.
so when i saw this video a few months ago and heard people going crazy over the new Hillsong Australia song "Healer", i had my doubts.
but because i'm usually marked as an insensitive jerk when i open my mouth about these things, i kept it under wraps and didn't write about it. in fact, i had written a post, but then deleted as i exercised what little discernment i do have.
since the official YouTube video i'm referring to has been taken down, here's the background on the story:
a worship leader/songwriter/pastor named Michael Guglielmucci from Australia wrote a song called "healer" because he had terminal cancer. this song has gone on to give hope to thousands upon thousands of christians and with the help of the internet, this song has spread to churches across the world and has become a regular staple in lots of worship leader's repertoires. he's also collected money from people all over the world touched by his song. the video on YouTube that made this song infamous is of the author Michael Guglielmucci singing this song alongside of Darlene Zschech at a Hillsong Service. Michael's got oxygen tubes coming out of his nose, he's crying and has agony on his face, Darelene is crying and wailing, the people in the audience are crying, it sounds like people are getting electrocuted all over the sanctuary.
EXCEPT HE DOESN'T HAVE A TERMINAL DISEASE. HE IS NOT SICK [physically].
"Mr Guglielmucci confessed his two-year fraudulent cancer battle at a national executive meeting of the Australian Christian Churches on Saturday, and was stripped of his credentials."
the entire thing was a big fat scam.
not even his wife and family knew what was going on.
news broke last night from Hillsong Church, who were duped in this as well, and was picked up by a local newspaper.
you can read the article here, and watch the video.
[it has been taken off of YouTube.]
in a second [unavailable] video, during an interview for the song, Michael tells how
the news from the hospital that he had "quite an aggressive form of cancer" inspired his song. "I just went home. I knew I had to go home and needed to get alone with God," he says in the video.
"I walked into my studio at home and for some reason. . . I sat at a piano and began to worship.
"I sang that song from start to finish. I was crying. I just realised that God had given me an incredible gift and I realise that song was going to be my strength."
[SOURCE: Australian newspaper "the Advertiser". i also watched the video when it first came out.]
this is pretty low.
but on the other hand [and it's a VERY SMALL other hand]:
could this have just been absolute marketing genius?
taking a note from reality tv, acting a part in a commercial and setting up a viral video to sell songs?
do the words of the song when sung genuinely, not continue to ring out true?
"i believe you're my healer... nothing is impossible... etc."
terminal illness or sinful arrogance and deception, the Father IS our healer! He is more than enough to redeem the brokenness and bring forgiveness and restoration and renewal in our lives, is he not?
the scripture he read before he started singing is no less true of Jesus:
while i'm sure i won't be singing this song congregationally anytime soon, the words are true. true for people who are terminally ill, and true for people who fake terminal illness.
thank you Jesus.
[HT: MMI]
UPDATE:
especially when there's lots of crying involved.
so when i saw this video a few months ago and heard people going crazy over the new Hillsong Australia song "Healer", i had my doubts.
but because i'm usually marked as an insensitive jerk when i open my mouth about these things, i kept it under wraps and didn't write about it. in fact, i had written a post, but then deleted as i exercised what little discernment i do have.
since the official YouTube video i'm referring to has been taken down, here's the background on the story:
a worship leader/songwriter/pastor named Michael Guglielmucci from Australia wrote a song called "healer" because he had terminal cancer. this song has gone on to give hope to thousands upon thousands of christians and with the help of the internet, this song has spread to churches across the world and has become a regular staple in lots of worship leader's repertoires. he's also collected money from people all over the world touched by his song. the video on YouTube that made this song infamous is of the author Michael Guglielmucci singing this song alongside of Darlene Zschech at a Hillsong Service. Michael's got oxygen tubes coming out of his nose, he's crying and has agony on his face, Darelene is crying and wailing, the people in the audience are crying, it sounds like people are getting electrocuted all over the sanctuary.
EXCEPT HE DOESN'T HAVE A TERMINAL DISEASE. HE IS NOT SICK [physically].
