Benny Hinn Drops Lawsuit over 'Fallacious' Tweet
Televangelist Benny Hinn has withdrawn his lawsuit against a Christian media consultant who tweeted about Hinn's alleged engagement to Paula White.
The lawsuit was dropped after Phil Cooke agreed to recant his tweet. "My tweet last month that Benny Hinn was engaged was wrong – my source was mistaken. I'm sorry and apologies to Benny Hinn and his children."
Hinn and White, a prominent Pentecostal preacher, were pictured last summer in The National Enquirer leaving a hotel in Rome holding hands. At that time, White was divorced from her husband, and Hinn was separated from his wife of more than 30 years and going through a divorce. The petition for divorce had been filed by Suzanne Hinn - a move that shocked the televangelist.
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The two denied the report as "untruthful."
The preachers admitted they had recently developed a close friendship but Hinn maintained that the relationship "has remained morally pure at all times."
In January, Cooke - a speaker, producer, writer and consultant - sent out a tweet that Hinn has called false, defamatory and fallacious.
The tweet stated: "TV EVANGELIST NEWS: Benny Hinn and Paula White reported engaged. Prayer cloths are rejoicing everywhere."
According to a statement, released Tuesday by Hinn, the tweet resulted in "embarrassment and adverse financial consequences" to Hinn, his family and his church (World Healing Center Church) in Grapevine, Texas.
Hinn filed suit in Orange County, Calif., against Cooke. But after Cooke's apology, recant and "other concessions," Hinn dismissed his lawsuit.
Currently, Hinn is at the other end of a lawsuit that was filed by book publisher Strang Communications. The suit alleges that Hinn violated a morality clause in their contract due to his "romantic" and "inappropriate" relationship with White.
Hinn, who is known for his controversial prosperity teachings, was under contract to write three books for the publisher. The preacher was given an advance of $300,000 to write his first book, Blood in the Sand.
But according to the lawsuit, Hinn violated terms of the contract, including a failure to market the book.
Hinn's lawyer, Miles Archer Woodlief, told The Christian Post earlier that Strang rejected settlement attempts but the preacher is still hoping to reach a resolution "without causing unwanted harm to his publisher."
Hinn is now legally divorced from his wife. White and her second husband, Randy, of nearly 18 years divorced in 2007.