"Mr Guglielmucci confessed his two-year fraudulent cancer battle at a national executive meeting of the Australian Christian Churches on Saturday, and was stripped of his credentials."
the entire thing was a big fat scam.
not even his wife and family knew what was going on.
news broke last night from Hillsong Church, who were duped in this as well, and was picked up by a local newspaper.
you can read the article here, and watch the video.
[it has been taken off of YouTube.]
in a second [unavailable] video, during an interview for the song, Michael tells how
the news from the hospital that he had "quite an aggressive form of cancer" inspired his song. "I just went home. I knew I had to go home and needed to get alone with God," he says in the video.
"I walked into my studio at home and for some reason. . . I sat at a piano and began to worship.
"I sang that song from start to finish. I was crying. I just realised that God had given me an incredible gift and I realise that song was going to be my strength."
[SOURCE: Australian newspaper "the Advertiser". i also watched the video when it first came out.]
this is pretty low.
but on the other hand [and it's a VERY SMALL other hand]:
could this have just been absolute marketing genius?
taking a note from reality tv, acting a part in a commercial and setting up a viral video to sell songs?
do the words of the song when sung genuinely, not continue to ring out true?
"i believe you're my healer... nothing is impossible... etc."
terminal illness or sinful arrogance and deception, the Father IS our healer! He is more than enough to redeem the brokenness and bring forgiveness and restoration and renewal in our lives, is he not?
the scripture he read before he started singing is no less true of Jesus:
He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Surely he took up our infirmities
and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
[Isaiah 53:2-5]
while i'm sure i won't be singing this song congregationally anytime soon, the words are true. true for people who are terminally ill, and true for people who fake terminal illness.
thank you Jesus.
[HT: MMI]
UPDATE:
10 Comments:
Thank you.
Thank you for not condemning something that contains God's truth just because it was put forth by a sinner.
He sure did screw up though. What was he thinking?
if i did that here, i should never teach, preach, write or sing to jesus again.
right on. Things that are dead will eventually smell. Yet the truth remains the truth. God is consistent.
It's hard when those who profess to follow Him don't. Good call on waiting and deleting.
This is why I dislike "christian" rock. Jesus is not a marketing concept and it really annoys me when people try to make a living that way.
what do you mean by "christian" rock? i'm not sure i understand..
people make money off of near death experiences claiming they have seen him, preaching his word on tv and by traveling the world as "HIS" missionaries. All of whom make a living off others love for Jesus.
Are you against that too or just the music?
Modern day Christianity is BIG business.
Mathew 21:12,13 -- And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves.
13: And said to them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but you have made it a den of thieves.
Christians are some of the biggest hypocrites.
I just read an article that he may have Munchausen syndrome. The Mayo clinic has a lengthy description of this mental illness. He sure has all the signs from what I read. There was even a distinction between lying to make money and going to great lengths to fabric a serious illness for attention. Some people with this condition actually make themselves sick or have unnecessary surgery (even having limbs removed!)So while there are surely way too many wolves out there masquerading in one way or another this one just might be a legitimate mental disorder.
Although Munchausen syndrome is a possibility, I believe it's a severe case of anxiety.
Mike admitted that he has battle a porn addiction for 16 years. He's also commented that carrying this shame made him sick. I think it was easier at the time for Mike to say "hey I've got cancer" than to admit he had a porn addiction.
The porn addiction is the catalyst for the fake cancer claim.
Image the amount of guilt & shame someone would feel about this, them multiply those feelings by 100. Add insult to injury Mike decided to invent the fake cancer claim, so there is that guilt as well.
Anxiety in this proportion can have drastic effects on the body and mind.
From first hand experience I can tell you that I have suffered from anxiety since I was 12, due to a very abusive upbring that involved both severe physical abuse & mental.
Symptoms that Mike displayed are very much real for someone who suffers from acute anxiety.
i think the "condition" is called "sin nature"... the rest is just blame shifting and excuses.
the cure?
THE Healer.
how ironic...
[please take notes, on a proper example of using that literary device correctly, alanis.]
if you were interested in this and wanted an update, here it is.
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